Conflicts In The Outsiders By S. E. Hinton

603 Words2 Pages

Life is a force that constantly comes at you, and it won’t cease to do so. S.E Hinton, the author of The Outsiders is aware of this and demonstrates this throughout the book. Ponyboy Curtis, the narrator of this story, has indeed gone through many challenges. By the end, he has learned that assumptions about people just by their appearance isn’t a correct thing to do. That is shown time and time again, which is why it is the theme of the book.
One of the primary aspects of The Outsiders is the differences and the conflicts between the Greasers and the Socs. The Greasers are referred to as such due to the fact that they are poor, which means they are seen as scum and trash by the Socs. The Socs are the exact opposite of the Greasers; they’re rich and seen as perfect. Towards the beginning of the book, Cherry Valance, a Soc, and Ponyboy Curtis, a Greaser, have a conversation. Within the conversation, Cherry tells Ponyboy something which he doesn’t fully think through at …show more content…

The Greasers are limited by many factors, some for example being; the law, money, family, and in some cases, the Socs. Kids like Bob however don’t have these limits. They run free with no restraint, unafraid to stir up disaster, causing cases like Bob’s death. Without rules, he took it too far, possibly even desperate to do so. Many other Socs must face a similar problem, considering how much their parents give them, whether by riches or materialistic things. More issues described are those being of social aspects with other Socs. Randy felt like his own friends would criticize him for feeling this after his best friend died. Using the words “soft” and “crazy” just because he’s experiencing human emotion. The Soc must’ve felt really cornered to go and speak with a friend of the Greaser who killed Bob. Friends aren’t supposed to chase their friends away, they’re supposed to provide support, help, and just make you feel

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