The learning of Loss of Childhood in literature
What is a child? according to United Nations Humans Right, “a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child.” As a child, childhood should be the most innocent phase of your life. In this phase, one has no care in the world, but to sit home watching their favorite cartoon, while mommy and daddy take care of them physically, financially, and emotionally. What about to the children who don't come from healthy household and have to support themselves? These types of children don't get to experience a normal childhood like any other child and are forced into adulthood making adult decisions. In S.E Hinton's novel "The Outsiders", The narrator
…show more content…
Hinton focuses on how hardships while growing up shapes self-identifying as an adult. Johnny Cade, a teen who is considered a “lost puppy” mentions to Dally if his parents have been worried about him after he been hospitalized in critical condition ‘” My parents,” Johnny repeated doggedly, “did they ask about me.” “No,” snapped Dally, “they didn’t”’ (Hinton 327). Johnny is mostly isolated by his relationship with his parents. The parents neglect shapes Johnny’s identity for the urge of his parent’s acceptance. Subsequently, the urge of his parent’s acceptance limits his childhood responsibility and puts restrictions on Johnny and his parent's relationship. Childhood behavior is supposed to be formed around innocence, the need of protection, nurturing and supposed to be viewed as ideally happy and carefree. Meanwhile, Johnny's construction of childhood entails notions of isolations, loss of childhood, and the dependence of approval. Tyson explains a useful way of understanding behavior in "Psychoanalytic Criticism." He mentions, "Fear of abandonment – the unshakable belief that our friends and loved ones are going to desert us (physical abandonment) or don't really care about us (emotional abandonment.)" Specifically, Tyson is mentioning isolation impressions causes psychological strains on a person. Similarly, Johnny relates to Tyson's theory because Johnny's fear of abandonment accelerated his childhood because of …show more content…
Soda pop is 16 years old drop out and comes from a minority family household. Both his parent died and now his older brother Dally looks after him. Pony boy shares his view of Soda’s decision to drop out. He states ‘“I winced inside, I’ve told you that I can’t stand it that Soda dropped out … Drop out, made me think of some poor dumb-looking hoodlum wandering the streets breaking out lights-it didn't fit my happy-go-lucky brother at all'" (157). Soda decided to drop out of school to get a job and help Dally support the family financially. Supporting a family is a responsibility that is mainly associated with adults and not children. Children around Soda’s age first priority is education while adult figures take care of the bills. Instead, Ponyboy first priority is to help his family. Roy also states "young men allocate their own time and space and limited resources to meet needs of other members of their families, even if that means personal sacrifice" (66). Soda challenges with poverty and family conflict make it easy for him to give up on his education and take on adult responsibilities as a young man. Soda understands that if he drops out of school, he would be judged as a hoodlum, dumb, and reckless, but his love for his family doesn't give him the freedom to choose. Instead, he finds an outlet for himself, Ponyboy states "Sodapop enjoys
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Published 1967 Published by: Puffin Books Genre: fiction The book The Outsiders is the realistic story about this between two very different groups in a town in the United States: the poor Greasers from the east side, and the Socs, whitch is what the greasers call the socials, the richer boys from the other side of the town. Ponyboy Curtis is the narrator of the story, a 14-year-old boy who lives with his two older brothers, Darry and Soda. He is a pretty good athlete and student, but is not treated the same as the richer students at his school. Ponyboy uses to have long hair that he greases back, a symbol of being in the outsider gang. He is unhappy with his situation, because Darry is too protective of him
Can some people so different be so a like? Can some people so alike be so different? Dally and Johnny are those two who are so different, but yet they are similar. In the book S.E. Hinton writes The Outsiders, Johnny Cade and Dally Winston come from two completely different backgrounds, and have completely different scruples. Yet, at the same time they are alike. Dally and Johnny’s parents both repudiate them, making Johnny and Dally mentally tough, and the boys do not value their lives. At the same time though they are different, Dally is stronger than Johnny. Though, Johnny has a soft heart and Dally would not even pay any attention if someone is dying right next to him.
How do animals survive in hostile environments? Do they sacrifice their lives for others of their kind, or do they sacrifice other members of their species for a chance to live? Sometimes, adapting to life may mean sacrificing your humanity and getting tough. For example, coming to somebody’s aid may seem like the brave, honourable thing to do, but it may end up costing you your life. The previous statement is an important theme in the novel titled The Outsiders. For two gangs, the Greasers and the Socs, humanity means different things. The Greasers are emotional and try their hardest to keep out of the west side of town, Soc territory, whereas Socs are always looking for trouble, robbing Greasers in their own territory. Most Greasers would
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is about a group called the greasers, a group called the socs and what’s different between the groups and what’s the same. The greasers are the kids with little money, who feel a lot, and are tough. The socs are rich kids with not enough emotions and they never get in trouble. The Greasers have it worse because they have broken families, are always getting jumped by the socs, and are expected to steal and be rude because of their backgrounds.
“Since Mom and Dad were killed in an auto wreck, the three of us get to stay together only as long as we behave (2).” This explains why Ponyboy, Dally and Sodapop did not have parents. In the novel, this really effected their life and character. "…It was Darry. He hit me. I don't know what happened, but I couldn't take him hollering at me and hitting me too... He didn't use to be like that... we used to get along okay... before Mom and Dad died. Now he just can't stand me (2)." This shows that not having their parents anymore effected Darry’s character and how he treated Ponyboy, which in return effected how Ponyboy felt about himself in comparison to how he was treated. This illustrates that Ponyboy believes that Darry picks on him all the time. This shows that Darry was like a caring parent in a tough way,
The book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, follows a horrific part of the life of a boy named Ponyboy Curtis. He is what you might call a Greaser, and has had a rough go at it in his life compared to others. It is difficult, but Ponyboy somehow manages to be himself and has the tenacity to stick through it all. He is in a gang with his friends and family and they are loyal to one another no matter what. A rival gang from the Socs crowd, a richer, more refined group, send him and his pals into a whirlwind of trouble and hurt. This book shows on multiple occasions that perseverance is necessary to get through life .
The dictionary definition of a child is a young human being, an immature person and offspring (Oxford, 1976). This idea is reflected in Mead’s statement ‘that children to adults are representative of something weak and helpless in need of protection, supervision, training, models, skills, beliefs and ‘character’’ (Montgomery et al, 2003, p vii). The emphasis is on the concept of the child by adults rather than the size or mentality raising the notion that a child, and therefore childhood, is not just a biological concept but also an ideological one (Falconer, 2009). This ideology makes an oxymoron of Children’s Literature according to Rose (Hunt, 2009a) as adults write, publish and purchase books with each set of adults having their own ideas about childh...
And I was going to be like him. I wasn't going to live in a lousy neighborhood all my life” (S.E. Hinton 118). He is harsh on Ponyboy, but only because he wants Ponyboy to be successful and happy. For Sodapop, he is more laid back because Soda has a job, the good looks, is a highschool dropout, and knows Soda does not want a future
The theme that S.E Hinton talks about family always sticks together. Family always cares and helps each other no matter what happens. This theme is display in the beginning of the novel in the way Ponyboy , Sodapop ,and Darry are always there for each other. An example is when Ponyboy says “greasers are almost like a hood they steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while (3).” What Ponyboy means by this is they are just like a family because they do everything together just like a family would do. They might look mean but they have love and care in their hearts and that
The Outsiders identified the 60’s, often there would be violence between groups and often involving a group’s social class. For instance, the tensions between the Socs and Greasers is violent, and this will lead to Bob’s death, Johnny’s death, as well as many injuries throughout both gangs. The book The Outsiders is written by S.E. Hinton and is portrayed through the eyes of a high school student in Tulsa, OK where S.E. Hinton grew up. Hinton began writing The Outsiders in 1965 at the age of 17 and the book was finally published in 1967 when she was 19. The difference in perspective upon the society and social class creates issues throughout The Outsiders and they assume the problems will be solved with violence,
Ponyboy talks about him as having ", an elfish face with high cheekbones and a pointed chin, small, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. His hair was so blond, and he didn't like haircuts, or hair oil either, so it fell over his forehead in wisps and kicked out in the back in tufts and curled behind his ears and along the nape of his neck. His eyes were blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world. “He works as a jockey, and funnily doesn't rig his races; it's "the only thing Dally did honestly." Even though he is only seventeen years old, "the fight for self-preservation had hardened him beyond caring." He set the stereotype for the greasers its scary to the others how scary he is. In the events when Johnny killed Bob dally helped out the boys and gifted them one handgun and $100. Ponyboy realizes the truth after Johnny's death. When he tries to make sense of Dally's reaction to Johnny's death, it dawns on him, "Johnny was the only thing that Dally
"He's as hard as a rock and about as human...he thinks I'm a pain in the neck. He likes Soda--everybody likes Soda--but he can't stand me” (42). This does show that Pony does not get along very well with Darry, however it shows that Ponyboy does get along well with Soda. Pony finds comfort in Soda when he fights with Darry. Sodapop helps tighten the three brother relationship.“ ‘We‘re all we got left. We ought to be able to stick together against everything. If we don‘t have each other, we don‘t have anything. If you don‘t have anything, you end up like Dallas . . . and I don‘t mean dead, either. I mean like he was before. And that‘s worse than dead. Please’ ”- he wiped his eyes on his arm- “ ‘don‘t fight anymore’ ” says Soda (176). “ ‘Sure... sure little buddy, we ain't goin' to fight anymore’ ” Darry answers (176). This demonstrates that eventually Ponyboy and Darry stop
Sodapop Curtis - Soda is Pony's handsome, charming older brother. He dropped out of school to work at a gas station, and does not share his brothers' interest in studying and sports.
Despite all the challenges we are faced with there is always a strong sense of positivity through those who believe in hope, friendship and have a sense of belonging.Determination and a strong connection with the natural world can uphold a person's sense of hope, Dedication and friendship can promote a person’s sense of belonging and that through trust and loyalty you can always rely on friends to be there in difficult situations.This is a inspiring message represented in The Outsiders by SE Hinton a tale told through the eyes of a determined and courageous fourteen year old boy who through , loss ,pain and difficult challenges finds a impression of positivity as a result of hope, friendship and belonging. The Outsiders is set in Tulsa
The Outsiders is about the life of a 14-year-old boy. The book tells the story of Ponyboy “Curtis” and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. Ponyboy and his two brothers, Darrel (Darry), who is 20, and Sodapop, who is 16, have recently lost their parents in an automobile accident. Pony and Soda are allowed to stay under Darry's guardianship as long as they all behave themselves. The boys are greasers, a class term that refers to the young men on the East Side, the poor side of town. The greasers' rivals are the Socs, short for Socials, who are the "West-side rich kids."