Ponyboy The Outsiders

Ponyboy and Sodapop Curtis are two brothers who face hardship in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, yet remain true to their noble hearts and commit honorable acts. Ponyboy, who is usually referred to as “Pony” by family and friends, is a fourteen year old boy who lives in a town that is divided by gangs. He has a light brown head of long hair and eyes that are green, though he wishes they could be grey. Ponyboy lives with his older brothers as their parents are dead. Socs and cops unfairly stereotyped him and other greasers as “hoods.” This causes violence and while walking home from the movie theater he is jumped by Socs. Ponyboy argues with his older brother Darry who is very strict and it often rough with him:

Then someone had me under the

I was dizzy enough anyway. I could tell it was Darry though---partly because of the voice and partly because Darry's always rough with me without meaning to be. (Hinton, p.6)

Ponyboy does well in school though often struggles with common sense on the street. He is more of a pacifist than a lot of other children and teen-agers in his town. Pony prefers to read and watch sunsets over fighting in rumbles. He is always considerate of other people's feelings, even when they are unlike himself. Ponyboy commits a brave act in saving children from a church fire, and is also involved in a murder of a Soc which is what brings him to the church in the first place. His kind actions outweigh his wrongdoings, even when hit by trial after trial. Many others in his gang are like family to him and he knows that many face similar issues. His older brother, Sodapop, is a high school dropout who loves horses and his family. His girlfriend leaves him and moves to Florida, and he is stuck between the arguments of his brothers. Sodapop works hard at a gas station fixing cars, and is

Although he dies, he leaves behind a positive side as well. He is always honorable and follows the rules in a rumble. Johnny stands up for Soc girls when Dally heckles them even though he is skittish and shy. Since Johnny’s friends look out for Johnny, they are all devastated by his untimely death, especially Dally, Johnny’s troubled role model. Dally is from the harsh streets of New York City and has never had an pleasant or privileged life. At the naive age of ten he is arrested and his father did not love him. The time he spends in jail hardens him and he often is thought of as unfeeling and cold. Dally does give off this appearance yet in reality, he is there when Johnny and Pony need him most. Dally allows Johnny and Ponyboy escape the police and hide, even though it puts him at hazard of being arrested himself, which already happens often. Although he does not leap to save the children from the fire, when Johnny is inside the burning church, Dally runs in to pull him out. He also knocks Ponyboy out so he is unable to go back into the danger. He constantly risks his own life to try and save his fellow gang members lives. After Johnny dies, Dally feels he no longer has a purpose and instigates the police so they will shoot him. Both boys could avoid death if there is more readily available care for them. Johnny wanted to feel safe and being jumped by the Socs