Stereotyping In The Outsiders, By S. E. Hinton

Youths and adults, rich and poor, tall and short; everyone is wearing a mask, hiding their honest personality from everyone else. But can these masks be removed at times, and the stereotypical person turns into someone entirely different? For example, can a graduate from a sports academy break stereotype by running away and getting a medical degree. Ponyboy Curtis in the book, ‘The Outsiders’, by S.E. Hinton, realizes this as many people around him remove their personality masks.

One example of this is on page 34/35, when Cherry, a Soc, tells Ponyboy, a Greaser, that, ‘things are rough all over’. Although Cherry doesn’t give an example, Ponyboy trusts her and this makes Ponyboy realize that although the Socs have much more money than the Greasers, and don’t have to work all day, they have different types of struggles.

Another scene where stereotyping is broken is on page 161 when Ponyboy is looking through an old yearbook and stumbles upon a picture of Bob, the boy who Johnny had killed. This scene shows Ponyboy looking through an old yearbook and

Everyone pictured Darry as a strong and tough but seeing him cry at the hospital showed Ponyboy that he had feelings; that all this time when Darry shouts at Ponyboy, he actually just wants him to be careful. Ponyboy realizes this and his perspective on Darry changes instantly; from the cold hearted big brother, to the loving and caring big brother.

This proves how quickly people can break stereotype and be themselves, resulting in a perspective change by other people. Others can see people for something that they’re not but realize that they’re much more than that as time goes on. Breaking stereotypes is what shows the true person behind their stereotypical image; it's what shows others the true being behind that