There are many dishonorable people in the world, can there be any honor amongst them? The greasers are a gang of teens/adults that cause trouble everywhere they go. Their enemy, the Socs (another gang, but a lot richer) attacked Johnny and Ponyboy. Johnny used a blade to kill one of the Soc. Ponyboy,Johnny,and Dally were afraid of getting in a lot of trouble, so they escaped from the authorities. While they were hiding, a church containing kids caught on fire. Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally rescued all the kids and were considered as heros. But that came at a cost, Johnny died of injuries, and Dally suicided because of Johnny’s death. After analyzing the story The Outsiders,I strongly believe that there can be such thing as honor amongst the lawless. …show more content…
The first reason he’s honorable is because of his quote, ”Forget about our lives, we gotta save the children” (Hinton,92) This shows that Ponyboy puts lives of others in front of his which is an honorable thing to do. The quote also shows that he cares for people he has no relationship with. The second reason Ponyboy is an honorable is because of his quote, “You take up for your buddies no matter what they do” (Hinton, 26). This shows that he cares about the greasers even though they do bad things from time to time. People who care for others are usually honorable. In conclusion, I strongly believe Ponyboy is an honorable
He is smart, and gets good grades in school. This is purposefully mentioned several times within the story, and people tend to be surprised to learn that he is a Greaser. In addition, some Greasers are nicer than people tend to think. When the church burned down, Ponyboy and Johnny run in to save the children without a second thought. They acted with selflessness, putting the safety of the children above their own. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Ponyboy is asked if he and Johnny are "professional heroes". He responds by telling the entire story of how they're Greasers and Johnny is wanted for murder, shocking the man in the ambulance. It is difficult for him to believe that a group of Greasers would do something so heroic. Johnny dies as a direct result of their actions, but neither Ponyboy nor Johnny regretted what they
People should have a conversation with someone and get to know them before judging them. Ponyboy changed the way he thought of the Socs. At first he thought of the Socs as thugs who enjoy jumping Greasers. He later learned that Socs have problems that Greasers don’t know of and not all Socs hate Greasers.
This started to happen when he was in the church trying to hide away from the police because of the murder of one of the Soc’s. “I was trembling, and it wasn’t all from cold” (Hilton p.57). This shows that Ponyboy was scared, starting to break, and noticed that maybe this “hard bad boy” life isn't for him. Ponyboy put more and more thought about what it takes to be a greaser, which made him realize that maybe the gang life wasn’t good for him. “We were good fighters and could play cool, but we were sensitive and that isn’t a good way to be when you’re a greaser” (Hinton, p.88). Ponyboy is expressing that it is hard to be as strong as the other boys and sometimes he just couldn't or he couldn't be ok with what they were doing. “It drives my brother Darry nuts when I do stuff like that, ‘cause I’m supposed to be smart’ I make good grades and have a high IQ and everything, but I don't use my head” (Hinton, p.4). Ponyboy knows he has the potential to be something else and while being in hiding in the church it helps him realize that if he really wanted to he could be whatever he puts his mind
He realizes that he had an identity that he can communicate and be like a greaser, but doesn’t devote to the greaser way of life. In the scene, Ponyboy has an advanced way of life that includes both the Soc and greaser style, “Socs are just guys after all...Thing are rough all over.” Ponyboy at this time, understands how a Soc and a Greaser are similar and are of the same kind, human, yet are also different. He establishes an idea that the identity of a person is important because it describes who you are. As a result, Pony learns to look between the lines of people, not just at the extremes. The evidence that supports this is also “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” as I stated before. Andy says, “I’m Andy, he screamed wordlessly, I’m Andy.” When Andy’s death was coming close, the only thing we wanted in the end, was an identity. Similar to Ponyboy who is different from the gang and has a distinct personality. He is disparate because in the gang, Pony was the only one who ever thought about the sky, clouds, and books, which proves him exclusively in the group. This proves that Andy and Ponyboy are different from their gang and have a personality different from the group, and they both actually want to be different and be known not as a Royal or a Greaser, but as Andy and
Ponyboy was a bad kid, he fought against Socs and he even smoked a weed, which is a cigarette. Later on he got into worse trouble and had to hide. He wanted to change and be a different person. While he hid he was scared and frightened and was beginning to think of how he was doing in life, and his thoughts were not very well. After the church incident, he began to change a little.
His parents died when he was young. He was nurtured by his older brothers. Pony has to struggle at the bottom of the social ladder. Like the people around him, he has to fight, steal and scare little kids. However, Pony remained a pure heart, a golden heart. He only fights when he has to defend himself. He kept his heart of sympathy, understanding of others and think for the others. Like in when the church was burned, he understands the situation of the teacher and children. So he risked his life to safe the kids. The most straight forward example and conclusion of Pony’s good heart is the word of Johnny, “Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold…” Moreover, Ponyboy is a thinker. He can think for the opposite side of his gang, the Socs. Although the Socs almost drowned him, he can still understand the Socs and didn’t be blinded by the hate. He in the chaos and impulsive world can see through the surface of the conflict and see the core of the world that people are the same. That is really amazing and Ponyboy does have the board mind of a hero.
Greasers are expected to be bad people that are rude because of Greaser reputations. The Greasers are always being watched to see if they do anything wrong. Greasers are expected to do wrong by the the public. “On the front page of the second section was the headline: Juvenile Delinquents Turn Heroes.”(107). This shows that even though Ponyboy and Johnny saved those kids, they were expected to be Juvenile delinquents because they are Greasers, even though the only thing Johnny ever did to be a juvenile delinquent is kill Bob and that was in self defence.
He knows that Ponyboy has a chance because he is very smart. How they both reacted to not having parents shaped and effected who they are. “Johnny was high-strung anyway, a nervous wreck from getting belted every time he turned around and from hearing his parents fight all the time(2).” This explains how Johnny was effected by his parents. His parents constantly fighting and beating him made him who he was. A part of him was effected by all the chaos and pain he had to go through every day. “We're poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we're wilder, too. Not like the Socs, who jump greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks, and get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next. Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while. I don't mean I do things like that. Darry would kill me if I got into trouble with the police.” Social roles are a part of self-image that makes a person who they are. In the novel Ponyboy explains the groups that the Greasers and Sochs were split into. This
Every story I’ve ever read has had characters. When there’s characters, there are ones that are stronger and more memorable than others. This quarter, the three characters I’ve found strongest and memorable are Ponyboy Curtis, Dallas “Dally” Winston, and Johnny Cade.
Whether one is a dirty, felonious greaser or an upscale, wealthy social, one can become a hero no matter the background that they originate from. However, in a mid-20th century Oklahoma city overrun by a unique class of Socials and Greasers, Two heroes emerge from similar backgrounds. Both heroes coming from a dirty, violent, and criminal background of Greasers. Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade put their lives at risk for the greater good of other people. They do not do these acts of kindness for fame or fortune, but rather out of their own heart to ensure the safety and security of the people around them. It is out of the ordinary for Greasers to commit to acts like these making them exotic heroes in S.E. Hinton’s fiction novel, The Outsiders.
In particular, Dally was dishonorable when he robbed the grocery store and got himself in trouble.”He robbed the grocery store and the cops are after him” (152). Because he robbed the store it caused the police to chase after him and he had a gun without bullets which made the cops have to shoot which means he’s responsible for his own death. Since he caused his own death he made a lot of people sad. He basically robbed a grocery store to hurt himself but he didn't realize that he would hurt his gang. Thus, him stealing caused him to die which caused pain upon others and that was very
Ponyboy is a hero because when he saw the church on fire he thought he started but he still went to go save the children inside the church. Ponyboy is one of the main characters in the book who is a hero that I know he is. Ponyboy is a hero because he tried to save Johnny when and Johnny was in trouble trying to save the children from the burning church. Ponyboy showed bravery when he said ‘’I picked up a kid and he promptly bite me but I leaned out the window and dropped him as gently as I could being in a hurry like that’’ (79). By Ponyboy picking up the child that showed Ponyboy is a true hero. Pony is a true hero to save those kid in the burning church. When Pony said, “ I snatched up another kid hoping he didn’t bite me but I leaned out the window and dropped him as gently as I could being in a hurry like that”.(pg.79) By Ponyboy getting that child he saved him from danger.
When living sometimes we are faced with difficult decisions that affect our friendships. If you knew you were in a jam, what would you do? Who would you run to? Despite the greasers’ reputation as heartless young criminals, they live by a specific code of friendship and honour. In the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, there are many instances in which the gang members make selfless choices by putting the needs of others ahead of their own. Three examples are, when the gang has each other’s back, Johnny and Ponyboy’s friendship, and Dally risking his life for Johnny.
Ponyboy doesn’t act like any regular greaser who is tough and likes to pick fights. Ponyboy cares about other people and will do things to benefit others. “I didn’t know what he was talking about, so I just went on picking up the glass from the bottle end and put it in the trash can. I didn’t want anyone to get a flat tire.” (pg. 172) Instead of leaving the
Typically, greasers are depicted as people similar to hoods, as Ponyboy states, "Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while" (Hinton 4). Yet, even though Ponyboy is a greaser, he avoids getting into trouble for the sake of staying together with his family. He explains that, "I don't mean I do things like that... Since Mom and Dad were killed in an auto wreck, the three of us get to stay together only as long as we behave. So Soda and I stay out of trouble as much as we can, and we're careful not to get caught when we can't" (Hinton 4). Alternatively, Pony also enjoys activities such as reading and watching movies. Even simpler things, such as sunsets and clouds, are something he found beauty and enjoyment in. This sets him apart from the greasers because according to Pony, he states that, "And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do" (Hinton 3). Since nobody other than Ponyboy himself shares the enjoyment of these particular pastimes, which is drastically different from pursuits such as shoplifting and fighting in rumbles, Ponyboy is divergent from the standard attributes of the greasers. Therefore, Ponyboy is a thoughtful and dreamy individual who holds different interests and aspirations than the