The Outsiders Conflicts

1281 Words3 Pages

When someone acts, they affect the future -- whether they meant to or not. In The Outsiders, there are tons of intense problems and conflicts that affect the main characters. The story focuses on a gang of boys called Greasers: Ponyboy, the main character, Darry and Soda, his brothers, Dally, Johnny, Steve, and Two-bit. Throughout the book, Pony and Darry get in a big fight, Pony and Johnny are jumped, Johnny kills a Soc in self-defense, Johnny and Pony run away, Johnny and Pony save some children from a burning church, the Greasers have a fight with their rivals (the Socs), Johnny dies, Dally dies, and Pony has a court trial. At the end, all of the drama comes to a close, and Ponyboy finally comes to accept everything that has happened. In …show more content…

When the Socs saw Johnny, Ponyboy, and Two-bit with their girlfriends, they were drunk, so their anger led to attack. Bob’s words before he and his gang of Socs tried to jump the boys support this idea: “‘Hey, whatta ya know?’ Bob said a little unsteadily, ‘here's the little greasers that picked up our girls. Hey, Greasers.’ ‘You're outa your territory’… ‘Nup, pal, yer the ones who'd better watch it. Next time you want a broad, pick up yer own kind--- dirt.’" If Johnny, Ponyboy, Two-bit and Dally had not decided to stay and hang out with Cherry and Marcia (girlfriends of the Socs), the Socs would not have gotten angry. Without reason to be mad at the Greasers, the Socs wouldn’t have tried to kill Johnny and Ponyboy, and Bob wouldn’t have died, thus changing the entire course of the novel. Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the Greasers -- Darry and Ponyboy’s fight was the reason for Johnny and Pony being outside and vulnerable. Two main quotes from the text show this cause and effect: “‘I reckon it never occurred to you that your brothers might be worrying their heads off and afraid to call the police because something like that could get you two thrown in a boys' home so quick it'd make your head spin. And you were asleep in the lot?’”, and “I turned and ran out the door and down the street as fast as I could. Darry …show more content…

The Greasers were responsible for Johnny’s death, mainly because they did not stay and take the consequences for Bob’s death. Johnny and Ponyboy did not have a very strong reason to flee the scene of Bob’s death, something that is later revealed by Johnny: "I got a good chance of bein' let off easy," Johnny said desperately, and I didn't know if it was Dally he was trying to convince or himself. "I ain't got no record with the fuzz and it was self-defense. Ponyboy and Cherry can testify to that. And I don't aim to stay in that church all my life." Even though both boys were terrified and unsure, had Johnny and Ponyboy stayed to face the consequences of their actions, Johnny would not have been mortally injured trying to save some children from a fire, as they would not have been anywhere near the fire. Another death also could have been prevented by the Greasers and was ultimately their fault: Dally’s. When Johnny died, Dally couldn’t bear it: "Dallas is gone," I said. "He ran out like the devil was after him. He's gonna blow up. He couldn't take it." How can I take it? I wondered. Dally is tougher than I am. Why can I take it when Dally can't? And then I knew. Johnny was the only thing Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone." In his state of agony, Dally foolishly decided to commit suicide: “Dally had reached the circle of light under the street lamp, and skidding to a halt, he turned

Open Document