The Role Of Loss In S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders

It is said that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. But is this true? In The Outsiders, Ponyboy Curtis finds out that it is most certainly not. Although the Socs are more economically advantaged, this does not mean that they do not have problems as well. The same is true in the real world. Everyone has problems, everyone feels the burden of loss. S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders is a realistic fiction novel that teaches people that despite our differences, especially in economic status, we are all human and we all have problems. Unfortunately, Ponyboy has been taught his whole life that Socs have no problems, but that they enjoy causing them for Greasers. Pony thinks “I really couldn’t see what Socs would have to sweat

In The Outsiders, loss is almost a theme itself, coming into the plot well before the story took place, when Pony’s parents died. Their loss drove Ponyboy and his brothers, Darry and Soda closer than they might have been under different circumstances. Pony was the most emotionally traumatized of the three by his parent’s deaths and had nightmares after their funeral. His description of it was, “I had a nightmare the night of Mom and Dad’s funeral. . . . I woke up screaming bloody murder. And I could never remember what it was that had scared me.” (110 Hinton). Ponyboy struggled incredibly with that immense loss. Another example of grief on behalf of the Greasers was when Dally suffers from the loss of Johnny, who, according to Ponyboy, “. . . was the only thing Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone.” (152 Hinton). And as a result, Dally killed himself. He was seen as a mean, savage figure in the beginning of The Outsiders, but as Cliffsnotes said, “. . . Dally's character covers a broad spectrum. In addition to his cold, mean image, he is Johnny's hero, he is the one who literally gave Pony the coat off his back, he helped to save the children from the fire, and he was a scared boy who reached out to the Curtis brothers when he most needed help at the end of his life.” ("The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton Critical Essays Themes in The Outsiders."). Dally goes to incredible heights for Johnny and still can not save him. His grief is incredibly painful. Bob’s death however proves the most that Socs feel grief just as much as Greasers. Cherry said to Pony when he asked if she would go to see Johnny, “‘I can’t go see Johnny. I know I’m too young to be in love and all that, but Bob was something special.” (129 Hinton). She grieves for him just as much as the gang when they grieve for Johnny and Dally. Grief can (of course) be found in real life, because, in truth,