Ponyboy is a character in the book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Ponyboy is a smart greaser, and isn't like the others. He is 14 and lives with his two brothers because his parents died. PonyBoy isn't your stereotypical gang member. He likes school and gets great grades. He is always reading a book. He is the narrator in the story, and writes the book for his friend. From Pony’s perspective, he was the youngest greaser, and was like everyone's little brother. He was always hanging around the other guys and didn't like to steal or fight. He was one of the good greasers. Pony gave good details and was always clear on what was happening in the story. PonyBoy's parents died in a car accident when he was younger, so he lives with his brothers Darry and Sodapop. Darry helps Pony a lot. “If I brought home b’s he would want a’s and if I got a’s he want to make sure they stay a’s” Darry told Ponyboy (Hinton 13). Darry cares about Pony’s grades. Darry is Pony’s legal guardian, and Ponyboy wants it to stay that way. I think people should get to know greasers before they call them offensive names. …show more content…
He saved kids in a burning down church and helped his gang in the rumble. PonyBoy and his friend Johnny were staying inside the abandoned church and might of dropped their cigarette. PonyBoy and Johnny ran into the church and saved the kids. Ponyboy and Johnny never had to help them, but they rather risk their life to save the kids. PonyBoy also helped his gang in the rumble against the socs. I think ponyboy isn't like the rest of the greasers because the death of his parents made him want to be a good student and
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
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.
One reason is that he fought against the socs in the rumble (big fight between the socs and greasers). “I have been. a rumble. I’m okay”. (83) This quote means that Ponyboy was in the rumble he got hurt, and is okay. Another reason that Ponyboy accepts being a greaser is that he looks like one. For example, the key aspects of being a greaser are having long greasy hair, getting drunk, smoke a lot, and jump socs. Ponyboy does pretty much all of this. The last reason that proves that Ponyboy accepts being a greaser is that is supports the other greasers. “Don’t remember how Johnny was your buddy, don’t remember that he didn’t want to die. Don’t think of Dally breaking up in the hospital, crumpling under the streetlight ” (81). This quote means that Johnny was Ponyboy’s best buddy and he never wanted to die but he did. Dally breaking up in the hospital and crumbling in the streets is almost meaning how Dally reacted to Johnny dying and that led up to him dying. The parts where Ponyboy says, “Don’t think of” means to take it off his mind and try to feel better about the two deaths. The greasers also respect Ponyboy, for example, during an argument towards the end of the book Darry said to Ponyboy “Sure, little buddy” (84). Another example of the greasers respecting Ponyboy is how Johnny helps Ponyboy feel better a lot of in a lot of conflicts. For instance, getting hit or getting almost drowned. Ponyboy positively accepted
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
Throughout the course of The Outsiders, Ponyboy goes from a greaser that tries harder than the others, but goes on to mature even more than you think he would. This fact makes him a dynamic character, as a dynamic character is a character in a storyline that goes through big changes, whether good or bad. You may be confused as to what I am talking about, even though you should have read, but let me explain. Ponyboy Curtis, the main character of The Outsiders, matures throughout the course of the novel. With the actions that take place, Ponyboy experiences the way of life and how it works. While he does not become “tough” like Dallas or Two-Bit, or even his own brother Darrel, and while he does not mature in physical terms, he does in mental terms. Let me start from the beginning.
In the book The Outsiders there were multiple conflicts that affected Ponyboy and the Greasers such as difficulties with their family, friends, and the law, yet they still got through them with
After the church fire Ponyboy comes to the realization of many things. Two-Bit and Ponyboy are eating at a restaurant known as Tasty Freeze when Randy asks to speak with him. Ponyboy tells Randy, ¨Maybe you would have done the same thing, maybe a friend of yours wouldn’t have. It’s the individual¨(115). He finds out that you cannot define someone based on of they are part of the Socs or the greasers. Furthermore, he finds out that every one is a individual and that means that just because he is a part of a certain group it does not mean that they are all going to react or perceive a situation in the same exact way. In addition, he say this to Randy because when there was a fire in the church Dally was not willing to risk his life to save someone else's when Johnny and Ponyboy were more than willing to help the kids. This shows event shows how all Greasers and Socs are not the same. In the beginning of the novel Ponyboy believed Darry disliked him and thought he was a nuisance. However, later on at the hospital Ponyboy tells Darry, “I’m sorry” (98). Ponyboy’s words expose how he feels bad for thinking Darry disliked him all along when in truth he loved him more than words could describe. He realizes that Darry fears losing another family member that is why he is so overprotective of Ponyboy. Hence, proving Ponyboy is clearly a dynamic character.
S.E Hinton has presented Ponyboy as an outsider in her novel "The Outsiders" because of his personality. The Outsiders are a phenomenal novel, which depicts the life of a fourteen year old boy named Ponyboy Curtis or Ponyboy and his struggles in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. S.E Hinton has characterized Ponyboy and Johnny by describing them as hoodlums who smoke cigarettes, get busted for robbing stores, and steal cars. Ponyboy’s personality would be described as being bright and sensitive, unlike the other Greasers. He is perceived as an outsider since he lived in the poorer areas of
Ponyboy's characteristics are immature and smart in the beginning of the novel. He is immature because he disrespect his brother, and thinks Darry is to hard on him." I don't care about him either" (Hinton 17). He is also immature because he couldn't control his frustration, when his brother slapped him for passing his curfew, which lead to him running away. Ponyboy states "I turned and ran out the door and down the street as fast as I could" (Hinton 44). He shows eagerness with his education, he is also one of the top straight A students of his class. Ponyboy states "I make good grades and have a high IQ and everything" (Hinton 4).
Ponyboy is very very heroic when he saw the church was on fire.He was the first one to run in to find the kids inside.In the rumble he helped them win against the socs.He didn’t get into a fight with Cherry and Marcia’s boyfriends.I consider Ponyboy to be the second biggest hero.Pony wasn’t like any “ordinary” greaser he was quite different and chose to be nice and not very nasty like the others which makes him a better hero.
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
He is self-conscious about the fact that Soda has dropped out of school, and he wants him to finish his education. Soda did not do well in school, did not like school, and is perfectly content to work in a gas station. A job he loves. Soda also believes that he is doing the right thing by helping to support his family. Pony doesn't care about any of those facts, he just wants Soda to go back to school. Gang relationships are included in the theme of family love. Ponyboy's gang members need the support and security that they find in the gang. The home life situations that these boys find themselves in are often abusive. They have turned to the gang for the love and support that should have come from
By looking at the incidents happened around Ponyboy and the changes of Ponyboy’s attitudes towards reality, we can see that Ponyboy has matured and learned the essence of solving problems, which most readers don’t see; this is important because it reveals the relationship between dreams and reality, that is cocooning from the world is not going to solve any problems, instead, only through facing the reality could we regain lost courage and break the obstacles.
One reason is that he fought against the socs in the rumble (big fight between the socs and greasers). “I have been. A rumble. I’m okay”. (83) This quote means that Ponyboy was in the rumble he got hurt and is okay. Another reason that ponyboy accepts being a greaser is that he looks like one. For example the key aspects of being a greaser are having long greasy hair, getting drunk, smoke a lot, and jump socs. Ponyboy does pretty much all of this. The last reason that proves that Ponyboy accepts being a greaser is that is supports the other greasers. “Don’t remember how Johnny was your buddy, don’t remember that he didn’t want to die. Don’t think of Dally breaking up in the hospital, crumpling under the street light ” (81). This quote means that Johnny was Ponyboy’s best buddy and he never wanted to die but he did. Dally breaking up in the hospital and crumbling in the streets is almost meaning how Dally reacted to Johnny died and then leaded up to him dying. The parts where Ponyboy says “don’t think of” this is to take it off his mind and try to feel better about the two deaths. The greasers also respect Ponyboy, for example during an argument towards the end of the book Darry said to Ponyboy “Sure, little buddy” (84). Another example of the greasers respecting Ponyboy is how Johnny helps Ponyboy feel better a lot of in a lot of conflicts. For instance getting hit or getting almost drowned. Ponyboy positively accepted