the outsiders hero essay

The Aspects of the Hero in S. E. Hinton’s the Outsiders

This essay about S.E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders” examines how the novel portrays heroism through its characters. Set against a backdrop of social conflict, the story focuses on the Greasers and the Socs, showing that heroism can manifest in various forms. Through characters like Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally, the narrative reveals different facets of heroism, from maintaining personal integrity and showing true bravery to the complexities of heroic actions driven by deep emotions. The essay argues that “The Outsiders” challenges traditional views of heroism, presenting it as a quality that exists beyond conventional expectations and often in unnoticed or unappreciated forms. Through its analysis, the essay underscores the novel’s enduring relevance in exploring themes of identity, conflict, and morality.

How it works

S. E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders,” written in 1967, has remained a poignant exploration of adolescent strife and social divisions. This timeless piece of literature digs into the lives of young characters who, against a backdrop of socioeconomic conflict, exhibit various heroic traits that are as relevant today as they were at the time of its publication. The novel, which revolves around rival groups—the Greasers and the Socs—provides a canvas to explore the attributes of heroism displayed by characters who, on the surface, seem to inhabit the margins of their world.

At the heart of Hinton’s narrative is Ponyboy Curtis, a character who exemplifies the hero’s journey not through grand gestures but through introspection and resilience. Ponyboy’s ability to maintain sensitivity and a love for literature, despite the harsh realities of his life, marks him as a unique figure among his rougher peers. His reflective nature drives the reader to question the superficial measures by which society often judges heroism. His journey through the novel highlights how true heroism often lies in the strength to uphold one’s moral values and the courage to defy societal expectations.

Johnny Cade, Ponyboy’s close friend, offers another perspective on heroism. In the direst moment, it is Johnny who performs a literal act of heroism by rescuing children from a burning church. This pivotal scene not only redefines Johnny in the eyes of the community but also reshapes his own self-perception. His subsequent reflections and the letter he leaves for Ponyboy encapsulate a message central to Hinton’s theme: “Stay gold,” urging Ponyboy to remain true to himself and retain his inherent goodness despite the corrosive environment. This underscores another facet of heroism—sacrifice and the profound impact of altruistic actions on both the individual and the wider community.

Dally Winston, often seen as the archetype of the hardened delinquent, embodies a more complex form of heroism. His final acts, driven by grief and despair, are a testament to his deep, if not always apparent, sense of loyalty and protection towards Johnny. Dally’s story forces the reader to confront the notion that heroism can manifest in flawed, desperate actions, especially when influenced by profound emotional pain. His tragic end poses a critical question about the boundaries of heroism and the desperation that often drives heroic acts in desperate circumstances.

“The Outsiders” effectively challenges traditional perceptions of heroism through its nuanced portrayal of these young characters. Hinton’s narrative prompts us to reconsider who gets to be called a hero and why. It is not merely the visible acts of bravery that define a hero, but also the quieter acts of living authentically and caring deeply. The young protagonists of “The Outsiders,” with their distinct backgrounds and personalities, collectively demonstrate that heroism can thrive even in the least expected places.

In reflecting on these aspects, Hinton’s work remains significant in its capacity to engage with themes of youth, conflict, and identity. The novel’s exploration of what it means to be a hero continues to resonate, suggesting that heroism is a multifaceted concept, often found in everyday struggles and triumphs. As society evolves, the narrative of “The Outsiders” serves as a reminder of the enduring nature of these themes and the continuous relevance of examining them through the lens of literature.

Through the tapestry of its characters and their journeys, “The Outsiders” invites readers to look beyond conventional markers of heroism and consider the deeper, often overlooked acts of courage that shape our understanding of what it truly means to be heroic. This exploration is crucial for understanding both the text itself and its broader implications for discussing social issues and human values in any era.

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The Outsiders

Introduction to the outsiders.

This coming-of-age novel , The Outsiders, was written by S. E. Hinton in 1967 after he had a contract with Viking Press to print the story . It is, however, interesting that she started writing it when she was15 years old and finished it when she was still in high school the next year. It was published in 1967 when she was 18 years old. The novel presents the story of a class struggle between the Socs and the Greasers, the elite class and the downtrodden respectively. Ponyboy Curtis, the main character of the story, presents this saga in the first-person narrative . The popularity of the story could be gauged from the fact that it was adapted for television as well as cinema in 1983 and 1990 respectively.

Summary of The Outsiders

The story starts with Ponyboy Curtis, a greaser, due to their long greasy hair was stopped by the Socs after which the Greasers, including the Curtis brothers Sodapop and Darry and friends Johnny Cade, Two-Bit & Dally, reach to save Ponyboy from their teasing. To retaliate, the next night two Greasers meet two Socs’ girls Cherry and Marcia where Dally, one of the Greasers, faces consternation after Cherry, the Socs girl, spurns his advances. However, to Dally’s surprise, she rather accepts Ponyboy as her friend, a thing entirely unacceptable in the Socs circles. Later Two-Bit joins them, offering to drop the girls home. But on the way their drunk boyfriends Bob and Randy stops and wishes to thrash Johnny.

However, the things do not cross hot taunts from Bob, though, Cherry saves the day. This makes Ponyboy becomes delayed at which Darry thrashes him, but he flees from home to meet Johnny with whom he expresses his resentment for living with Darry, his elder brother, for his parents have left for their final abode in a recent roadside accident. Estranged with his brother, Ponyboy joins hands with Johnny to leave the house but both of them find themselves surrounded by five Socs including Bob. After an exchange of hot words, Ponyboy spurns the Socs but finds himself caught by them as they try to drown him in the pond at which Johnny becomes furious. He immediately takes out his knife and kills Bob on the spot, making others run for their lives.

After Johnny and Ponyboy come to their senses, they run to find Dally. He helps them with weapons and money and asks them to hide themselves in an abandoned church in Windrixville,  a deserted place by taking a freight train. At the church, they pass their time reciting Gone with the Wind and the poetry of Robert Frost , also try to disguise themselves by dyeing and cutting their hair. During their time in the church, they feel like real ‘Outsiders’. Soon they come to know the escalation between the Greasers and the Socs when Dally comes to inform them about it. He takes them to a Dairy Queen and informs them that Cherry is working as their spy and would testify that Johnny’s act of killing Bob was self-defense and also Bob was drunk that night.

Hearing this Johnny decides to surrender. When they are about to leave, they find themselves in the fire around them with some children also trapped who arrived there on a school trip. Ponyboy soon loses his senses, while Greasers enter the church to save the kids. He comes to his senses in the hospital and finds that Dally is also not injured but Johnny is bedridden since the roof has fallen on his back while saving the children. Soon his brother Darry arrives and breaks down, realizing Ponyboy that he cares much for him.

It transpires in the next day’s papers that the Greasers have declared Ponyboy and Johnny as their heroes but that Johnny would be tried for assassinating Bob, the Socs boy. Meanwhile, Two-Bit arrives to inform Ponyboy about the final rumble to end the rivalry and they contact Randy who feels remorse at the ensuing war between both the communities. When Ponyboy visits Johnny he sees his heart-wrenching condition but returns and meets Cherry who does not want to visit Johnny for killing Bob, her friend. After an exchange of bitter words, they reconcile. However, Dally appears for the rumble in which the Greasers have their day.

When Pony takes Dally to the hospital, they become aggrieved at his death, making Dally run amuck out of the hospital toward his home. He has fits of hysteria, telling his family that he has looted a grocery store and the police are chasing him. The Greasers hurry to save him. Unfortunately, it was too late as Dally pulls the ‘black object ’ from his waist band alerting the police to shoot him. Ponyboy loses his consciousness at this tragedy . Later, he is exonerated by the court for Bob’s assassination.

Soon Ponyboy, again, starts schooling but does not have the heart to continue after which he fails badly in English, though, the teacher assures him to pass him for his good work. When later, he opens the novel, Gone with the Wind, he finds a letter from Johnny writing him about his death and the burning of the church. He also advises him to study hard after which he tries again to pass English by writing his term paper for all the ‘Dallys’ in the world which in turn becomes the novel itself.

Major Themes in The Outsiders

• Anarchic Situation: The Outsiders presents the theme of an anarchic social situation in which different conflicts are going on side by side. There is a class conflict between the Socs and the Greasers as both communities are at loggerheads . Then there is a family conflict going on in the Curtis family that Darry does not like Ponyboy, though, later, he cries for him. There is another conflict between different groups of the Socs and the Greasers. It seems that the social fabric has crumbled under the weight of class discrimination, leading to this anarchic situation in which Bob and Johnny with several others become the fodder of prejudice and anarchy ensuing from this rivalry of two communities.
• Communal Discrimination: The novel shows the theme of communal discrimination through  Socs as they see condescendingly toward the Greasers and this community prejudice seeps into the psyche of individuals. Ponyboy hates Bob and his gang and attacks them when they meet on the way in which Johnny kills Bob, leading to riots and fire in the church as well as the death of Johnny. This communal discrimination occurs almost everywhere including the cinema and the highways and takes the lives of several persons from both communities.
• Empathy: The theme of empathy runs deep in the novel in the midst of the communal prejudice and racial hatred raging in the city. Several persons break the class stereotypical behavior. The first one to cross this boundary to feel empathy for any greaser is Cherry who becomes a friend of Ponyboy. She tries to mend matters between both communities and also between gangs. She sees things going bad to worse when she advises Ponyboy to be not hostile to the Socs. Randy also forces Ponyboy to feel sympathy for the Socs, and finally, he does this himself by starting his essay from a sympathetic note.
• Childhood Innocence: The novel shows the theme of childhood innocence in the midst of raging hatred, hostility, and discrimination as Ponyboy sees things differently from other boys of his gang. It is also that as Dally and Johnny, both, have shown hardened youth and Johnny goes on to stab Bob, while Dally becomes not only rough but also tough during the gang fights. This contrast shows that children are still innocent and the final cry of Dally for his brother, Ponyboy, shows that he still loves his brother.
• Individual Identity: The novel shows the collective identities through the Socs and the Greasers, two communities, so much so that individuals have very hard times finding their own identities. Johnny is otherwise a very good boy but kills Bob when he is with the Greasers’ lads. Ponyboy is an innocent boy who could argue with Cherry, the loving face of the Socs, and yet he leaves his own home. This identity even works on the micro level within the household as Ponyboy loses his identity to the group when Dally turns against him. When Bob dies, Ponyboy starts thinking about the conflict and its results, leading him to think about other boys.
• Conflict Between the Rich and the Poor: The novel shows the conflict between the rich and the poor through the groups, the Socs, and the Greasers. The bitter conflict ensues between both the communities only because of the acute poverty of the Greasers and the wealth of the Socs. Despite some commonalities such as Cherry Valance finds in Ponyboy, the differences continue to widen. Even the children find harmony with each other through their common thinking, yet the gang wars and deaths of some youths, such as Bob and Johnny, lead to widening this gulf.
• Lawlessness: The novel shows the theme of lawlessness through class difference, communal violence, and gang war/conflict. The class difference is clear in the hostility between the Socs and the Greasers, while communal violence has been shown in which Bob dies and the church is set on fire in the ensuing mob attacks. The conflict is also going on between the gangs of the Greasers and the Socs.
• Violence: The novel shows the theme of violence in the gang fight, church on fire, and the death of Bob and Johnny. Both the gangs from the Greasers and the Socs turn against one and another when the time suits each group. When Johnny stabs Bob the situation worsens, leading the mob to set the church on fire in which several people die a violent death.
• Minor Themes: Loyalty, education, isolation, sympathy, and love are some other minor themes.

Major Characters of The Outsiders

• Ponyboy Curtis: Ponyboy Curtis, the youngest of the Curtis family, is not only the protagonist of the novel but also its first person narrator from whose eyes the readers see the events of the story. His slangy and young voice lends credence to the events he has to go through as the greaser young member of just fourteen. Although he belongs to the Greasers, he also has a link with the Socs through Cherry and understands Darry as the dominating leader, while Dally and Two-Bit as dangerous and wise young persons. Although he stays loyal to his group, he learns through Cherry that the Socs and the Greasers have shared aims. Despite his ordinary nature and low background, he refers to some literary masterpieces, showing his interesting and cultured nature. He sees mob psychology taking over the crowds, burning the church where he hides with his friend after having a fierce brawl with the Socs gang. Thus, the novel ends with an introductory line of his story.
• Sodapop Curtis: Simply known as Soda, he is the elder brother of Ponyboy and is a highly energetic fellow interested only in movies and his own appearance. He impacts Ponyboy with his style and penchant for stylish personality, while his relationship with their elder brother, Darry, is somewhat complex and distant. As seen from the lens of Ponyboy, he, later, admits that he has not gone much deeper into his brother’s personality. In the end, he advises his brothers to patch up for the sake of family unity.
• Johnny Cade: He is the second important character of the novel and an adolescent Greaser having a sense of his being an invincible young boy of sixteen. Despite his broken family background, he leads the Greasers in forming a gang and having a sense of protection and justice against the attacks of the Socs. His sense of justice even spans over his own gang when he asks Dally to stop harassing the Socs girls. Although his act leads to estrangement against him in his gang, it gives him a sense of his personality. When the Socs gang attacks them, he braves the confrontation heroically and ends up in a hospital after his hiding place catches fire in the mob violence. He dies at the end of the novel as a martyr.
• Cherry Valance: This female character enters Ponyboy’s narrative and forms a good rapport with him after he asks his gang to stay away from girls, trying to mend fences with the Socs’ gang. However, it is interesting to see the Socs girl liking the greaser’s boys like Johnny and Ponyboy and talking to them. Despite their innocent relationship, Dally makes the water muddy for them, adding to their woes that Cherry dislikes. Despite these intimacies with the boys, she still has some group loyalties to which she sticks by the end.
• Darry Curtis: The eldest Curtis boy, Darry leads the family of three boys after the death of their parents. He shows his domineering behavior toward his younger brothers as Ponyboy leaves the house after he treats him badly. It is Darry who later incites violence in which Johnny stabs a Socs’ boy and causes mob violence. However, in the end, when Sodapop coaxes Ponyboy and makes him understand the adult role Darry has played, both of them patch up.
• Dallas Winston: Known as Dally in the story, Dallas is a teenager of 17 years, having sharp features and rough manners. On account of spending some period in the prison at a very young age, he has proved a tough fellow who keeps an eye on Johnny on account of his being the younger fellow among the Greasers. However, he is loyal to Ponyboy and stands by him.
• Two-Bit Mathews: A wisecracker, Two-Bit is also known as Keith who is a regular shoplifter. On account of his instigation, the two communities, the Socs and the Greasers come to blows.
• Steve Randle: A teen greaser, Steve is Sodapop’s friend and stays with him most of the time. A young boy of an athletic body, he is a tough opponent when it comes to fighting and feels Ponyboy’s company irritating.
• Randy Anderson: A Socs, Randy is Bob’s friend whom Johnny kills during a confrontation with the Socs. However, his attitude toward the Greasers stays reasonable and humanistic as he does not see any rationality in hostilities and fighting.
• Bob Sheldon: Bob is a minor character but he is at the center of the fight as Johnny kills him, during an inter-communal feud.

Writing Style of The Outsiders

The style of Hinton in the novel, The Outsiders, comprises constant use of foreshadowing to keep the readers on their toes about what is going to happen next. In this context , he has used very simple sentences that create suspense as well as predict future events. But one thing that makes this novel specifically Hintonian is that he uses a variety of sentences to make his readers feel being entertained, surprised, and puzzled simultaneously. The reason is that this epistolary type of style makes the readers feel the very voice of the beloved characters in their bones. For literary devices , Hinton turns toward allusions, metaphors , and similes.

Analysis of the Literary Devices in The Outsiders

• Action: The main action of the novel comprises the narrative of a greaser boy, Ponyboy and his life in the mob violence with the Socs. The rising action occurs when his close friend Johnny kills a Socs, Bob. The falling action occurs when the Greasers win the rumble.
• Anaphora : The below examples of anaphora are from the novel, i. One of them kept saying, “Shut him up, for Pete’s sake, shut him up!” (Chapter-1) ii. He likes Soda—everybody likes Soda— but he can’t stand me. (Chapter-3) iii. I walk in that house, and nobody says anything. I walk out, and nobody says anything. I stay away all night, and nobody notices. At least you got Soda. I ain’t got nobody.” (Chapter-3) These three examples show the repetitious use of “shut him up”, “likes”, and “nobody says anything.”
• Allusion : The novel shows examples of allusions as given below, i. We killed time by reading Gone with the Wind and playing poker. Johnny sure did like that book, although he didn’t know anything about the Civil War and even less about plantations, and I had to explain a lot of it to him. (Chapter-6) ii. Robert Frost wrote it. He meant more to it than I’m gettin’ though.” I was trying to find the meaning the poet had in mind, but it eluded me. “I always remembered it because I never quite got what he meant by it.” (Chapter-5) The first example refers to a novel, the American Civil War, while the second refers to a popular American poet, Robert Frost.
• Antagonist : The Socs gangs are the main antagonists who raise obstacles for Ponyboy.
• Conflict : The novel shows both external and internal conflicts. The external conflict is going on between the Greasers and the Socs, while the internal or mental conflict is going on in the mind of Ponyboy about his relations as well as his role in the tussle between the two communities.
• Characters: The Outsiders has both static as well as dynamic characters . Ponyboy and Johnny Cade are dynamic characters as they show a considerable transformation in their behavior and conduct by the end of the novel. However, all other characters are static as they do not show or witness any transformation such as Dally, Cherry, Sodapop, Dallas, and Bob.
• Climax : The climax in the novel occurs when the Socs set the church on fire and Johnny and Ponyboy try their best to save the children.
• Imagery : The examples of imagery from the novel are given below, i. The dawn was coming then. All the lower valley was covered with mist, and sometimes little pieces of it broke off and floated away in small clouds. The sky was lighter in the east, and the horizon was a thin golden line. The clouds changed from gray to pink, and the mist was touched with gold. There was a silent moment when everything held its breath, and then the sun rose. It was beautiful. (Chapter-5) ii. he was a little woman, with straight black hair and big black eyes like Johnny’s. But that was as far as the resemblance went. Johnnycake’s eyes were fearful and sensitive; hers were cheap and hard. (Chapter-8) These two examples show images of sight, color, sound, and emotions.
• Metaphor : The Outsiders has sentences with metaphors as given below, i. We killed time by reading Gone with the Wind and playing poker. (Chapter-5) ii. There was an uneasy silence : Who was going to start it? Darry solved the problem. (Chapter-9) These examples show that several things have been compared directly in the novel such as the first shows time and silence as animals or human beings.
• Mood : The novel, The Outsiders, shows a very bitter and rebellious mood in the beginning and becomes violent in the middle after which it shows a calm and peaceful mood.
• Motif : Most important motifs of the novel are the literature, color, class, and consciousness of Ponyboy.
• Narrator : The novel is narrated from a first person narrator, Ponyboy Curtis. Therefore, he is also the protagonist of the story.
• Paradox : The below sentences are paradoxes examples from the novel, i. He’s always happy-go-lucky and grinning, while Darry’s hard and firm and rarely grins at all. (Chapter-1) ii. It seems funny to me that he should look just exactly like my father and act exactly the opposite from him. (Chapter-1) Both of these examples show that the writer has put paradoxical ideas or things together.
• Personification : The examples of personifications are given below, i. The pool was empty now in the fall, but the fountain was going merrily. Tall elm trees made the park shadowy and dark. (Chapter-4) ii. A cool deadly bluff could sometimes shake them off, but not if they outnumbered you five to two and were drunk. (Chapter-4) iii. My hair looked funny, scattered over the floor in tufts. “It’s lighter than I thought it was,” I said, examining it. “Can I see what I look like now? (Chapter-5) iv. There was an uneasy silence: Who was going to start it? Darry solved the problem. (Chapter-9) These examples show as if the fountain, bluff, hair, and silence have life and emotions of their own.
• Protagonist : Ponyboy Curtis is the protagonist of the novel. The novel starts with his entry in the story immediately when he starts narrating it and ends with his transformation.
• Repetition : The repetition examples from the book are giving below, i. I winced inside. I’ve told you I can’t stand it that Soda dropped out. “He’s a dropout,” I said roughly. “Dropout” made me think of some poor dumb-looking hoodlum wandering the streets breaking out street lights— it didn’t fit my happy-go-lucky brother at all. (Chapter-2) ii. “Rat race is a perfect name for it,” she said. “We’re always going and going and going, and never asking where. (Chapter-3) iii.Remembering. Remembering a handsome, dark boy with a reckless grin and a hot temper. A tough, tow-headed boy with a cigarette in his mouth and a bitter grin on his hard face. Remembering— and this time it didn’t hurt— a quiet, defeatedlooking sixteen-year-old whose hair needed cutting badly and who had black eyes with a frightened expression to them. (Chapter-10) These examples show “dropout”, “going” and “remembering” repeated several times in the sentences.
• Setting : The setting of the novel, The Outsiders, is Tulsa area in Oklahoma, possibly in mid-1960s.
• Simile : The examples of similes from the novel are given below, i. You know how it is, when you wake up in a strange place and wonder where in the world you are, until memory comes rushing over you like a wave. (Chapter-5) ii. The water from it was like liquid ice and it tasted funny, but it was water. (Chapter-5) iii. But I realized that these three appealed to me because they were like the heroes in the novels I read. (Chapter-5) iv. Curly, who was a tough, cool, hard-as-nails Tim in miniature, and I had once played chicken by holding our cigarette ends against each other’s fingers. (Chapter-9) v. The excitement was catching. Screeching like an Indian, Steve went running across the lawn in flying leaps, stopped suddenly, and flipped backward. (Chapter-9) These are similes as the use of the words “like” and “as” showing a comparison in the first memory with the wave, in the second water with ice, in the third persons with heroes, in the fourth hardness with nails, and in the fourth screeching with an Indian.

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The Outsiders

By s. e. hinton, the outsiders essay questions.

Compare the characters of Bob and Dally.

On the surface, Bob and Dally couldn't be more different. However, the two boys are linked together by the phrase, "Next time you want a broad, pick up your own kind." Right before the Socs attack Ponyboy and Johnny, in the fight that results in Johnny killing Bob, Bob states the reasoning for the attack. He wants the Greasers to know their place in society, and to stay away from Soc girls. Later, in Chapter 6, Dally echoes Bob's words when he explains that Cherry is acting as a spy for the Greasers, adding: "Man, next time I want a broad I'll pick up my own kind." Ponyboy remembers Bob saying this not even a week before. Both boys are victims of the violence between the Socs and the Greasers, and die before the story is over. They both have violent tendencies, look for fights, and end up losing their lives because of it; more important, both draw ideological lines in the sand.

Discuss the relationship between Johnny and Dally.

Johnny feels hero-worship toward Dally, and thinks of him as the most gallant of all the gang. Dally wants to protect Johnny and keep him from turning out the way he himself has. As they drive back to the church in Chapter 5, he explains, "You get hardened in jail. I don't want that to happen to you. Like it happened to me..." After Johnny dies, Dally reacts with uncharacteristic emotion. Ponyboy realizes that "Johnny was the only thing Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone."

Discuss the relationship between Ponyboy and Darry, and how it changes over the course of the novel.

At the beginning of the novel, Ponyboy resents Darry for being too strict and always bothering him for not using his head. He recognizes the sacrifices that Darry has made to raise his two little brothers, but still thinks Darry just doesn't care for him at all.

But in Chapter 5, when Soda and Darry come to the hospital, Ponyboy has a revelation. He sees his oldest brother cry for the first time in years - he didn't even cry at their parents' funeral - and realizes that "Darry did care about me, maybe as much as he cared about Soda, and because he cared he was trying too hard to make something of me." He understands that Darry is terrified of losing another person he loves, and wonders "how I could ever have thought him hard and unfeeling."

In Chapter 10, when Ponyboy wakes up momentarily, he asks Soda if Darry is sorry he's sick. He also worries throughout the chapter that maybe he didn't ask for Darry while he was delirious, but Soda finally confirms that he did. This concern for Darry's feelings is a huge change from the way Ponyboy regarded his oldest brother in the beginning of the novel. Now he is worried that, because deep down he feels he can relate better to Soda, he might have left Darry out in his unconscious babbling.

How do Ponyboy's feelings toward Randy reflect the conflict between the Socs and the Greasers?

At first, Ponyboy sees Randy as a violent Soc to be avoided; he is Marcia's boyfriend, and is involved in jumping the Greasers. But in Chapter 7, they have a conversation in Randy's car, and Randy explains why he is leaving town instead of attending the rumble. He says, "You can't win, even if you whip us. You'll still be where you were before - at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn't do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn't prove a thing. We'll forget it if you win, or if you don't. Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs." Ponyboy begins to see Randy as someone who can appreciate sunsets, and feels a connection to him regardless of their different social statuses.

However, in Chapter 11 when Randy comes to visit Ponyboy at home, Ponyboy's denial about Johnny's death and the events leading up to it cause a rift between the two boys again. Ponyboy decides, "He was just like all the rest of the Socs. Cold-blooded and mean."

What do Johnny's last words mean?

Johnny's last words echo in Chapter 12 when Ponyboy breaks a bottle to defend himself against the Socs. Two-Bit says, "Ponyboy, listen, don't get tough. You're not like the rest of us and don't try to be..." Ponyboy is confused by what Two-Bit means, since he felt nothing when the Socs approached him. But he proves that he is still "gold" by bending down to pick up the pieces of broken glass from the ground without even thinking about it.

How does Gone with the Wind represent an ideal for Johnny?

Johnny puts his last note to Ponyboy inside his copy of Gone with the Wind . The gallantry of the Southern gentlemen in the book, who rode to their certain deaths bravely, inspires Johnny and reminds him of Dally. This allows Ponyboy to see Dally in that light, too, and to consider that his death might have been gallant. Johnny dies as a result of rescuing children from the fire in the church, so in that way he lives up to the ideal in Gone with the Wind .

What is the difference between Ponyboy the narrator and Ponyboy the character?

It is always clear that Ponyboy is narrating The Outsiders from a point in the future, after the events of the story have taken place. However, this rift between narrator and character becomes definite in Chapter 11, when Ponyboy's pretending makes him an unreliable narrator for the first time in the story. When Randy comes to visit, Ponyboy says that he was the one who killed Bob, and that Johnny is not dead. He repeats it aloud to convince himself of it. But as narrator, he says, "Johnny didn't have anything to do with Bob's getting killed." The reader has depended upon Ponyboy's narration to dictate the events of the story, and now the frame of reference is thrown off, since we know he has moved into an alternate reality.

Discuss Ponyboy's "dreaming", particularly in regard to Johnny's death.

Ponyboy's reaction to Johnny's death has been foreshadowed by Ponyboy's tendency to create alternate realities for himself throughout the story, but the difference is that "this time my dreaming worked. I convinced myself that he wasn't dead." Throughout the story, Ponyboy creates these alternate realities in order to cope with situations he feels are unbearable. For instance, in Chapter 3 he dreams of a life in the country, with his parents still alive and Darry kind and caring again. What is important to note is that he concedes that his dreams are only dreams, and that he admits to use them as a mode of escape.

Describe how eyes are used as a characterization technique.

Ponyboy's view of other characters is often reflected by his interpretation of their eyes. For example, he says that "Darry's eyes are his own. He's got eyes that are like two pieces of pale blue-green ice. They've got a determined set to them, like the rest of him... he would be real handsome if his eyes weren't so cold." Darry's eyes reflect Ponyboy's view of his oldest brother as "hardly human." In contrast, Sodapop's eyes are "dark brown - lively, dancing, recklessly laughing eyes that can be gentle and sympathetic one moment and blazing with anger the next." Johnny is defined by his emotive eyes; the difference between his mother and him is clear to Ponyboy because of their eyes: "Johnnycake's eyes were fearful and sensitive; hers were cheap and hard."

In what way is The Outsiders a call to action?

The Outsiders ends with its own opening sentence, as Ponyboy begins to write his assignment for English class, and it becomes clear that the story the reader has just finished is the assignment itself. It is inspired by Johnny's letter to Ponyboy, in which he explains what he meant by his last words: "Stay gold." There is no reason for lives to be cut short because of senseless violence between the Greasers and the Socs. Ponyboy feels called to action by Johnny's note, and wants to save the lives of other hoods who might end up like Dally. In Chapter 12, this goal is underlined:

"There should be some help, someone should tell them before it was too late. Someone should tell their side of the story, and maybe people would understand then and wouldn't be so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wore."

The Outsiders Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Outsiders is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

on what page does cherry has an emotional connection

Cherry no longer looked sick, only sad. "I'll bet you think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, the West-side Socs. I'll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you've never even heard of. You want to know...

Chapter 7 through 9 questions

A) Soda and Sandy’s relationship is over because Sandy got pregnant and went to live with her grandmother in Florida.

"Look," Steve said, surprisingly angry, "does he have to draw you a picture? It was either that or get married, and her parents...

why do you think johhny wasn't scared, depsite the obvious danger?

Johnny is a sensitive boy. He cares for others, especially those that are helpless like the children. This is perhaps because he has felt so helpless in his own childhood. It is also probable their cigarettes started the fire.

Study Guide for The Outsiders

The Outsiders study guide contains a biography of author S. E. Hinton, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Outsiders
• The Outsiders Summary
• The Outsiders Video
• Character List

Essays for The Outsiders

The Outsiders essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Outsiders written by S. E. Hinton.

• Analysis of the American Reality, Possibility, and Dream found in "Nickel and Dimed" and "The Outsiders"
• Stay Gold, Ponyboy: Historical Models of Childhood in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders
• The Socioeconomic Triggers of Juvenile Delinquency: Analysis of "The Outsiders"
• Greater Meanings in The Outsiders: A Theater, a Sunset, and a Novel

Lesson Plan for The Outsiders

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Outsiders
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Outsiders Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Outsiders

• Introduction
• Major characters
• Controversy
• Critical reception

The Outsiders

S. e. hinton, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Divided Communities

Ponyboy stands in the middle of two major conflicts: the conflict between the Socs and greasers, and the conflict between Ponyboy and Darry within the Curtis family. In the gang conflict, the novel shows how the two groups focus on their differences—they dress differently, socialize differently, and hang out with different girls—and how this focus on superficial differences leads to hate and violence. Yet the novel also shows how the two groups depend on their…

Empathy, the ability to see things through another person's perspective, is central to the resolution of both the gang and the family conflict in The Outsiders . The two gangs' preoccupation with the appearance and class status of their rivals underscores the superficiality of their mutual hostility, which thrives on stereotypes and prejudice. Certain characters can see past the stereotypes, however. When Cherry befriends Ponyboy at the drive-in and insists that "things are rough all…

Preserving Childhood Innocence

The Outsiders shows the importance of preserving the hope, open-mindedness, and appreciation of beauty that are characteristic of childhood. Ponyboy's daydreams about the country, his appreciation of sunrises and sunsets , and his rescue of the children from the burning church distinguish him from other characters in the novel. These traits show that Ponyboy, unlike the other boys, still has preserved some of his childhood innocence. They also allow him to see beyond the shallow…

Self-Sacrifice and Honor

Despite the greasers' reputation as heartless young criminals, they live by a specific and honorable code of friendship, and there are many instances in which gang and family members make selfless choices. These choices often reflect a desire to make life better for the next generation of youths. Darry forfeited a college scholarship for a full-time manual labor job in order to support his younger brothers. Dally , who seems not to care about anything…

Individual Identity

Both the Socs and the greasers sacrifice their individuality to the styles and sentiments of their groups. Greasers, for example, wear their hair long and oiled, and share a common hostility toward the Socs.

At the start of the novel, Ponyboy is a dedicated greaser even though he knows that certain aspects of his personality make him different from the rest of the gang. The gang provides him with too great of a sense of…

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The Outsiders Character Analysis

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 683 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Ponyboy curtis, johnny cade, dallas winston.

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