Societal Expectations In The Outsiders

The Role Expectations Play In The Outsiders Do you ever feel like you’re being forced to do things because of the expectations society has placed on you to do them? For instance shaving your legs just because you are a female. Societal expectations and expectations placed on the characters in the novel “The Outsiders” by themselves greatly affected their actions and reactions, as well as the final outcome of the novel. One example of the role societal expectations play in the novel is that all the members of the Greaser gang have only each other for true friendship because society has made it so they cannot rely on anyone else because of how they appear to everyone else (rough and greasy) and are also looked down upon because of this. Another example is when Cherry tells Ponyboy not to take it personally if she doesn’t talk to him at school because they come from contrasting social groups. Lastly, Darry stays with his brothers instead of going to college because of the pressure on him by himself and society to be there for his family after his parents die. Ultimately, personal and societal expectations played a large role among the characters in
“The Outsiders” and affected the plot’s overall outcome. The first example that societal expectations put on the characters in the novel “The Outsiders” axiomatically affected their actions and reactions, as well as the final outcome, involves the Greaser gang. They are generally looked down upon in society because of their appearance and as such, have lower social status. This means they can only (or are expected by society to only) be friends with, or hang out with other “hoods” (page 56) like themselves. They have been put in a place by others appearing to be above them that would make it appear strange or even questionable for them to interact with anyone above them in the social hierarchy they inhabit. In “The Outsiders”, when it reads “I only wanted to lie on my back under a tree and read a book or draw a picture, and not worry about being jumped or carrying a blade or ending up married to some scatterbrained broad with no sense.” (Ponyboy, page 43) the place the Greasers have in society is made obvious, and it is also made obvious that it is not what all Greasers want (especially not the story’s narrator: Ponyboy). Because the Greasers are seen as less than the other main group in the novel (the Socs), they get injured and beat up by the Socs on a regular basis, as the Socs generally see the Greasers as no good and disgraceful. This creates resentment between the two groups in the novel as the Greasers feel they cannot control whether or not they are Greasers: “It wasn't fair for the Socs to have everything. We were as good as they were; it wasn't our fault we were greasers.” (Ponyboy, page 42) and there is no reason the Socs should treat them any less than equal. The second example internal and external expectations was a key element in “The Outsiders” is when a high class Soc girl named Sherri “Cherry” Valance tells the main character Ponyboy not to take it personally if she doesn’t say hello to him at school: “‘I know,’ she said quietly, “but we'd better go with them.
Ponyboy... I mean... if I see you in the hall at school or someplace and don't say hi, well, it's not personal or anything, but…” (Cherry, page 40) reaffirms the fact that interactions between Greasers and Socs are uncommon and regarded as strange. Ponyboy and his friend Johnny are off put by Cherry at first but soon realize what is really going on in the situation socially: “It was because we're greasers,” Johnny said, and I knew he was talking about Cherry. “We could have hurt her reputation.” (Johnny, page
41).
The final example that personal and societal expectations played an extensive role in “The Outsiders” is how Darrel “Darry” Curtis (the main character Ponyboy’s brother) takes care of his brothers after his parents die in an accident. He feels morally obligated to do this instead of going to college because he doesn’t want what happened to his parents (a car accident) to happen to his brothers and will do anything to protect them. Also, if he left them and went to college instead of working to support them he would be viewed in society as a Soc because the only thing separating him from being one is his family as demonstrated when the novel reads “"You know, the only thing that keeps Darry from bein' a Soc is us.” “I know” I said. I had known it for a long time. In spite of not having much money, the only reason Darry couldn't be a Soc was us. The gang. Me and Soda. Darry was too smart to be a greaser.” (Ponyboy, page 107). He chooses family over social status because those are the values society has instilled upon him. It was what was expected of him.
In conclusion, social expectations have an impact on everyone, no matter who you are. In “The Outsiders” internal and external expectations play a major role in the novel’s plot and outcome by influencing the character’s actions. One example being that the Greasers are seen as low class or on the bottom of the social ladder because of their appearance and status (based on their possessions and wealth) which makes their interactions with the top of the social ladder Socs dangerous or non existent. Another example of how expectations affect characters in the novel is how Cherry feels she cannot talk to Ponyboy at school because it would change how other people may see her, as well as her status. Finally, Darry choses to stay with his brothers and take care of them instead of going to college because of the expectations put upon him and that he will put his family first, not his education. Expectations put upon us by ourselves and society affect our decisions and actions, as well as interactions, everyday, as proved by the characters in “The Outsiders”.