The Outsiders

Search for Self
Conflict arises between two incomparable social groups, resulting in tragic deaths. In the novel The Outsiders by S.E Hinton, two separate gangs, the Socs and Greasers, are at constant contention. The Outsiders takes place in Oklahoma, the 1960’s. Hinton uses the character, Ponyboy Curtis to explain why it doesn’t matter what social position you are in. The message she is trying to get across to the readers is you are your own person, and you don’t have to be classified as anyone else but yourself. Throughout the novel Ponyboy becomes more sophisticated, by learning to reaffirm his own values and sense of self. He progressively matures through the course of the novel in many different ways by experiencing things he would have never imagined going through.
Ponyboy never admired the girls that were Greasers but one night he found the girl of his dreams. Unfortunately, she was a Soc and she had different standards for her romantic companion. Ponyboy knows his position in society but that never held him back from falling for the delectable Cherry Valance. Heartbreaking for him, she was more of the girl to fall for “bad-boys” unlike Ponyboy. “It wasn’t Johnny’s fault Bob was a booze-hound and Cherry went for boys bound for trouble”.(p.129) By the end of the novel, Ponyboy finally comes to the realization of thinking of Cherry as more of a friend, rather than having romantic affections for her. He shows sensitivity and understanding by appreciating their differences and accepting her feelings towards him.
A second way Ponyboy has changed is by learning the consequences of his own mistakes and wrong doings. After Running away was always Ponyboy supreme speculation on finding a place he felt acknowledgment, “Come on, Johnny, we’re running away.”(p.51)After coming home late, his older protective brother Darry, who has taken over responsibility of Ponyboy and Soda after their parents passed away, is very furious with him. As a result of his outrage, he ends up hitting Ponyboy. Devastated, Ponyboy runs away, and relies on one of the gang members to keep him up to date on what is going on. He is then stuck in an abandoned church starving for news to come from his confidant. As a result of his actions, Ponyboy learns how big of an impact his family and friends have on him.
The biggest impact that changed Ponyboy throughout the novel was the realization of his brother’s feelings towards him. In the beginning of the novel, Ponyboy is rebellious against his oldest brother Darry, “Me and Darry just didn’t dig each other.”(p.13)He felt like Darry was only out to get after him, and that Ponyboy was never exceptional enough. Even though Darry is stricter than their parents, he was only trying to make the best of Ponyboy, which he came to realize at the end. “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.”(p.98)After trying to block Darry out, Ponyboy finally figured it out for himself after seeing the agony he has put Darry through.
Through lots of trial and error Ponyboy finds out who he really is. During a short time span Ponyboy has grown a lot, he developed many great qualities. He now has the ability to see the full spectrum, he stopped dividing the world into black and white, good and bad, insiders and outsiders, Greasers and Socs. Ponyboy’s eyes have opened to the greater scheme of things in life, and a true sense of feelings towards his identity.
Ashley