The Outsiders Theme

In the U.S alone there are over 24,500 gangs and over 750,000 gang members. The outsiders explores the lives of gang members and how each of their lives are affected by this constant never ending conflict. How being part of either one of these brings the breath of death ever so closer.
Susan Eloise Hinton was born on july, 22, 1950 in the town of tulsa in oklahoma this later became the setting which the outsiders is story unfolds. ¨ there was little to do for a child growing up in Tulsa¨ stated Hinton as being one of the reasons she turned to reading and writing at such a young age. She was a shy highschooler but she quickly overcame this and became a full time writer in order to help her father which had been diagnosed with cancer that year.
The two gangs in our story are the Greasers which come from the economically struggling east side while the socs their rival gang come from the economically thriving west side. In chapter 1 Ponyboy explains his life how his parents died in a car accident and how he lives with his 2 brothers Sodapop and Darry he then goes on to state the current relationship of the gang how they are in a constant gang war. After explaining he is shown walking down the street and he states that he is in danger because he is labeled by society as a “Greaser” because he was walking on the east side. As if foreshadowing what was going to happen a car with four socs attacked ponyboy which then turned into a full out gang
By joining this society now sees him as trash as violent and crude. Society has a common look for the Greasers such as the long slick back hair and certain attitudes which makes ponyboy feel more like he doesn't fit in because he knows he has certain views that do not match with those of the Greasers. He thinks the violence is unnecessary that they fight because the socs think they are superior to the Greasers he doesn't understand if he should keep fighting like they currently