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Social Inequality In The Outsider, By S. E. Hinton

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Social inequality has been present throughout the ages, like a shadow, taking on notorious forms that can ravage a nation. Social inequality is a serious matter, and it is important to bring it out from the shadows and into the spotlight of the world due to the rising discrimination and persecution among American teenagers. It is impossible to end inequality all together, nonetheless authors have a platform to impact readers on social matters and can use the different genres of literature as a proactive tool to slowly pick away reader by reader and change their views on the topic of tolerance and acceptance. First off, although many people may want to believe social inequality is behind us, it is still on the rise, with American teens as …show more content…

Many Americans live in fear from that one person who takes there anger and fear out on them physically or mentally. A bully is somebody who puts themselves above somebody else, as if they are better than everyone. In The Outsider, the author S.E Hinton paints a picture of bullying right from the start. The book took place in the 60s and contains Greasers and Soc’s, two gangs that constantly battle it out. With the Soc’s always looking for a fight, Greasers have to watch over their shoulder and travel together. The Soc’s are constantly beating up on the Greasers, for example “Five Soc’s were coming straight at us, and from the way they were staggering I figured they were reeling pickled. They scared me. A cool deadly bluff could sometimes shake them off, but not if they outnumbered you five to two and were drunk. Johnny’s hand went to his back pocket and I remembered the switchblade. I wished for that broken bottle. I’d sure show them I could use it if they had to. Johnny was scared to death”(Hinton). S.E Hinton is trying to relate the Greasers life to many Americans who face the same problem in

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