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The Outsiders Character Analysis

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The Outsiders is a Novel set in the 1960’s that explains the divide between people with similarities and differences. The book explains life as it was in the past, is in the present, and will be in the future. It talks about the rift between different people in society and their social classes. Every rift must try to be changed by someone for the benefit of society, and that person is exalted as a hero. There are many heroes in the outsiders, but the biggest hero is Ponyboy because he was empathetic to others, quick to think and act, and stands strong and moves forward to overcome challenging events in life that seem impossible to overcome. The first reason Ponyboy is a hero in The Outsiders is because he was empathetic to others. When Johnny murdered Bob, he had to run away to avoid getting captured by the Cops, but Ponyboy didn’t. Yet he ran away with Johnny anyway because he was empathetic to him. It must be hard leaving everything you’ve liked or known to help your friend endure the inevitable hardships coming. Ponyboy was also empathetic to Cherry when she was struggling with destiny. “I started to turn and walk away, but something in her eyes made me stop. I was ashamed.” (129) Ponyboy could have left her bawling, but instead he is empathetic to her and tries to cheer her up with the correlative traits that they share. “‘Hey’ I said suddenly, ‘Can you see the sunset real good from the west side?’ She blinked, startled, then smiled. ‘Real good.’ ‘You can see it good from the east side too’ I said.” (129-130) he is using the consubstantial trait of them looking at sunsets to cheer them both up. Ponyboy is exemplifying empathy throughout the novel to others, which is a great quality in a hero. The second reason Ponyboy is the most valuable hero in the novel is because he was quick to think and act. He was the one who decides to run into the fire to save the kids, the one who acted first in that perilous moment. “‘I’ll get them, don’t worry!’” (91) Ponyboy decides to run into the fire when he could possibly die without a second thought. Others were trying to stop him, but he didn’t think twice and ran into the burning building. “I jerked loose and ran on. All I could think was; We started it! We started

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