Compare and Contrast: The Outsiders and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Adolescence is a time of excitement. It’s a time when our freedoms and responsibilities sprout to life. It was once innocent, but now it is facing the real world: a world filled with crime, dangers, and ideas many of us can’t see as children. Everything previously mentioned is coming of age. Coming of age books are often thought of as something to dive into it -- something to enjoy, something to just read. One might think of these books as a great source of entertainment; however, these books have really deep meanings and themes behind them. There are a multitudinous amount of themes that are mentioned in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders and Sherman Alexie’s …show more content…
In The Outsiders, we see Ponyboy come of age because we see him struggling with creating his identity. “Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while. I don’t mean I do things like that” (Hinton 3). It is almost ironic that the book is called The Outsiders because Ponyboy is an outsider to the outsiders -- which, in this book are referred to as greasers. This is because he thinks and acts differently compared to the other greasers; this then forces Pony to mature because he has to create his own identity. Furthermore, almost indistinguishably, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian shows the main character, Arnold, struggle with creating his own identity as he doesn’t fit in. Arnold, also known as Junior, is shown as to be a disabled boy that already has no friends except for Rowdy; this already shows him not fitting in, and as if it wasn’t detrimental enough, he leaves his old school -- the reservation -- to go to Reardan High School. This breaks up his identity and he has to live amongst the rich white kids, who try to harass him; this shows struggle because he is in this midway gray area with no friends, no identity and no one but his parents to care about him. This forces Arnold to not only create a new identity, but also to come of age because of all the pressure. Thus, judging all the pieces …show more content…
Ponyboy showed that he can overcome loss of hope when he saved the children from the burning church. Initially, before the church burned, it was an empty church where Pony and Johnny hid from the law; moreover, the empty church shows that not only are the greasers facing loss of hope, but the whole world is too. The burning church full of children forces Pony to mature because he couldn’t just leave it and pretend it never happened; Pony and Johnny had to become the hope. When facing a deadly situation, they had the choice to either take the initiative and help the children, or to leave them; them choosing and making that huge decision caused them to come of age. Similarly,, we see Arnold face and solve a plethora of problems where he has to overcome loss of hope. We have seen him prevail loss of hope when he first joined Reardan High School, he lost his identity and was stuck in this gray spot; the students back in the reservation hated him for leaving and being a ‘white lover’ -- Reardan High School was predominantly for rich, white children -- and the Reardan students had just met him. Since he was Indian, people were uncomfortable around him. In this situation, Junior is confused and is facing a huge dilemma that makes him lose hope. This situation is later resolved when Penelope, a girl that is
Ponyboy is gold. He is helpful and smart, but he’s a greaser and well that’s fine to some people...to others it’s just not acceptable. Even though Ponyboy and Johnny hit the road after Bob was killed he still deserved better. Ponyboy had potential and he is going places, I can tell. Ponyboy has had many losses in his life, Mom, Dad, Johnny, and Dally, but he is strong. That’s all he is going to need to be.
In the novel, Ponyboy couldn’t even walk a short distance home without getting jumped by the Socials. This idea is heartbreaking to realize that a child can’t safely walk around his or hers neighborhood without being harmed in some areas. The novel shows a numerous amount of young adults being killed or harmed due to gang violence. For example, Johnny Cade killed Bob Sheldon in self-defense, which was devastating to his family, friends, and girlfriend. The author also represents a positive side to violence at the end of the novel. The rumble between the two groups without weapons, helped end the aggression and hatred between them. This uncovered the common interest that they shared and allowed them to relate to each other on an emotional and physical level.
In The Outsiders, a book written by S.E. Hinton, there are two polar opposite gangs, the socs and the greasers. The socs, who are high class, have mustangs and “tuff” cars and wear plaid clothing called madras. The Greasers, who are lower class, are known for their long and greasy hair, wearing leather jackets and being hoods. They only have each other and always have everyone’s back. No matter the situation like leaving a door open in case they need to run away from home because of an abusive dad , they can count on one another. Ponyboy, a 14 year old Greaser, who is also the protagonist, along with other characters lose themselves while trying to be someone else they’re not. Hinton teaches us that it is important to remember that individual
The author shows Ponyboys instincts when the church starts on fire. Ponyboys says, “But he never heard Dally’s answer, for we had reached the top of Jay Mountain and Dally suddenly slammed on the brakes.” This quote defines how Ponyboy makes a rash decision to go and save the kids on Jay Mountain, even before Dally has stopped the car. After leaving the car, Ponyboy makes another rash decision trying to save the children in the fire. After the children are free and Pony and Johnny are exiting the church a beam falls on Johnny, Ponyboys says, “Then I heard Johnny scream, as I went back for him.” Ponyboys instincts are brought out greatly in this quote, the author almost makes it seem as if it is second nature to Ponyboy to help save people, leading to the next characteristic of
Have you ever been part of a social group? Did you ever feel like an outsider? The book The Outsiders took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the 1960’s. This book is about two teenage groups, the Socs and the Greasers. Both the Socs and the Greasers sometimes felt like outsiders. But which group was the real outsiders? Or, are the outsiders the people who see beyond society groups? I believe that the real outsiders are the people who see beyond society groups.
After Johnny’s death, Ponyboy finds a letter written by Johnny that reads, “When you’re a kid everything’s new, dawn. It’s just when you get used to everything that it’s day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That’s gold. Keep it that way, it’s a good way to be,” (178). Johnny urges Ponyboy to embrace his youth and innocence by not yielding to the greaser lifestyle. He insists on Ponyboy seeking his full potential. Ponyboy acknowledges that there are different stories beyond one’s appearance like himself because although the society previously consider him a nuisance to the community, they are proved wrong after he transforms into a hero after saving children from a church fire, which contributes to his dynamic change. Even the close-minded public are subject to their own change of mind. Johnny’s letter also leaves a lifelong impact on Ponyboy’s perspective on the importance of family because the absence of family in Johnny’s life makes Ponyboy treasure the atypical family he has, whether it may the greasers as a whole. In all, a number of people influence Pony to change his views on people and his
In the beginning of the novel, Ponyboy is walking home alone thinking about the past, and the relationship between Greasers and Socs, or the upperclassmen. Ponyboy later is jumped due to being alone by himself at night. “ Anyway I went home thinking about the movie, and then suddenly wishing I had some company. Greasers can’t walk alone too much or they’ll get jumped…” (Hinton 2). Ponyboy feels isolated knowing there was a chance he could be jumped by a Soc. He was feeling alone which resembled that he wanted some company and wanted to feel safe. Later on, after Johnny saves Ponyboy, and has to kill Bob, a Soc, they have to run away to an abandoned church located in Windrixville. The next day Ponyboy wakes up and Johnny is not sleeping next to him on the ground. This makes Ponyboy feel lonely, and he begins to think about home and wishes he was with his brothers eating dinner. “ I woke up late in the afternoon. For a second I did not know where I was… I convinced myself that I had dreamed the night before.” (Hinton 68)
The story The Outsiders, written by S.E. Hinton, was a popular novel because of how realistic it was. The novel was successful because it included famous people and items from the 1960s. These items allowed for people to read the story and make connections. One of the topics that was referenced in the book was Perry Mason. Perry Mason was a popular television series that made readers understand how Ponyboy viewed the courtroom.
Psychologists usually agree that the teenage years are among the most difficult periods in one’s life. Most teens are trying to figure who they are, what they believe, and how they fit into the world around them. Beginning in the late 1970’s, a whole genre of fiction, referred to as coming-of- age literature, emerged and serves, at least for many teens, as believable presentations of young people learning to navigate the difficulties of their lives, often fraught with feelings of rejection, seemingly unresolvable personal turmoil, social problems, school and family issues, etc. Indeed one value of reading is to see and better understand some aspects of ourselves through studying others. The reading of SPEAK, a somewhat controversial
Feeling alone. Being the only one. Not knowing what to do. All of these feelings are feelings that a person would not want to feel. One might need to turn to a friend, a role model, or a parent for help. But, what if these people were not there? What if the only person one had was themselves, and they were the only one who knew about all the secrets in the world. They knew what they had done, and they drowned themselves in the guilt that was placed in them after their one mistake. In the young adult novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the dystopian fiction piece The Giver by Lois Lowry, and the realistic fiction book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, the characters overcome hardships, difficult tasks, and social struggles in order to Come of Age.
The Outsiders Ponyboy has demonstrated maturity and responsibility in the book ‘The Outsiders’ by S.E.hinton by becoming a hero, learning to become self-sufficient, and realizing your socioeconomic background doesn’t determine who you are. Ponyboy shows that he can be mature by being a hero, self-sufficient and by being socio-economic. Ponyboy demonstrates that whoever you are it doesn’t matter what you are called you can be different. The book Outsiders was written in 1967 about two gangs. In the book, The Outsiders the Greasers the gang that lives on the east side of a town in New York live in broken down homes with not as much education and the Socs the west side rich kids with lots of money that make them never go broke and have lots of education.
We all grow up eventually in life. There are many things that want us to grow faster. In the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the main character Ponyboy learns many things along his journey while growing up. Ponyboy has to deal with the death of Johnny. He has to recognize that Darry actually loves Johnny. The conversation with Cherry has changed his thoughts about greasers and Socs. He will continue to detect things as he grows older in his life.
Psychologists usually agree that the teenage years are among the most difficult periods in one’s life. Most teens are trying to figure out who they are, what they believe, and how they fit into the world around them. Beginning in the late 1970’s, a whole genre of fiction, referred to as coming-of-age literature, emerged and serves, at least for many teens, as believable presentations of young people learning to navigate the difficulties of their lives, often fraught with feelings of rejection, seemingly unresolvable personal turmoil, social problems, school and family issues, etc. Indeed one value of reading is to see and better understand some aspect of ourselves through studying others. The reading of SPEAK, a somewhat controversial book
The Outsiders message is about “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” It explains that nothing good can go on forever and nothing young can last forever. It tells you about how and why we should enjoy what we have and keep and cherish everything we have to its maximum limit. Why shouldn’t we cherish what we have? Why do we need more? Why can't we be equally treated with same amount of things such as money and houses? That is the real question. We have that to this very day. In The Outsiders, their lives are exactly like this. They have their awesome rich people lives and the poor have unhappy lives. Some of each gang just want to be normal, the same, or similar at least. But their money splits them up. All because of a little extra
A young adult novel’s audience often desires relatable characters and a meaningful plot that helps them to find resolutions to their own uncertainties concerning life. Many authors employ the literary technique realism to satiate these cravings. Today, there are some popular novels that attempt to imitate this, such as the coveted The Fault in Our Stars or Divergent. These selections, while widespread in the hands of young adult readers today, will not stand the test of time in the way that The Outsiders has, written by S. E. Hinton in 1967, has. This novel, both produced by and intended for teenagers, instead is a better candidate of realistic young adult fiction. Other selections, from Hinton’s era and from today, do not radiate the same