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The Outsiders Reflection

Decent Essays

In the novel The Outsiders, one of the many thematic statements is that people become trapped on one side of an argument. They only see from one perspective and fail to see the other side. The paragraphs below illustrate when and how Ponyboy changes his perspective, understands the other side, and gradually breaks the barrier between the Socs and greasers.

Ponyboy started to learn that not all Socs were arrogant and violent when Dally took the gang of greasers to the movie. Coincidentally, this was the day after Johnny got jumped by a group of Socs. They saw 2 girls named Marcia and Cherry who were Socs. Dally asked Cherry and Marcia if they wanted cokes. Marcia took the Coca Cola, although Cherry didn't. Afterwards, Cherry asked if Ponyboy wanted to go get some popcorn and they started talking and chatting. While the were chatting Ponyboy told Cherry what had happened to Johnny. Through that conversation Cherry was able to convince Ponyboy that not all Socs were violent and arrogant. From my perspective I think that Greasers and Socs weren’t really all that different. Moreover, Ponyboy never actually knew what the Greasers had done to the Socs. For example “all Socs aren't like that,”she said.
“You have to believe me, Ponyboy. Not all of us are “like that.”
“Sure,”I said.
“That's like saying all you greasers are like Dallas Winston. I’ll bet he's jumped a few people.”
I digested that. It was true. ” (S. E. Hinton, 1967, P.34) This evidence supports my theme because it

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