The Outsiders Theme Analysis

When writing The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton built her story around several key themes that readers could identify. After reading this book, I'm confident I have found a few of them. Stick with your people and uniqueness conquers wealth were probably lesser themes Hinton included for us to become conscious of. There is a bigger theme though. I believe stand in the shoes of people who are different is the most worthy overall theme for this book, and is supported with three examples from the text. First, when Ponyboy undergoes a revelation while talking to Cherry, also when (example 2 here), and finally when (example 3 here).

After running for a while they stopped in another parking lot with a fountain in the middle. While in the parking lot a blue mustang that belonged to the Socs that beat up Johnny a long time ago pulled up. They stepped out and started to insult Johnny and Ponyboy, Ponyboy snapped back and they grabbed him and shoved his head in the found as stated, “They grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back, and shoved my face into the fountain. I fought, but the hand at the back of my neck was strong and I had to hold my breath. I’m dying, I thought, and wondered what was happening to Johnny.” This showed that those Socs were even going to kill them just because they talked back, but they were also drunk which also shows how dangerous drunk Socs are. To save Ponyboy Johnny had to kill the Soc and afterwards they both had to run out of town to avoid being arrested. This changed Ponyboys identity into a outlaw.

The theme of The Outsiders is that everyone can rise above what others expect from them. This is relevant throughout the book when Johnny and Ponyboy save the kids from the burning church, when Randy doesn't want to fight or hate the Greasers anymore, and when Johnny stands up for Cherry and Marcia.

Literature enlightens human beings about profound life lessons and the complexities of human interactions. In the fictional novel, "The Outsiders," by S.E. Hinton, the protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, undergoes a multitude of traumatic experiences that change his life forever. Through elaborate direct and indirect characterization and symbolism, S.E. Hinton develops many universal themes. The value of friendship and gang loyalty, staying true to oneself, and closing the gap between the rich (Socs) and poor (greasers) are among the most significant themes that the author wants readers to learn from and apply in life.

Later, Johnny conveys his guilt to Ponyboy when he says: “‘There sure is a lot of blood in people.’”(Hinton 74), nearly quoting Shakespeare in Macbeth. In a later conversation with Johnny, Ponyboy gets thinking about this new world he has been thrust into. In the text he says: “I liked my books and clouds and sunsets. Dally was so real he scared me.”(Hinton 76) This shows how Ponyboy likes when the hero can beat the villain and get a pretty sunset at the end. But now Ponyboy has to deal with the real-world effects of violence, and he doesn’t like it. This marks one of Ponyboy’s first major changes of his mindset on violence.

Ponyboy says, “Not him and Johnny both…”(217). Ponyboy is still in shock/denial that Johnny and Dallas are dead because they were valuable to him. Ponyboy also says “He can’t be dead..”(118). He says this for the same exact reason as the last quote. In conclusion the end of the novel completely changes the theme friends are family to friends are valuable.

As a young adult, it is difficult to grow up without parents and still be tough and brave. In addition, teens can be emotional and overreact at times. In the novel The Outsiders, by S.E Hinton, a fourteen-year-old kid named Ponyboy Curtis feels different emotions that make him stand out from other Greasers, or “hoodlums”. Ponyboy, the youngest of all the Greasers, is a great example of a teen who feels isolated, brave, and emotional throughout the novel.

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.

Have you ever thought about what it might be like to be an outsider? The Outsiders is a story written by S.E. Hinton, in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the Mid 1960s. All of the characters involved in this story are in a stereotypical conflict between the rich and poor, the Socs and the Greasers. One central and essential character in this story is Ponyboy. Ponyboy is a character who is at a young age, starting to grow up and is finally starting to realize what life is really about. The protagonist of this story gets into some trouble as he and his friend Johnny kill a Socs and are running away from home. Just as they thought they were going to get caught for murder, they end up being heroes by saving eight kids’ life from a burning church. By doing that, Pony lost some of his close friends. At the end of the story, Ponyboy realizes that life is not about being a Greaser or a Soc. Emotions are the only thing separating the two gangs. He is a round character as he has many different sides to his personality and a dynamic character as he grows up throughout the novel. Foreshadowing happens when Ponyboy has a dream about a funeral going on; just a little while after that Pony lost two close friends, Johnny and Dally. An internal conflict happens to most of the characters, Pony’s internal conflict is that he does not know if his brother Darry loves him or not. Smart, scared, and sensitive are three words that describe Ponyboy.

The Outsiders is about the Greasers and the Socs seeing their differences in a new way and learning that they aren’t as different as they think. The theme of “The Outsiders” is ‘crossing over the gap between the rich and the poor’. The author conveys this through character, symbols and events. S.E. Hinton shows the theme by everyone having their own personal suffering.

Sammy Davis Jr. once said “You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fears”. This means you can chose to be scared and back off, or commit to face your fears without worrying about what the consequences or the result will be when you make this choice. This relates to the choices made in The Outsiders, because Johnny faces his fears face on, not backing off and instead, committing. He does this to save the ones who he most cares about the most. Correspondingly, the theme of The Outsiders is that committing and making choices that you may not like, may have a beneficial, long-term effect on the people around you.

He also starts off as The Innocent, hopeful for a better future and seeing the good in everyone. On page 26 he says, “I didn’t get why we talk about girls in that way,’ which is showing how even though he’s tough he is still young and innocent and doesn’t get why his gang talks dirty about women’ Also like Dara, Ponyboy’s archetype changes to The Loner or Outcast and he loses his hope. After Johnny kills a Soc to protect him, they go on the run from the police. They hide out in an abandoned church away from their families and society. On page 63 it says “he must have been as homesick as I was” showing how Ponyboy wants to go back to his family. Again, this also shows the theme of The Outsiders. Even though he’s a greaser and on the bad side of society’s view, Ponyboy is really only an outsider when he is without his family and gang. Following Dara, after Johnny’s death, Ponyboy becomes The Hero. On page 145 the text states “ ‘Yessir,’ I said, ‘I'll try. What's the theme supposed to be on?’ ‘Anything you think is important enough to write about. And it isn't a reference theme; I want your own ideas and your own experiences’.” Ponyboy then writes a theme paper based on Johnny’s life, letting everyone know what they’ve gone through. He has an honorable purpose, allowing him to be The Hero. Ponyboy also faces a great deal of problems, although his are not the same as Dara’s. Like her, he is also driven from his home and placed in an intense war. Unlike her, his war is of the social classes and not countries. While Dara must overcome her fears, Ponyboy must discover who he is as a person and who he wants to

Theme Analysis of The Outsiders In S.E. Hinton’s teenage realistic fiction novel, The Outsiders, Ponyboy and Johnny get into some trouble with a few Socs that ends in murder. They are on the run and stay up in an old abandoned church for a week that catches fire and has a few kids trapped in it. Which leads to the death of two main characters. Throughout S.E. Hinton’s book she implies through multiple characters that everybody has their own problems, and that just because someone has a wealthy lifestyle doesn't mean that they don't struggle.

Life is always full of plight, even if we are reluctant to accept it, things happen. Sometimes it can be hard to work it out alone. We need others to help us when we cannot help ourselves. With others to help, those gray and sad memories will eventually turn into golden, pure moments. In the novel The Outsiders by S.E Hinton, when several horrific things happened in a flash, Ponyboy needs to be saved from this life of violence and horror, thankfully, a loyal companion, a dog will pull him out of this swirl of chaos.

“The functions of intellect are insufficient and useless if you are without courage, love, friendship, compassion, and empathy,” says a quote by Dean Koontz. Throughout S.E. Hinton’s book The Outsiders, there are many themes that she conveys in the book as she narrates the experiences of a greaser named Ponyboy who is a member of the Social group (Socs). Ponyboy meets many people and witnesses many difficult situations throughout the book. This inspirational book teaches the reader crucial lessons that are very important for everyone, even if their lives are not anything like Ponyboy’s. Three important themes in the book include friendship, courage and empathy.