the outsiders themes essay

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Themes and Analysis

The outsiders, by s. e. hinton.

Throughout 'The Outsiders,' Hinton engages with very important themes, showcases some interesting symbols, and uses great examples of figurative language.

Article written by Ugo Juliet

Former Lecturer. Author of multiple books. Degree from University Of Nigeria, Nsukka.

There are many themes that can be found in the novel ‘ The Outsiders ‘. However, we are going to explore only empathy, divided communities, preserving childhood innocence, self-sacrifice and honour, and individual identity.

The Outsiders Themes

Divided communities.

Divided communities are a major theme of the novel as the story revolves around two major conflicts, which are- the conflict between the Socs and greasers and the conflict between Ponyboy and his brother Darry in the Curtis family.

In the conflict between the teenagers and their gangs, the novel shows how the two groups focus on their frivolous differences  – they dress differently, socialize differently, and hang out with different girls, and how all this leads to hate and violence. However, the story also shows how the two groups depend on their conflict for their continual existence. For example, the greasers live by a motto to “stick together” against the Socs. This means that without the conflict, the individual members of the two gangs might go their own way.

The other divided community in the story can be found in Ponyboy’s immediate family. The conflict between Darry and Ponyboy is aggravated by misunderstandings, just like that of Socs and Greasers. Just like the two gangs are unable to see past their superficial differences to their deeper similarities, Darry and Ponyboy’s limited views make them misunderstand each other’s actions. Ponyboy sees his brother’s desperate attempt to deliver him from the poverty and strife of their neighbourhood as antagonism, while Darry sees Ponyboy’s quest to escape his conflict-ridden existence as irresponsibility and lack of consideration.

The ability to see things through other people’s perspectives (empathy) is predominant in the resolution of both conflicts in ‘ The Outsiders ‘. The two gangs are engrossed with the appearance and class status of their rivals which underscores the superficiality of their mutual hostility. Cherry tried to draw empathy from Ponyboy at the drive-in when she insisted that “things are rough all over” and encouraged Ponyboy to see Socs as individuals. Randy added more strength to the argument when he told Ponyboy about Bob’s troubled life, making him have compassion for Socs as an individual. Sodapop helps Ponyboy recognize that Darry’s high expectations for him are a result of love.

Preserving Childhood Innocence

The book reveals the importance of preserving hope, open-mindedness, and appreciation of beauty that are typical of childhood. Ponyboy has traits that distinguish him from others in the gang, for instance, his love of sunrises and sunsets, his daydreams about the country, and his rescue of the children from the burning church. These traits show that Ponyboy, unlike the other boys, still has preserved some of his childhood innocence and allows him to see beyond the superficial hatred between the Socs and greasers.

Dally’s rough childhood made him tough and fearsome, and he seems not to care about anything though he has a soft spot for Johnny. Johnny represents the hope that Dally has lost, and Dally strives to protect Johnny from the forces that threaten to pull him into the cycle of violence that has enveloped Dally. Johnny’s dying words touch on this theme by referencing the Robert Frost poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”

The poem’s message that all beautiful things fade as time passes forces the two boys to realize that they can’t hide from the realities of growing up. ‘Stay gold’, Johnny’s dying words for Ponyboy and the greasers, is also a call for them to preserve the optimism, innocence, and hope of childhood no matter what they see in the world.

Self-sacrifice and Honour

Despite the greasers’ reputation as heartless young criminals, they live by a specific and honourable code of friendship, and there are many instances in which gang and family members make selfless choices. As an example, Darry relinquished a college scholarship so he can work a full-time manual labour job to support his younger brothers. Dally, who seems apathetic, shows great loyalty to and compassion for his friends and for strangers in need. He helps Johnny and Ponyboy run away to Windrixville after Bob’s stabbing and plays a major role in the rescue of kids from the church fire. 

Individual Identity

Ponyboy, the protagonist, is a committed member of the greasers though he knows that some of his personality traits make him different from others. The greasers provide him with too great of a sense of strength and safety, and he doesn’t want to consider life outside of it. But he thought deeply about this life and what he wants to do after Bob’s death.

Again, his conversations with Johnny, Cherry, and Randy make him reflect on the road his life is taking. He begins to question the reasons for the constant fights between Socs and greasers, and he thinks hard before joining his gang to participate in the rumble. His willingness to strike friendships with the Socs indicates the development of a distinct personal identity.

Bridging social classes

‘ The Outsiders ‘ tells the story of the tension between two rival gangs, the working-class greasers and the upper-class Socs. It finally showed that the two groups have more in common in spite of the inequalities between them. The focus of the novel is on social class issues, exemplified by confrontations between the lower-class greasers and the upper-class Socs.

Ponyboy didn’t have to do anything to provoke the Socs into ganging upon him. It’s not a personal or unusual attack as the Socs regularly beat up greasers, and the greasers retaliate. Ponyboy is astonished to find out that he shares similar ideas with Cherry. This shows readers that the Socs are not all the same, and also, there is a common bond across the social classes. The preexisting tensions between the gangs cause the Socs to want to punish Johnny and Ponyboy for associating with the Soc girls. Bob tries to force Ponyboy’s head underwater at the fountain, and Johnny stabs Bob.

Analysis of key moments in The Outsiders

• One of the key moments of ‘ The Outsiders ‘ is the church fire. An abandoned church catches fire when Johnny and Ponyboy are out. On their way back, they saw the fire and together with Dally, they saved the kids that were in the scorching church. They all sustained injuries there, which later led to Johnny’s death.
• Another key moment is when Dally dies. Dallas Winston died by robbing a convenience store after being all worked up about Johnny’s death and running from the police. Dally pulls out an unloaded gun and points it to the police, and the police shoot him, and he dies.
• Another one is when Bob dies. When Johnny Cade stabs Bob, they went to Dally Winston for advice on what to do to avoid being caught by the government or Socs. Dally gives Ponyboy and Johnny some dry clothes, a gun, and fifty dollars. Dally also told them about an abandoned church on the hill in Windrixville where they can go and hide. He also promised to check up on them later.
• The fight. The greasers and Socs take it out on each other and fight at a rumble, in a lot. There are two rules during a rumble: whoever leaves first loses and you cannot use any type of weapon or “prop”. A Soc throws Pony to the ground, and Darry immediately says, “Pony, you all right?” The Socs left the rumble first, so the greasers one.
• Johnny dies. Johnny Cade got some serious injuries after rescuing some kids from a church fire. He was rushed to the hospital, where his friends kept visiting him. After the rumble, Dally and Ponyboy go to the hospital to visit Johnny, as usual. Johnny was dying and said to Ponyboy as quoted , “Stay gold Ponyboy, stay gold.” Johnny died right after he told Ponyboy to stay gold.
• Johnny Cade and Ponyboy Curtis, greasers, get jumped by five Socs at a park. Bob, a Soc, tries to drown Ponyboy in the fountain at the park. Johnny gets tackled by a Soc and flips out his switchblade, and stabs Bob with the blade.
• The Greasers go to the drive-in, meeting a cheerleader that is a Soc. Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally sit in plastic chairs at the drive-in. These two Socs girls, Cherry and Marcia, sit in front of the greasers and watch the movie. Dally disturbs the redhead cheerleader until she gets distracted from the movie and mad. Cherry turns around and yells at Dally to remove his feet from her chair.
• Ponyboy Curtis Gets jumped. This was the first main event in the novel. Ponyboy Curtis, a greaser, gets jumped by some Socs on his way back from a movie. But his friends and brothers come to save him by fighting the Socs. 

Style, Tone, and Figurative Language in The Outsiders

Throughout the book, you will notice that S. E. Hinton is a character writer instead of an idea writer. The author also uses a variety of literary devices in the novel. That’s why the opening of the book is a very detailed introduction to each character such that by the end of the book, the reader knows each character in more detail. Again, the characters’ names are particularly descriptive. For example, Ponyboy depicts an image of a youth becoming a cowboy; Sodapop shows a bubbly personality, while Dallas Winston creates the image of the combination of a Texas city and a famous cigarette brand. 

The importance of the setting in this book cannot be overemphasized as it is through their environment that the main characters are defined. Hinton used her town of Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the setting of this book, even though she never refers to the city by name. The figurative language used in ‘ The Outsiders ‘ is mostly metaphors and personification.

Analysis of the Symbols

Sunsets and sunrises.

In the book, sunrise and sunset depict the beauty and goodness in the world, especially after Johnny compares the gold in the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” to the gold of the sunrises and sunsets Ponyboy enjoys. Sunset also represents the humanity of all people, regardless of the gang to which they belong. When Cherry and Ponyboy were first discussing at the drive-in, they found out that they share similar interests in the enjoyment of the same sunset from their sides of town.

Greaser Hair

The symbol of the greasers, both to themselves and to others, is their long, slick hair gang. When Ponyboy and Johnny cut and dyed their hair when they ran away to hide after Bob’s death,  they were taking a symbolic step outside the gang conflict. This made Ponyboy feel less secure but also gained him a bit of room to develop his individuality.

The Blue Mustang

The blue Mustang is a symbol that shows two things: the wealth of the Socs and the danger posed to the greasers. Anytime Ponyboy or any other greaser spots the Mustang, he knows trouble is coming. Later in the novel, Ponyboy comes to understand and feel compassion for the Socs, and the Mustang loses some of its power to intimidate.

How does Two-Bit describe the Socs?

Two-Bit Matthews describes the upper-class gang known as Socs as those that tend to gang up on one or two people and also fight among themselves. This is unlike the lower-class gang, the Greasers who usually stick together, and when two members do get into an argument.

How are greasers and Socs different besides money?

Besides money, there are many differences between the socs and the greasers. The greasers have long, greasy hair, while the Socs generally have shorter hair. The greasers are poor and live on the bad side or east of town, unlike the socs who live on the good side or the west side of town.

Which character is Ponyboy’s oldest brother that takes care of him?

The character is a 20-year-old strong, athletic greaser called Darry. When Ponyboy’s parents die in a car accident, his oldest brother, Darrel Curtis, also known as “Darry,” quit school and passed on a scholarship to take care of his brothers. He works two jobs in order to meet the responsibility at home.

Is Two-Bit mean in The Outsiders ?

Keith “Two-Bit” Mathews is 18 and a half, still a Junior in high school, and also a supporting character in the book ‘ The Outsiders ‘. He is popularly called by his nickname is called Two-Bit because he never shuts his mouth and always has to add in his “two bits”. He is not mean but is rather a fun-loving person who loves to tell jokes.

What does Two-Bit’s switchblade symbolize?

Two-Bit Matthew’s switchblade is his possession of inestimable value. He treasures it so highly because of all that it represents to him. The switchblade represents the disregard for authority for which greasers traditionally pride themselves in many ways. Firstly, the blade is stolen; secondly, it gives a sense of individual power to the owner.

How old is Cherry Valance?

Cherry is a 16-year-old girl in ‘ The Outsiders ‘ by S. E. Hinton . She is described as very beautiful with red hair and green eyes.

The Outsiders Quiz

Dive into the world of loyalty, rivalry, and self-discovery with our ' The Outsiders ' Trivia Quiz! Do you have the insight and knowledge to navigate the complex lives of the Greasers and the Socs? Accept the challenge now and prove your mastery over S. E. Hinton's timeless tale of friendship and struggle

1) What does Ponyboy do when he is confronted by Socs after Johnny's death?

2) Where do Johnny and Ponyboy hide after the park incident?

3) What happens to the church where Johnny and Ponyboy are hiding?

4) What does Ponyboy decide to write about for his English assignment?

5) What do Ponyboy and Randy discuss when Randy visits him?

6) Who gets injured trying to save children from the burning church?

7) What does Johnny tell Ponyboy before he dies?

8) What are the two rival groups in ' The Outsiders '?

9) How do Johnny and Ponyboy disguise themselves?

10) What event leads to Ponyboy and Johnny running away?

11) What causes Ponyboy to pass out after the rumble?

12) What does Ponyboy do to cope with the loss of Johnny and Dallas?

13) What does Two-Bit give to Dally in the hospital?

14) How does the novel ' The Outsiders ' end?

15) Who is the protagonist of ' The Outsiders '?

16) What is the name of the high school that Ponyboy and his friends attend?

17) Who is Ponyboy's oldest brother?

18) What is the setting of the novel?

19) What does Ponyboy realize about the Socs and the Greasers at the end of the novel?

20) What novel do Johnny and Ponyboy read while hiding?

21) What is the result of the rumble between the Socs and the Greasers?

22) How does Dallas react to Johnny's death?

23) What injury does Johnny sustain from the church fire?

24) What weapon does Johnny use to defend Ponyboy?

25) Who is the author of the poem ' Nothing Gold Can Stay '?

26) What is the significance of the poem ' Nothing Gold Can Stay ' in the novel?

27) Who helps Johnny and Ponyboy while they are hiding?

28) Who is the author of ' The Outsiders '?

29) Who is the Soc girl that Ponyboy befriends?

30) What happens to Johnny and Ponyboy at the park?

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About Ugo Juliet

Juliet Ugo is an experienced content writer and a literature expert with a passion for the written word with over a decade of experience. She is particularly interested in analyzing books, and her insightful interpretations of various genres have made her a well-known authority in the field.

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The Outsiders

By s. e. hinton, the outsiders themes, the socs vs. greasers.

The conflict between Socs and Greasers is introduced in Chapter 1, and escalates throughout the book. The Greasers are "poorer than the Socs and the middle class... almost like hoods; we steal things and rive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while." In contrast, the Socs are "the jet set, the West-side rich kids," who "jump greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks, and get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next."

In Chapter 3, a conversation between Ponyboy and Cherry defines a distinction between the two groups that goes beyond money. Cherry says, "You greasers have a different set of values. You're more emotional. We're sophisticated - cool to the point of not feeling anything. Nothing is real with us." And Ponyboy agrees that "It's not money, it's feeling - you don't feel anything and we feel too violently."

In Chapter 7, as he explains why he is leaving town instead of attending the rumble, Randy explains the lose-lose situation to Ponyboy:

"You can't win, even if you whip us. You'll still be where you were before - at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn't do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn't prove a thing. We'll forget it if you win, or if you don't. Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs."

The theme of appearances is linked to the conflict between the Socs and the Greasers, and its importance is underlined when the Socs arrive at the rumble in Chapter 9. Ponyboy realizes that the reason the Socs never get blamed for causing trouble is because "We look hoody and they look decent." Although most of the Greasers are "pretty decent guys underneath all that grease," and the Socs are "just cold-blooded mean," it doesn't matter because "people usually go by looks."

The Greasers' hairstyle is what distinguishes them as hoods, and part of the appearance that keeps them relegated to the margins of society. Ponyboy demonstrates his belief in hair's importance by including it in his character descriptions. In the first paragraph of Chapter 1, he says, "I have light-brown, almost-red hair... longer than a lot of boys wear theirs, squared off in back and long at the front and sides, but I am a greaser and most of my neighborhood rarely bothers to get a haircut."

His hair is his pride and joy, and it is a painful identity change for him to cut it off when he and Johnny try to disguise themselves. When Johnny reveals his plan to cut it, Ponyboy narrates, "It was my pride. It was long and silky, just like Soda 's only a little redder. Our hair was tuff - we didn't have to use much grease on it. Our hair labeled us greasers, too - it was our trademark. The one thing we were proud of. Maybe we couldn't have Corvairs or madras shirts, but we could have hair."

In contrast to Ponyboy and Soda, Darry keeps his hair short. It is a demonstration of his resentment of his role as a Greaser -- as if he doesn't belong in that place in society.

Characters' eyes are used to demonstrate their emotions, and Ponyboy frequently draws attention to them. He himself has "greenish-gray eyes."

Ponyboy's view of other characters is often tied to his interpretation of their eyes; for example, he says that "Darry's eyes are his own. He's got eyes that are like two pieces of pale blue-green ice. They've got a determined set to them, like the rest of him... he would be real handsome if his eyes weren't so cold." Darry's eyes reflect Ponyboy's view of his oldest brother as "hardly human." In contrast, Sodapop's eyes are "dark brown - lively, dancing, recklessly laughing eyes that can be gentle and sympathetic one moment and blazing with anger the next."

Johnny's eyes in particular are used to reflect his emotions; for instance, when the Socs approach, his terror is always apparent in his eyes. The difference between his mother and him is clear to Ponyboy because of their eyes: "Johnnycake's eyes were fearful and sensitive; hers were cheap and hard."

Appearances

Ponyboy is very conscious of the way he and others look. It is clear in his descriptions of people as a narrator, but also in his interactions with the world. For example, in Chapter 1, when the Socs start to surround him, he "automatically hitched my thumbs in my jeans and slouched" to appear tougher. In Chapter 3, when the Socs stop the boys with Cherry and Marcia , "Two-bit took a long drag on his cigarette, Johnny slouched and hooked his thumbs in his pockets, and I stiffened." Ponyboy notes that, "We can look meaner than anything when we want to - looking tough comes in handy."

In Chapter 4, when the boys are going to ask for directions to Jay Mountain, Ponyboy sees Johnny "as a stranger might see him," and realizes that they will never pass for farm boys. He thinks, "They'll know we're hoods the minute they see us." Even though he knows Johnny is kind and gentle, "he looked hard and tough, because of his black T-shirt and his blue jeans and jacket, and because his hair was heavily greased and so long." Johnny notices the same thing about Ponyboy and tells him to "quit slouching down like a thug."

This theme is closely tied to the theme of hair as a defining characteristic for the Greasers. In Chapter 7, Ponyboy confesses, "I'd die if I got my picture in the paper with my hair looking so lousy."

As the gang leaves the house to go to the rumble in Chapter 9, Soda begins the role playing game by shouting: "I am a greaser. I am a JD and a hood. I blacken the name of our fair city. I beat up people. I rob gas stations. I am a menace to society. Man, do I have fun!" The game allows the gang mebers to get excited about their rumble, but at the same time reveals how conscious they are of their appearance to the rest of society. Appearance is what defines them and what sets them apart; it is both boon and stumbling block.

Ponyboy and Cherry like to watch sunsets, and they discover they have this in common in their conversation in Chapter 3. Ponyboy thinks, "It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset." In Chapter 8, after Cherry says she cannot go visit Johnny in the hospital because he is the one who killed her boyfriend, Bob, Ponyboy yells at her and tells her he doesn't want her charity. After she apologizes, he lets her know he still feels a connection to her that bridges their social statuses by asking, "can you see the sunset real good from the West Side?" She is surprised, but answers yes. He says, "You can see it good from the East Side, too."

Watching the sunset becomes a link between the world of the Greasers and that of the Socs, and also hints at the kind of personality that questions things, that is always searching, that is in a way poetic.

In Chapter 7, Randy joins the ranks of those who appreciate sunsets. Ponyboy realizes, "Cherry had said her friends were too cool to feel anything, and yet she could remember watching sunsets. Randy was supposed to be too cool to feel anything, and yet there was pain in his eyes."

The Country

In Chapter 3, while Ponyboy and Johnny lie in the vacant lot watching the stars, Ponyboy dreams of the country as a place where everything is right in the world. In his fantasy, his parents are alive again, and Darry no longer has that "cold, hard look;" he is "like he used to be, eight months ago, before Mom and Dad were killed." Johnny comes to live with Ponyboy's family in the county, and Ponyboy's mother even convinces Dally Winston that "there was some good in the world after all."

The reason the country appeals to Ponyboy so much is because, "I only wanted to lie on my back under a tree and read a book or draw a picture, and not worry about being jumped or carrying a blade or ending up married to some scatterbrained broad with no sense."

In Chapter 4, when the boys jump off the train in Windrixville, Ponyboy notices that "the clouds were pink and meadow larks were singing." He thinks to himself, "This is the country... My dream's come true and I'm in the country." But later, as he looks for someone to ask directions from, he thinks to himself, "I was in the country, but I knew I wasn't going to like it as much as I'd thought I would."

Ponyboy often creates alternate realities for himself to cope with situations that he feels are unbearable. For instance, while he and Johnny watch the starts in the vacant lot in Chapter 3, he thinks, "I felt the tension growing inside of me and I knew something had to happen or I would explode." In response, he dreams about a life in the country where his parents are still alive and Darry is kind again.

He is also good at pretending when it comes to lying, and lies easily to the farmer when he asks how to get to Jay Mountain. He thinks, "I can lie so easily that it spooks me sometimes." In this case, he is creating an alternate reality to cover the fact that he and Johnny are hiding away after having committed murder.

Ponyboy is conscious of his tendency to pretend, and even his preference for his dreams over reality. In Chapter 5, he admits, "I liked my books and clouds and sunsets. Dally was so real he scared me."

Chapter 10 begins with the most obvious case yet of pretending: Ponyboy cannot grasp that Johnny has died, so he tells himself, "That still body back in the hospital wasn't Johnny." He pretends that he'll find Johnny at the house, or in the lot. This case of denial has been foreshadowed by Ponyboy's tendency to create alternate realities for himself throughout the story, but the difference is that "this time my dreaming worked. I convinced myself that he wasn't dead."

Gone with the Wind

Johnny buys this book for Ponyboy when they are staying in the abandoned church, and they kill time by reading it. Johnny doesn't understand a lot about the Civil War, but he is obsessed with the idea of southern gentlemen, "impressed with their manners and charm." He compares them to Dally, showing how he idolizes Dally even though Ponyboy doesn't see much to respect in him at the time.

When Ponyboy and Two-Bit go to visit Johnny in the hospital, he asks them to buy him a new copy of Gone with the Wind, since the old one burned in the church. When Johnny dies, he leaves his copy of the book to Ponyboy. Ponyboy links Johnny and Dally's deaths to Gone with the Wind , as he considers how they "died gallant." He can only think of "Southern gentlemen with big black eyes in blue jeans and T-shirts, Southern gentlemen crumpling under street lights."

The Outsiders Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Outsiders is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

on what page does cherry has an emotional connection

Cherry no longer looked sick, only sad. "I'll bet you think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, the West-side Socs. I'll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you've never even heard of. You want to know...

Chapter 7 through 9 questions

A) Soda and Sandy’s relationship is over because Sandy got pregnant and went to live with her grandmother in Florida.

"Look," Steve said, surprisingly angry, "does he have to draw you a picture? It was either that or get married, and her parents...

why do you think johhny wasn't scared, depsite the obvious danger?

Johnny is a sensitive boy. He cares for others, especially those that are helpless like the children. This is perhaps because he has felt so helpless in his own childhood. It is also probable their cigarettes started the fire.

Study Guide for The Outsiders

The Outsiders study guide contains a biography of author S. E. Hinton, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Outsiders
• The Outsiders Summary
• The Outsiders Video
• Character List

Essays for The Outsiders

The Outsiders essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Outsiders written by S. E. Hinton.

• Analysis of the American Reality, Possibility, and Dream found in "Nickel and Dimed" and "The Outsiders"
• Stay Gold, Ponyboy: Historical Models of Childhood in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders
• The Socioeconomic Triggers of Juvenile Delinquency: Analysis of "The Outsiders"
• Greater Meanings in The Outsiders: A Theater, a Sunset, and a Novel

Lesson Plan for The Outsiders

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Outsiders
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Outsiders Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Outsiders

• Introduction

The Outsiders

Introduction to the outsiders, summary of the outsiders, major themes in the outsiders, major characters of the outsiders, writing style of the outsiders, analysis of the literary devices in the outsiders, post navigation.

The Outsiders

73 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-5

Chapters 6-8

Chapters 9-10

Chapters 11-12

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

What is the significance of the novel’s title? Are there any true outsiders in this book?

Johnny’s last words to Pony are a reference to the Frost poem he heard Pony recite in the church. Do you agree with Johnny’s interpretation of the text? How does this poem help readers understand various characters?

Ponyboy likes watching movies and reading books to escape his reality, but they often mirror it instead. How does the various literature in the novel help him understand parts of his own life?

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The Outsiders

S. e. hinton.

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Empathy, the ability to see things through another person's perspective, is central to the resolution of both the gang and the family conflict in The Outsiders . The two gangs' preoccupation with the appearance and class status of their rivals underscores the superficiality of their mutual hostility, which thrives on stereotypes and prejudice. Certain characters can see past the stereotypes, however. When Cherry befriends Ponyboy at the drive-in and insists that "things are rough all over," she encourages Ponyboy to see Socs as individuals, and he begins to question the conflict between the gangs. Randy furthers forces Ponyboy to feel compassion for Socs as individual people by sharing details about Bob 's troubled life. Ultimately, Ponyboy himself takes on the role of showing the two groups their shared humanity by writing his English essay, which turns out to be the novel itself.

In the Curtis family, it is Sodapop who helps Ponyboy recognize that Darry's high expectations for Ponyboy result from Darry's love for Ponyboy and determination to provide Ponyboy with the shot at a better life. In the end, their newfound admiration for one another, combined with a desire to protect the pained Sodapop from unnecessary grief, brings about a pledge not to fight anymore.

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Empathy Quotes in The Outsiders

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