Comparing Identities “In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.” --Erik Erickson. One’s identity is shown by their actions, thoughts, and where they place themselves in society. In the short stories “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” by Evan Hunter, “Why Weren’t You His Friends?” by Bob Greene, and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the theme identity has been consistent the whole way. In “On the Sidewalk Bleeding,” Andy, a gang member of the Royals, dies after getting stabbed in the back with a blade. As Andy lies on the ground dying, he thinks about who he truly is; Andy, or a Royal. “Why Weren’t You His Friends?”’s main character Curtis Taylor gets bullied in school. This event makes him question his identity and think horribly about himself. The Outsiders surrounds the story of Ponyboy, who is stereotyped as a Greaser. Each character in these three stories all think differently about their identity when they come across troubles. Andy, from “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”, changes the way he thinks he is: “If he died, he was Andy. He was not a Royal. He was simply Andy, and he was dead” (Hunter 3). The author is trying to say that Andy was not supposed to be stabbed. He only died because he was wearing the …show more content…
Ponyboy has two older brothers name Darry and Sodapop. Unlike his brothers, Ponyboy is still going to school and is highly educated. One thing that is special about Ponyboy is that he is stereotyped as a Greaser when he thinks that Socs and Greasers can stop fighting. “‘All Socs aren’t like that,’ she said. ‘You have to believe me, Ponyboy. Not all of us are like that’” (Hinton 31). Stereotypes cover someone’s true identity, making others know the false statement instead of the true fact. Ponyboy and Andy are quite similar in one way; they are both part of a gang. Andy, Ponyboy, and Curtis are different since their identities are all
Though several qualities of Ponyboy are important to discuss, I want to focus on his most interesting ones first. He is strange compared to the greasers because of how trustworthy he is (Hinton 62). However, the way he acts, the way he thinks, and his writings show how unique he is from the rest of the greasers (77). This idea is more flushed out in his conversation with Cherry about the sunset (129). The conversation they share tells how insightful Ponyboy can be.
He is the brother of sixteen year old Sodapop, and twenty year old Darry who has guardianship of his two younger brothers, since their parents were killed in a car accident. Ponyboy is recognized as a hero because, he saved the children who ran off from their school picnic, from being burned in the old church building. He is also a very admirable, and courageous friend, because he stays by his friend Johnny’s side after he killed Bob. The two boy’s also runaway together , instead of going to the police, they chose to risk their own safety just to stick together, up until Johnny
Ponyboy, a greaser, was one of the young boys that was matured throughout the book because of his hardships. Ponyboy 's relationship with his older brothers, Darry and Sodapop, is a key factor in how Ponyboy matured throughout the book. An example of Ponyboy almost maturing from the influence of Darry and Sodapop, is when their parents were killed in a car crash. When their Parents died it caused them to get closer and look out for eachother more (#3).
Ponyboy feels that both gangs are actually very similar, but no one is able to accept each other for who they are so they judge each other on clothing, hair, smell, and even just the way they talk. The greasers live on the east side of Oklahoma. Their lifestyle is different because the greasers live outside of the town and don't have as much money
Word is more likely to get out to other communities, and people would soon have prejudices against the Greasers. The Greasers do try to behave most of the time and appear to be more humble and less spoiled than the Socs. Because of the death of their parents in a car accident, Ponyboy, his brothers Darry, and Sodapop live alone. Darry is the oldest and can support the family with his job as a roofer.
The chapters 1-5 of the Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, is about two gangs the greasers and the Socs, who are always causing trouble. In the greaser gang, the protagonist, Ponyboy, is always getting good grades and is the smartest in the gang. Dally is one of the members in the gang, Ponyboy 's brother, has been in jail multiple times. Sodapop is also Ponyboy’s brother. He works at a gas station.
But he did have a minor change, he began to expose a little of his warm-heartedness, after Johnny and Dally died, he didn’t appear much anymore in the story line, but the readers can picture him maturing every passing day but still kept his generous humor. The theme of The Outsiders is about adolescence—discovery, pain, loneliness since in this heart-rending novel, all of the characters suffered for 1. Johnny and Ponyboy had to hide away since Johnny killed Bob, 2. The class conflict between greasers and Socs, 3. Johnny’s and Dally’s death, 4.
The Outsiders: Two Groups Divided “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences,” is a quote by Audre Lord. Having a closed mind and not being open to diversity creates conflict and tension. This quote connects to the novel The Outsiders by S.E Hinton. In this novel, one can see that conflict occurs between two high school aged groups when they are not open to learning and understanding one another.
How can two people from the same background be so different? Why do people respond to the same living conditions so differently? In S.E. Hinton’s book, The Outsiders, two characters, Johnny and Dally, are similar in some ways, but extremely different in others. They grew up in similar households, but came out with different personality traits. Johnny and Dally’s lives are similar, but their similarities cause them to become very different people.
Have you ever experience the loneliness? Have you ever be an outsider? Do you care about other people feeling? The book “The Outsiders” written by S.E. Hinton’s novel, is about a boy named Ponyboy, which is on the greaser side. There are two main gangs of people.
Looking at life from other people's perspective is hard to imagine unless you're really living through it. There are many stories that can take people deep into others lives. For example, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, “On The Sidewalk Bleeding” by Evan Hunter, or “Why Weren’t You His Friends?” by Bob Greene are stories where people make choices that lead them to consequences. The Outsiders is a novel about two sides, the rich and the poor, and it is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1960’s. “On The Sidewalk Bleeding” is a short story of a teenage boy who is part of a very loathed gang.
In the book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Ponyboy Curtis, a member of a gang called the “greasers” is leaving the movie theater when a group of Socs, short for social, jumps him and Two-Bit along with Johnny while walking Cherry and Marcia home. The two girls agreed to go with them if they don’t fight. Ponyboy and Johnny get to the lot and fall asleep, and don’t wake until 2 o’clock in the morning. When Ponyboy gets home his brothers, Sodapop and Darry, are very worried. Darry and Pony get in a fight and Soda tries to stand up for Pony, but Darry doesn’t like it.
Fourteen year old Ponyboy Curtis is walking home alone when he is attacked by the Greasers’ rivals, the Socs. A group of Greasers hear Ponyboy’s cries and rush to his aid. Ponyboy’s rescuers are: his brother Sodapop and Darry (Ponyboy’s oldest brother) who has responsibility over his brothers. The rest of the Greasers are: Johnny, Dally, Steve and Two-Bit.
Ponyboy lived with his two brothers Darry and Sodapop after his parents were killed in a car accident. Ponyboy had some friends in the gang: Steve, Two-Bit, Dally but his best friend was a boy named Johnny who was considered the gang`s mascot. Ponyboy was a boy who always wanted to be tough but an accident that happened in the story might make him change of mind on what he wanted to be. He also finds a way of how to finish the gang that was taking place from many tima.
During the book the Outsiders, Ponyboy is shown experiencing the loss of many close friends and family members and how these losses have impacted him greatly. This is shown well with his best friend Johnny due to the fact that Ponyboy and Johnny murdered a youngster named Bob, which in result impacted Ponyboy’s life style and caused his peers to look down at him. Johnny’s death impacted Ponyboy as it caused him to see how his life was good and that he should stay gold, young and positive. These two points further provide that Ponyboy has changed over the events of the book.