The Outsiders Focused On How Greasers Were Victims Of Their Environment

Survival instincts allow individuals to persevere during times of hardship and struggle. Unfortunately, many families in America are struggling lower-middle class or live in poverty. It’s nice to think a person can easily go from being dirt poor to filthy rich, but it doesn’t usually work that way. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton depicts the hardships and struggles experienced by two rival gangs, “The Greasers” from the lower middle class and “The Socs” from the upper class. Thesis: In The Outsiders, the Greasers experience disenfranchisement mostly due to socioeconomic class and appearance. However, other types of disenfranchisement such as drug, alcohol use and gang participation are also present in the novel.

In the book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, embarks on a story of a young boy Greaser, his gang, the rivalry with the Socs, and how it all ended. The main theme of The Outsider was social class. Socs have wealth that helps them through life and their parents have enough money to do anything for them Greasers do not have an education, and that’s true because they don’t have enough money and the privilege to get a good education. On the other hand, Socs don’t have to worry about not having a bad education because they can afford an education. Although greasers can the opportunity to stop and smell the roses, Socs have everything in life needed, they don’t have the cherishable life they wish for. Hinton notifies, through the text, the main reason for the gang’s separation is because of their social class and expectations.

Have you ever had a vision in your head of how you would like things to be, but then reality and expectations change that vision? Many people can relate to this, especially some of the characters from the greasers and socs in the outsiders. The first person I think everyone that has read the book can see this relates to the most is Darry. Before his parents died I don't think he ever would've seen himself taking care of his two younger brothers, or giving up his opportunity to go to college to give his youngest brother a chance at a better life, but because of expectations he must feel it’s his responsibility. Another person that expectations has played a big role in their life is Bob. Bob’s character is seen to have had the perfect life. He has the popularity, the looks, a good education, and he’s immune to trouble. All the expectations of a soc. But throughout the book you see how many of his actions are because of people's expectations towards him, and you start to wonder if his life was as perfect as it seemed. The last person who’s life has been affected by expectations is Ponyboy. Ponyboy is a very smart kid and is the least likely to have been seen as a greaser. He’s always been a good kid but since his parents died his expectations and priorities have increased greatly. This is how expectations have played a role in the socs and greasers lives and actions externally and internally.

Within Hinton's novel, the Greasers are continually clashing with the Socs due to the Socs being rich. They consider the Greasers “low-brow” and then jump and generally look down on them. “Most of my friends at school come from good homes, not filthy-rich like the Socs, but middle-class, anyway (Hinton 163).”

Greasers are the main stereotype in the book but also there is a small part played by the Socs. Although the book is about the life and times of a Greaser there is also a ‘Socs Story’ in there, as throughout the book you learn more and more about the Socs and how they live. But this all changes. When Bob dies Cherry and Randy, the main Socs characters, begin to see that there is no difference between Socs and Greasers. Randy, when he talks to Ponyboy in private doesn’t call

In the book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the Socs are the ones to blame for all of the problems. After all they are the cause of the rumble. The Socs are no good drunk 24/7 idiots who need to turn their ego down, and intelligence up. They screw up MANY times in the book. Yah yah, greasers are not perfect, but at least they have some common sense. And I’ll tell you why the greasers are innocent and the Socs are not.

One of the main vs man conflict in the Outsiders is the rival between the greasers and the socs. The greasers are the east side boys who " steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations". The greasers, due to their family background and physical appearance, are being stereotyped as individuals who are poor and are provided with fewer opportunities than others. On the other hand, the socs, are " the west-side rich kids" who come from affluent backgrounds and" likes to jump greasers and throw beer blasts for kicks". In the eyes of the public, the Socs are the social elites whereas the greasers are considered the less privileged, second-class citizens.

In The Outsiders, both the Socs and the Greasers spent most of their time in gang fights and disobeying the law. The Socs were wealthier and had a higher social status. “We get jumped by the Socs. I'm not sure how you spell it, but it's the abbreviation for the Socials, the jet set, the West-side rich kids. It's like the term "greaser," which is used to class all us boys on the East Side.We're poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we're wilder, too” (Hinton 4). The Greasers were poor and usually came from

Most people in this novel think that Greasers are a disgrace, but no one notices how badly the Socs treat Greasers. The socs bully greasers and that could be causing more anger to build in the greasers that cause them to act out. Socs verbally and physically abuse them, it’s one thing to steal but it’s another when you hurt someone mentally or physically on purpose. I’ve seen with my own eyes that kids who have been hurt by others or their parents cause them to act out and do things they normally wouldn’t do because of their built up anger. No one knows what happens at home for a

In the Outsiders, written by S.E Hinton one of the main characters is Ponyboy. He is stereotyped as a greaser (a poor boy from the east side of town). Ponyboy accepts being a greaser and it affects him positively. Some people might stereotype Ponyboy as a hero and not a greaser.

(TS) If I am living in the story of The Outsiders, it is my personal preference to be a Soc. (C) In the light of this perspective, the lives of Socs embrace comparatively better living circumstances which make my life more enjoyable. (E) To emphasize, Soc’s tend to have relatively easier lives. They don’t have to work as hard to get what they want or be liked by others around them. Their worries are seen as luxuries to some people. Ponyboy informs us of the Socs simple lives by stating, “I really couldn't see what Socs would have to sweat about-good grades, good cars, good girls, madras and Mustangs and Corvairs-Man, I thought, if I had worries like that I’d consider myself lucky”(Hinton 36). Additionally, Socs don’t have to be in constant

Have you ever noticed in “The Outsiders” the differences and the similarities between the Greasers and the Socials? Well I will be explaining and showing why the Socials and Greasers are different and why they are the same. I will also be giving evidence supporting Ponyboys thought that Greasers and Socials are the same.

In S.E Hinton's novel, The Outsiders, there are many themes represented in the book, but one of the main themes is social ostracism, or the conflict between the economic classes. There are two rival gangs within The Outsiders:  the Socs and the Greasers.  The Socs represent the upper class while the Greasers represent the lower class.  The Socs, "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." The Greasers, who are on the low social economic side, "steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in

The difference between the Greasers and Socs in the society is the Greasers treated unequally and criticized for being poor. The Socs are bullying, criticizing, and intimidating the Greasers based on the economic level. Greasers have unequal lifestyles, attitudes, and financial situations, but still live in the same world, beneath the same sun as the Socs (Hinton 18), but repeat the same actions toward the Socs in a way of fighting back and sticking together.

“The Outsiders” identifies the 60’s, illustrating the violence between groups, often involving a group’s social class. For instance, the violent tensions between the Socs and Greasers lead to Bob’s death, Johnny’s death, as well as many injuries throughout both gangs. The book “The Outsiders” is written by S.E. Hinton and is portrayed through the eyes of a high school student in Tulsa, OK where S.E. Hinton grew up. Hinton began writing “The Outsiders” in 1965 at the age of 17 and the book was finally published in 1967 when she was 19. The difference in perspective upon the society and social class creates issues throughout “The Outsiders” and since the Socs and Greasers assume the problems will be solved with violence, they take action.