A life of crime, fighting, and smoking might not be the best life to have, that's how it is for Greasers. Ponyboy has been greatly influenced by the gang by becoming a greaser and living like one, Ponyboy reverted to the life of smoking drinking and all because of what surrounds him, he is like any other member of the gang and acts the ways he has been taught to act. Ponyboy is a greaser and is a complete enemy to the Soc’s Ponyboy is given many decisions and it’s his choice to make them. The gang has been with Ponyboy for a long time and most of the other greasers are about as poor as Ponyboy. The gang has a way to change Ponyboy’s decisions since they may be older and know what’s best the gang treats each other like family. The greasers are family to Ponyboy and when it comes to big decisions talking to family may be the best idea. Ponyboy has been and will continue to be greatly influenced by the gang and being a greaser. For example in the story, “The World was spinning around me. And blobs of faces …show more content…
The Gang has a great influence and will be with Ponyboy for a long time since they are his best friends. For instance, “I was shaking. I want a cigarette. I want a cigarette. I want a cigarette”.(Hinton 57). This proves how Ponyboy reacts to his nervousness and how he has been taught to act with the gang. This proves how Ponyboy is used to smoking and goes back to it when he is scared, nervous, or lonely. For example, ““Money. Maybe a gun? A plan. Where in the world would we get these things?(Hinton 58)”. This illustrates how Johnny and Ponyboy know what’s going on and what they did. This shows how Johnny drags Ponyboy into the mess when it was Johnny who stabbed and killed the Soc and should be taking the punishment. After all, Ponyboy almost follows the gang like he doesn’t know what’s going on and is blindly following them through the
In the book, it specifically shows Ponyboy starting off by walking out of a movie theater thinking of how he wished to be the star that was in the movie he watched but then gets jumped by the Socs. They have him pinned down, but the gang comes and rescue him. There, Ponyboy explains to the reader how each gang member is like and then they take him home (Hinton 9). As the story continues, Ponyboy and Johnny are backed up against a
Ponyboy is a very good friend. He has a friend named Johnny who is also a greaser. Johnny is going through so much throughout the story. He runs away from his home because he heard his mother and father fighting like they always do. He goes to the park and he says, “I can’t take much more. I’ll kill myself or something.” Johnny hated that his parents fought so much and he didn’t want to be around it. His parents were neglectful and abusive, both
By cutting their hair and dying it, it represents then stepping out of their comfort zone and leaving behind the security of conformity of their gang to grow as individuals. This shows how much they mature, and willingly took the risks needed in order to move along and leave behind their terrible event. Ponyboy is starting to grow individually and not being comfort by Sodapop. We see him develop in each chapter such as talking to the girls, realizing the true meaning of their group and the Soc, and stood up when Darry slap him for the first time. Now Johnny and Ponyboy will no longer be called “greasers”, but instead they will be individuals, confronting their community and its own
In the book The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton there are many stereotypes given to the greasers, and in doing so they are given to the main character, Ponyboy. These stereotypes reinforce people's beliefs that Ponyboy is naturally violent, doesn’t feel deeply, and that he would never do anything to help others, but throughout the book you constantly see evidence that contrasts these stereotypes. Ponyboy is a young and smart fourteen-year-old-boy who is nothing like what people seem to think. He is not violent unless he absolutely has to be, however; people have a stereotype of what a greaser is and violence is one of them. One example of this when Ponyboy picked up glass on the parking lot, “I didn’t want anyone to get a flat” (Hinton 171).
Ponyboy Curtis is 14 and also the youngest of the greaser gang. His parents have died in a car accident and live with his brothers Darry and Sodapop. He is also interested in literary and academic accomplishments which set him apart from the rest of his gang.
It is understood why some people would disagree and think that Ponyboy would be better off in a more stable environment where no gangs or violence occurred. “Greasers can't walk alone too much or they'll get jumped, or someone will come by and
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.
Ponyboy, Johnny, Sodapop, Darry are all a part of the unruly gang, the Greasers. S.E Hinton is writing these characters as rebellious young men, with a harsh background, who takes their anger and hardship out on gang fighting. These roles play an important part in this book because it shows that even though they nothing physically, they have a heart stronger than gold for each other and others mentally. Hinton use these characters to show prejudice leads to wrong conclusions, violence and oppression because these “poor” young men are getting beat up by the rich Socs who have never felt the feeling of being in poverty. “ You take up for your buddies, no matter what they do. When you’re in a gang, you stick up for the members. If you don’t stick up for them, stick together, make
Ponyboy has also become a father figure for some of his friends who needed him the most. Greasers are people who show who they really are, they don't hide anything from each other. Ponyboy is the best representation of these qualities throughout the novel. Ponyboy is a loyal friend who is always there for his fellow ‘Greasers’ not matter what.
There were constant fights either between family or friends that affected the way Ponyboy, let alone the whole gang, grew up-not to mention how they connect to the poem’s themes.“‘Hey, grease,’ one said in an over-friendly voice. ‘We’re gonna do you a favor, greaser. We’re gonna cut all that long greasy hair off.’” Excerpts like these are evidence that Ponyboy was never accepted by other crowds, let alone his older brother Darry. Hints are dropped, like those within the poem explaining how the life was “not as ideal” as the Socs on the other side of town. During his youth, Ponyboy had to undergo some very painstaking experiences including the loss of his parents and the emotional complications within his siblings. In my opinion, the quote from “Poverty and Wealth” that best symbolizes Ponyboy’s maturity levels increasing and how he learns to deal with the struggles but still push through with a positive attitude.“His wants were simple, and simple his creed, To trust God fully: it served his need,” Almost afraid of what was to come from the future,
Those classes are called the Greasers and the Socs. Obviously, Ponyboy is in the Greasers class. Greasers are thought of as the poor kids; they always have it rough and can never catch a break. They’re usually the ones that get into the most trouble with the law. The Socs are presumed to be the rich kids; who always have it made and live on the high side of town. Ponyboy’s self-worth comes in where he doesn’t feel like he fits in. He likes to read, observe the sunrises and look at the colors of the sky. Those characteristics don’t fit in with the typical Greaser boy, so Ponyboy doesn’t see himself as valuable to the gang as he sees everybody else because he sees every member as playing a specific role to the group, but he doesn’t understand what role he plays and if he means anything to the
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.
In the story The Outsiders, there is many life lessons that could help many people. Ranging from the people you hang out with, to people who need your help. You should always treat people how you want to be treated,even if that means giving something up. The main character, Ponyboy, experiences certain events in the story that makes you realize that these kind of conflicts are a reality. Ponyboy lives with his two brothers, Darry and Soda. Their parents died in a car crash. Ponyboy never realized how much his parents did for him. There is a “Gang” that Ponyboy is involved in called the Greasers. Their rival “Gang” is called the Socs. The Socs are kids that have a better upbringing and are more of rich kids. The Greasers are basically the opposite. The theme of this story is don’t take the things you have for granted.
Through Ponyboy's story about his greaser life, the reader was able to see the high amount of loyalty that went on in the gang. The Greasers lookout for each other no matter the circumstances even if it involves having to kill someone. A very good example of inner loyalty was when Johnny and Ponyboy were getting jumped by the Socs. "'I had to. They were drowning you Pony. They might have killed you. And they had a blade... They were gonna beat me up.'" ( Chapter 4, Hinton)
Ponyboy Curtis - The novel's fourteen-year-old narrator and protagonist, and the youngest of the greasers. Ponyboy's literary interests and academic accomplishments set him apart from the rest of his gang. Because his parents have died in a car accident, Ponyboy lives with his brothers Darry and Sodapop. Darry repeatedly accuses Ponyboy of lacking common sense, but Ponyboy is a reliable and observant narrator. Throughout the novel, Ponyboy struggles with class division, violence, innocence, and familial love. He matures over the course of the novel, eventually realizing the importance of strength in the face of class bias.