Don’t hide differences because sooner or later we will find out a thing we all have in common, which will change thoughts about the person. The title of the novel is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
The novel begins by introducing Ponyboy Curtis; the main character, who is leaving the movie theater and is jumped by a member of the Soc’s gang; a gang full of mean rich kids, Ponyboy is quickly save when member of his own gang; the greasers, come to his rescue. Differences are something you should be positive about. When Randy and Ponyboy learn from each other that Socs do have similarities. “‘Greaser’ didn’t have anything to do with it. My buddy over there wouldn’t have done it.
Maybe you would have done the same thing, maybe a friend of yours wouldn’t have. It’s the individual.”‘ (Hinton, 97, PDF online ebook). Ponyboy said this but he did learn a lot since the beginning of the book. Before he thought that Socs were just mean and spoiled and have no soul. But, they do and of course they can be kind.
‘”And tonight… people get hurt in rumbles, maybe killed. I’m sick of it because it doesn’t do any good.” (Hinton, 98, PDF online ebook). This is said by Randy and he’s stating a fact.
The rumbles/fights the two gangs had together made so much negativity about differences and etc… that he couldn’t stand it anymore. Therefore, differences are something you should embrace, not judge. Socs and Greasers are stereotyped by society. When Ponyboy says stereotypical things about the two gangs. “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).
This quote is said by Ponyboy, it shows his own person ideas of how the Socs live. This is something that a lot of people do to others based on what they hear about someone or see. “We both need a haircut and some decent clothes. They’ll know we’re hoods the minute they see us!” (Hinton, 64).
This quote is also said by Ponyboy, he is obviously stereotyping that hoods/criminals don’t have decent clothes or hair that they have. Therefore, Socs and Greasers are stereotypical, which isn’t good.
