The Outsiders Essay
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles” (Christopher Reeve). The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a realistic fiction novel. In the story, two gangs called the greasers and the socs are rivalries, where the socs are the rich, popular kids and the greasers are the poor, underestimated kids with little to no hope. The main character, Ponyboy, is a greaser and dislikes the socs due to jealously. Both gangs have to go through some pretty rough obstacles and learn how to overcome them by uniting with their gang. The greasers proved to be the heroes in the story, not the unliked Socs. The three greasers who showed the most heroism are: Ponyboy, Darry, and Johnny.
Ponyboy is the main character in the book and shows several heroic qualities. In the beginning of the novel, Ponyboy talks to a girl named Cherry, who is a soc. While talking with her, Ponyboy defends Cheery against Dally who is a fellow greaser but is bothering Cherry. Ponyboy wants to do the right thing at all times, and will even prove a friend and family member wrong to accomplish this (Hinton 34-36). Even in tough times, Ponyboy will stand by with his …show more content…
Johnny is a hero and shows that when he saves his friend, Ponyboy. When Ponyboy is jumped, Johnny comes to his rescue and kills a soc in self-defense. Johnny says, “I had to. They were drowning you” (Hinton 57). Johnny also saves the children that are caught in the burning church. When Johnny enters the church he tells the kids not to worry that he will get them out, and he does even though he is severely burnt (Hinton 92-93). When Johnny is burned and in the hospital he doesn't regret saving the kids even though he dies. In his final letter to Ponyboy Johnny declares, “It’s worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine…” (Hinton 178). Even though Johnny lives a short life, he lives it as a
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles” (Christopher Reeve). The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a realistic fiction novel. In the story, two gangs called the greasers and the socs are rivalries, where the socs are the rich, popular kids and the greasers are the poor, underestimated kids with little to no hope. The main character, Ponyboy, is a greaser and dislikes the socs due to jealously. Both gangs have to go through some pretty rough obstacles and learn how to overcome them by uniting with their gang. The greasers proved to be the heroes in the story, not the unliked Socs. The three greasers who showed the most heroism are: Ponyboy, Darry, and Johnny.
Ponyboy is the main character in the book and shows several heroic qualities. In the beginning of the novel, Ponyboy talks to a girl named Cherry, who is a soc. While talking with her, Ponyboy defends Cheery against Dally who is a fellow greaser but is bothering Cherry. Ponyboy wants to do the right thing at all times, and will even prove a friend and family member wrong to accomplish this (Hinton 34-36). Even in tough times, Ponyboy will stand by with his …show more content…
Johnny is a hero and shows that when he saves his friend, Ponyboy. When Ponyboy is jumped, Johnny comes to his rescue and kills a soc in self-defense. Johnny says, “I had to. They were drowning you” (Hinton 57). Johnny also saves the children that are caught in the burning church. When Johnny enters the church he tells the kids not to worry that he will get them out, and he does even though he is severely burnt (Hinton 92-93). When Johnny is burned and in the hospital he doesn't regret saving the kids even though he dies. In his final letter to Ponyboy Johnny declares, “It’s worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine…” (Hinton 178). Even though Johnny lives a short life, he lives it as a