The Hero In S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders

Heroes are special in the way that they can help others while putting away their own needs. Such heroes can be seen in many places where they help others without worrying about problems they have for themselves, and help them regardless of the situation or personality of the particular person. People who can be defined as heroes in S.E. Hinton’s book, The Outsiders, are the teenagers Johnny, Sherri, and Darry.
Johnny can be described as a hero because of how he helps people. Johnny had a rocky history in the beginning, where he was beaten up by a group of Socs. This event changed him by making him scared of everything, and is wary and cautious at every step, but it did not hinder him when he saved Ponyboy from being drowned. “‘You really killed him, huh, Johnny?’ Yeah.' His voice quavered slightly. 'I had to. They were drowning you, Pony. They might have killed you” (Hinton 57) Johnny is also a hero when he saved children from a burning church, both risking his own life and the children’s to help them. Johnny helps out everybody, even though it may get him into serious trouble. …show more content…
Ever since the incident that resulted in the death of Bob, Sherri wanted to help the Greasers, because she thought Ponyboy was nice. This can qualify her as a hero, because she risks the wrath of Bob’s friends when they realize that Sherri is helping the Greasers. As Dally says, to show Ponyboy and Johnny how Sherri helped, “‘Hey, I didn't tell you we got us a spy.’ ‘A spy?’ Johnny looked up from his banana split. ‘Who?’ 'That good-lookin' broad I tried to pick up that night you killed the Soc. The redhead, Cherry what's-her-name’” (Hinton 84) Sherri tries to even out the split between Socs and Greasers by giving the Greasers a bit more leeway, by giving them information about the Soc