It is easy to think of a suspect charged with a crime as threatening if one does not know anything about the circumstances or reasoning behind the actions of the individual. Opinions are not enduring, they change overtime as one learns more about who or what they are identifying. Ponyboy Curtis, a character in The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, has many opinions of both his friends and foes. As the book progresses, Pony’s opinion of his friend Dally, his brother Darry, and his enemy Bob all completely change when he understands other people’s perspectives which ultimately mature his own. Hinton illustrates how maturity affects the way people see others, showing how empathy, and not judgment, is a better way to perceive a character. Dallas Winston,
…show more content…
Bob was a Soc, or a member of an upper-class group of people. In other words, he was of a higher class than Pony and his friends. Bob, from what Ponyboy experiences, enjoys getting drunk and hurting the greaser gang, the class in which Pony belongs to. From all of the greasers’ perspectives, Bob is a spoiled bully who hurt them for fun. All they had ever seen Bob do was look down on them and act as if he was more superior than them. In fact, he and his associates had been the one to attack Johnny and scare him enough for him to start carrying around a switchblade for protection. “He was wearing heavy rings… Johnny’s face had been cut up by someone wearing heavy rings” (44). When Pony became acquainted with Bob’s girlfriend, Cherry, he began learning a little bit more about the way Bob acted when he was not jumping greasers for fun. At first, he did not understand her, but the more he learned, the more his opinion changed. “You only knew his bad side. He could be sweet sometimes, and friendly” (128). Bob’s best friend Randy is another key character who assisted Pony in realizing who the true Bob was. After Pony returned from him and Johnny’s “adventure,” Pony and Two-Bit, another gang member, had been taking a walk while Pony’s older brothers were off at work. They had a brief encounter with …show more content…
Pony first thinks that Dally is troublesome and somewhat frightening, but throughout the story, Pony realizes that there is more to Dally than what meets the eye. Pony’s brother Darry may seem like he could care less about what happens to him, but he recognizes that it is because Darry cares enough about him to do what’s best for Pony. His enemy, Bob, demonstrates how opinions can change even when it is most unlikely or surprising. A single story is not always the best story, and too be able to know all of the details, it is essential to consider other’s perspectives and opinions, making people more open minded. Only knowing one side of a person is not enough to be able to form an opinion or judgment of who they are. One must learn what they can about a person to really know who a person is. The world could be far more harmonious and work together as one if less people made immediate assumptions of
Bob was a Soc, or a member of an upper-class group of people. In other words, he was of a higher class than Pony and his friends. Bob, from what Ponyboy experiences, enjoys getting drunk and hurting the greaser gang, the class in which Pony belongs to. From all of the greasers’ perspectives, Bob is a spoiled bully who hurt them for fun. All they had ever seen Bob do was look down on them and act as if he was more superior than them. In fact, he and his associates had been the one to attack Johnny and scare him enough for him to start carrying around a switchblade for protection. “He was wearing heavy rings… Johnny’s face had been cut up by someone wearing heavy rings” (44). When Pony became acquainted with Bob’s girlfriend, Cherry, he began learning a little bit more about the way Bob acted when he was not jumping greasers for fun. At first, he did not understand her, but the more he learned, the more his opinion changed. “You only knew his bad side. He could be sweet sometimes, and friendly” (128). Bob’s best friend Randy is another key character who assisted Pony in realizing who the true Bob was. After Pony returned from him and Johnny’s “adventure,” Pony and Two-Bit, another gang member, had been taking a walk while Pony’s older brothers were off at work. They had a brief encounter with …show more content…
Pony first thinks that Dally is troublesome and somewhat frightening, but throughout the story, Pony realizes that there is more to Dally than what meets the eye. Pony’s brother Darry may seem like he could care less about what happens to him, but he recognizes that it is because Darry cares enough about him to do what’s best for Pony. His enemy, Bob, demonstrates how opinions can change even when it is most unlikely or surprising. A single story is not always the best story, and too be able to know all of the details, it is essential to consider other’s perspectives and opinions, making people more open minded. Only knowing one side of a person is not enough to be able to form an opinion or judgment of who they are. One must learn what they can about a person to really know who a person is. The world could be far more harmonious and work together as one if less people made immediate assumptions of