Stereotypes In S. E. Hintons The Outsiders - 1058 Words

Stereotypes are used every day, by nearly every human, no matter how much effort we put into speaking objectively. Throughout the centuries, stereotypes have been made for almost every race or group of individuals. Examples of such include people with blond hair are not clever, all men don’t think before they act, women are not robust, and so on. In the book my RC class read, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, bounteous amounts of stereotypes were made about greasers that the narrator, Ponyboy, had proved to us were not accurate for every person in this group. Greasers are an association of people who lived in The North Side of town, and they were believed to be uneducated, violent, and emotionless. However, this protagonist entirely shattered†¦show more content†¦Although this may be a normal reaction to such an assault, a greaser was never thought to act as he did in this situation. Another example of him not being like some of his friends is on page 137 when he did a su rvey to see why everyone fought; some said to blow off steam and others just liked to fight. However, he realized he fought for self defense, for in his opinion, there is no other reason for violence. At one point in the book, though, he tried to be menacing by breaking a bottle and threatening some Socs that were approaching him, but to drive him to this point, two of his close friends had died. Despite his best efforts, he could not be a menace, for after he scared away the Socs, he began to pick up the broken glass and said,â€Å"I didn’t want anyone to get a flat† (pg. 171). Although he attempted to be intimidating throughout the book, he never succeeded, always reverting back to his lovable self. The reason he cannot be threatening is he feels emotions too deeply. Without a doubt, he defies what everyone has said about him and the people whom Pony has aligned himself with. Despite what the stereotype suggests, Ponyboy feels deeply, even when many say he should be solid and emotionless. Unlike thousands of people, greaser or not, he is not afraid to show his feelings to others. On page 8, after beingShow MoreRelatedSocial Class And Identity : The Outsiders907 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Class and Identity The disparity between the social classes in The Outsiders is one of the central themes and the driving force of the plot. Hinton sought to depict teen life in a more accurate light as she saw it occur from day to day (â€Å"S. E. Hinton Biography,† 2014). Class distinction is the issue that incites the conflict in the novel, and that conflict causes much of the action. Hinton’s fourteen-year-old narrator and his gang are locked in a battle with their rival, the Socials (socs)Read MoreThemes In The Outsiders1327 Words   |  6 Pagesoneself or other people. It could possibly be all of those; maybe even none of them. In S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, many of the characters live hard lives that contain complex themes. Three of the most important themes in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders is loyalty to oneself or other people, love for family and friends, and perseverance through all of the life’s struggles. One of the prevalent themes in The Outsiders is loyalty to oneself and others. Loyalty is everything for the Greasers. Whether itRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Outsiders 2098 Words   |  9 Pages Analysis of Disenfranchisement in The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Survival instincts allow individuals to persevere during times of hardship and struggle. Unfortunately, many families in America are struggling lower-middle class or live in poverty. It’s nice to think a person can easily go from being dirt poor to filthy rich, but it doesn’t usually work that way. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton depicts the hardships and struggles experienced by two rival gangs, â€Å"The Greasers† from the lower middle