Characters in The Outsiders Essay

The Outsiders

Throughout the story The Outsiders Ponyboy and Johnny face many challenges and try to make the best out of each circumstance. The author shows us how the characters face their obstacles, rise above them, and change their challenges into a positive learning experience.

Johnny is Ponyboy's best friend and the 'pet' of the Greasers. He's 16 years old, and lives with his alcoholic and abusive mother and father. Johnny was jumped and beat up by a Soc wearing heavy rings. Ever since then, Johnny has been paranoid about the Socs and always carries a switchblade. In the story Johnny uses his switchblade to kill a soc member named Bob because they where drowning Ponyboy in a fountain and where getting ready to beat Johnny up. Johnny knew they needed to get out of the city and so they went to Dally to get help. Dally a member of the gang gave them a gun, and told them to go to a church on top of Jay Mountain. At the church all they did was read, Gone with the Wind, play poker, and smoke. But at the church Ponyboy realizes that Johnny is different from the gang, just like him because he knows that not anyone in the gang is willing to take time and look at the sunset. Well after five days, Dally goes to the church and takes them to eat. They stopped to eat at Dairy queen and Johnny tells Dally, Were goin back and turn ourselves in. Then Dally says,Johnny, I aint mad at you. I just dont want you to get hurt. You dont know what a few months in jail can do to you. Johnny, you get hardened in jail. I dont want that to happen to you. Like it happened to me. Johnny then said Would you rather have me living in hide-outs for the rest of my life, always on the run? Dally never answered and they went back to the top of Jay Mountain. Once they got there they saw the church on fire and Johnny and Ponyboy got out of the car immediately and asked a man what was going on. The man told them what was going on and so they thought that maybe they had dropped a lighted cigarette or something. Pony boy and Johnny went to find get some kids out of the burning church. They got all the kids out, but by that time the place was falling apart and Ponyboy was the only one who was able to get out of the window. The ambulance took Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy to a hospital. Ponyboy was okay, but Johnny was burned severely. He was in critical conditions and they knew he was going to die. Dally told Johnny, Were all proud of you, buddy. Johnnys eyes glowed because that was all he ever wanted to hear. Before he died he told Ponyboy to, Stay gold

Ponyboy is a shy, quiet 14-year-old boy who gets good grades and likes to draw and read. He is the youngest brother of Darry and Sodapop. In the story he found out that Darry his older brother did love him. He thought that he only had a good relationship with his other brother Sodapop. But, when Darry said, Oh, Pony, I thought wed lost you like we did Mom and Dad he knew that, that was going to be a new beginning. He finally knew that he did love him and care for him. Later on in the story, when Johnny tells Ponyboy to Stay gold, he knew he was telling him to stay true to himself and to continue being the good and unique person that he is.

Johnny had a tough life knowing that his parents didnt care for him, but he tried to overcome it. He was happy to at least know that the one person he looked up to, (Darry) cared for him and was proud of him. Johnny is not longer the pet he is a greaser who has courage and a voice.

The beauty of Ponyboy's character is that though he emerges strong and confident at the end of the book, it is not the result of becoming a tough hood but of remaining true to himself, says Google. He learns that the greasers aren't the only ones with problems and that the Socs often have similar problems, that some of them are as tired of fighting as he is, and that they too want to live in an environment where no one looks over their shoulder for fear of being "jumped." Ponyboys life has literary been such a wonderful learning experience for him.