Social Class In The Outsiders In the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton a common theme shown through the book is social class. The Outsiders is about two very different gangs on each side of town, The Greasers and the Socs, they compete against each other in fights and rumbles.There are differences between each side, such as different dress codes and hang out spots. The Socs get away with their crimes because they are higher up the social class, while the Greasers are seen as no good dirty hoods This novel demonstrates how money can separate people from one another and affect every aspect of their lives. In this book, Social class is a significant issue that is illustrated through unfair treatment, friendships, and education. …show more content…
Darry didn't deserve to work like an old man when he was only twenty. He had been a real popular guy in school; he was captain of the football team and he had been voted Boy of the Year. But we just didn't have the money for him to go to college, even with the athletic scholarship he won. And now he didn't have time between jobs to even think about college”(Hinton 16) When Darry was young , his parents passed away, and he was given responsibility for looking after his two brothers. Darry and his brothers had very little money to begin with because they lived on the east side of the town. When compared to the Socs, they received unfair treatment. Darry gave up the opportunity to go to college and works two hard jobs in order to support his family and pay the bills. “I've told you I can't stand it that Soda dropped out. 'He's a dropout.”(Hinton 23) Sodapop left school when he was sixteen in order to find a job and support his family. He was unable to do well in school, which was the main reason he dropped out. If Sodapop was a Soc and had the money, his parents could hire him a tutor to help him with his schoolwork and go to college. Darry and Sodapop are examples of how Social class and lack of money negatively affected their education …show more content…
We look hoody and they look decent"(Hinton 141) Ponyboy is explaining how people don't suspect the Socs because they well-dressed wealthy kids and don't look like they are the type of people to get into trouble.And if the Socs ever did get in trouble with the police there parents would have the money to hire a good lawyer to keep them out of jail. They have a file on him down at the police station. He had been arrested, he got drunk, he rode in rodeos, lied, cheated, stole, rolled drunks, jumped small kids--- he did everything.” (Hinton, 10,11). In the gang, Dally was the one to get in trouble, he would always stick up for his friends' crimes no matter what. Even a small crime would lead to harsh punishment for Dally. If a crime happened in the town and no one knew who did it, they would always blame it on the Greasers because they looked to be the type to do illegal and dangerous
As the “poor girl” from the Bronx, she struggled to fit in with her wealthier peers. She also struggled with the separation from what had become her responsibilities at home. One of which was her brother. Although he was the same age he did not have the same drive as her. Each time she returned home for a visit she was always met with what was destined to become of her if she didn’t succeed.
In SE Hinton’s book, The Outsiders, there are two gangs, the Greasers and the Socs. The Socs are the rich, west-side kids. The greasers are the poor, scraggly kids. These groups love to get into it with each other. Johnny, a greaser, killed Bob Shelton who is a Soc.
Although both Wes’ faced multiple trials during their childhood, the determining factor in their future lives would be their education and the family structure who supported them. Mary did little to prevent her son from peddling drugs, and remained in a sense of denial for a long time. The other Wes had been long lost before his mother could intervene, or anyone in his family for that matter. Wes never received his high school diploma because he’d rather earn money off the streets than study in school. The other Wes felt as if he didn’t belong, his teachers did little in the sense of creating a structure classroom environment.
He grew up very poor without a father figure in his life, but was a highly gifted student, and ended up going on a full scholarship to Reed University. Chris Langan’s brother says, “I don’t think the school ever understood just how gifted Christopher was” (Gladwell, 2008, pg.92). Langan’s mother failed to fill out a financial aid form correctly, which caused him to lose his scholarship and drop out. He worked as a construction worker for a year and a half before enrolling in Montana State University. One day his car broke down on the way to class, and he asked to be transferred to a different section so that he could avoid having an absence.
These gangs were called greasers and soc’s. The greasers were the lower middle class of society, and the Soc’s were the upper class of society. The story is seen through the eyes of one of
This book talks about what gangs have to go through and the choices they’re forced to make. I chose the theme “The past is a place to learn from, not live in'' and I have three conflicts to show that correlate with it. This theme means to learn from the past but let it go, and to live in the present. These conflicts include Ponyboy and Johnny
At the beginning of the story, Dally is tough, cold, and mean. He was neglected as a child and left to his own accords where he was on the streets at a young age making him grow up fast. He got in gang fights, he's robbed people, robbed stores, concealed weapons, he was incarcerated, and just not a good person to be around. Ponyboy tells the reader this when he said, “He was tougher than the rest of us tougher colder meaner.” (pg10)
Other teens battle with social trouble, like drama or bullying. Every teen is different, but all of them face some kind of struggle in life, even if they come from wealthy families. The Outsiders is a book written about lower class teens, known as Greasers, who are mistreated by upper class teens, Socs. Their money difference, and other differences, cause them to constantly fight. While a few Socs and Greasers were fighting and something unexpected happens so Ponyboy and Johnny flee.
Dally is always getting into trouble breaking laws and going to jail. Dally’s proud of his police record and yet every time he makes one wrong move the fuzz could kill him. That day came where he got in so much trouble he had nowhere to run. Ponyboy states “I knew he would be dead, because Dally Winston wanted to be dead and he always got what he wanted”(154). Dally is always a proud hoodlum and he is always making an inconvenience for everyone.
Patrick Granfors Mrs. Collins English 9 22 January 2015 Analytical Essay for The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton In The Outsiders, by S.E. Hilton, we go to a time where gangs remain dominant and run the streets. S.E. Hinton tells us about two enemy gangs. The Socs, one of the many provocative gang groups, kids who live lavish lives and get away with the crimes they commit because they look clean cut and look like good innocent kids on the outside.
The narrator, a Greaser named Ponyboy, describes the Socs as “the West-side rich kids” whereas Greasers are “poorer than the Socs and the middle class.” While both gangs are constantly fighting and issuing threats towards each other, resulting in unnecessary injury and even death, ultimately which gang is more responsible? Since the novel’s narrator is a
When students are unaware of the history of social class, they begin to believe false information, such as, poor people deserve to be poor. Loewen does a great job of pointing out student’s misunderstanding of social status and strongly believes that it is the high school text books to
1. DIVIDED COMMUNITIES: Ponyboy stands in the middle of two major conflicts: the conflict between the Socs and greasers, and the conflict between Ponyboy and Darry within the Curtis family. In the gang conflict, the novel shows how the two groups focus on their differences—they dress differently, socialize differently, and hang out with different girls—and how this focus on superficial differences leads to hate and violence. Yet the novel also shows how the two groups depend on their conflict in order to continue to exist.
The students who attend Avenues private school are extremely wealthy and some can even afford to fly a private jet to Turks and Caicos for just one weekend. On the other hand, the students who attend public schooling who live in West Chelsea are underprivileged and dream of living a better life with more money. Although the public school students perceive the Avenues students as wealthy, spoiled, and undeserving, the Avenues students make it clear that even though they are privileged, they don’t think that they are better than others. Furthermore, students who live in West Chelsea and who attend public schools experience a much harsher and difficult life compared to the Avenue students. For example, a young girl Rosa who lives in West Chelsea and attends public school, says, “I’ve seen the stuff that happens in Chelsea.
This shows how rough the Greasers have it. This is all due to the fact that they are below the poverty line. In addition, according to the article “ Alarming Number of Teens are Quitting School to Go to Work,” “Teenagers drop out of high school for all sorts of reasons... for some low-income students, the decision to leave is purely economic,” (para. 1). This shows