Divided Communities In The Outsiders

Outsiders Essay

Have you ever wanted to experience what the 1960’s for a teenager were like? “The Outsiders”, by S.E Hinton is a perfect take on two rival gangs in the sixties. These two gangs are the greasers and the socs. They constantly are brawling and getting in trouble with each other. As you read the book, you will get to know the characters and watch them develop. Divided communities is the most important theme throughout the book because Darry and Ponyboy have trouble at home, the greasers and socs are constantly fighting, and people are going too far.
To begin with, in the start of the book Pony and Darry have trouble at home, which shows divided communities in their own household. In chapter 3, after staying up late with Johnny, Ponyboy has to return home. Ponyboy says, “I ran home trembling at the thought of facing Darry” (Hinton 49). This shows that Pony and Darry are so isolated and different from each other, that Pony is afraid Darry won’t understand why he was late. This is one way divided communities is shown in the Curtis household. Also in chapter 3, once Pony finally gets home Darry hits

Darry and Ponyboy have flaws in their relationship, because they don’t understand each other. The greasers and socs are always creating conflict with each other, just because they’re not in the same group/class. Finally people don’t know when to stop, and this is mostly because of greasers v. socs. All of these reasons are why divided communities is the most critical theme. If there wasn’t divided communities in this book, Johnny never would have killed Bob, the brawl never would have happened, Dally most likely never would have robbed the store, and much more. Without divided communities, the book would be extremely different, or it wouldn’t happen at