Social Groups In Susan Eloise's The Outsiders

No matter how much time has passed. There will always be groups and with groups there will always be outsiders. In the 1960s, Susan Eloise wrote the book “The Outsiders” but she put S.E. Hinton as the author so that she wouldn’t be judged. “The Outsiders” takes place in her hometown Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is a story about two social groups; the Greasers; and the Socs; who feel like outsiders. Both groups feel like outsiders but the true outsiders are the ones that understand it goes beyond the different groups. The Greasers are considered to be the outsiders. When Ponyboy took out his switchblade during class, one of the Socs said, ‘They are right. You are a hood.” (Doc B) This made Ponyboy feel like he didn’t fit in with them. Ponyboy

“There were a lot of Socs in that class. I get put into A class because I’m supposed to be smart” (Doc B) The Socs are now considered to be the outsider because they are never their true self. Ponyboy thinks “Socs were always behind a wall of aloofness, careful not to let their real selves show through.” (Doc C) The Socs can never be their true selves because of the stereotype they have about Socs. This makes them outsiders to real experience. Also when Ponyboy is talking to Cherry she doesn’t have to “keep her guard up” (Doc C) and doesn’t have to put a fake face on in front of him. The true outsiders are not the Socs or the Greasers but the ones that can realize that there is more beyond the different social groups. As Ponyboy repeats the poem by Robert Frost to Johnny, he says “I guess we’re different.” (Doc D) He feels like an outsider to the rest of the group. Also, when Ponyboy talks to Randy, they see each other as induvial and not Socs or Greasers. Randy calls Ponyboy “kid” instead of “Greaser” and Ponyboy realizes that “He ain’t a Soc, he’s just a guy.” (Doc E) Lastly when Johnny tells Ponyboy, “Stay gold Ponyboy. Stay gold.” (Doc F) Johnny is telling to keep being himself even if he is