What Is the Theme of the Outsiders
What Is the Theme of the Outsiders
Academic level: Master’s
Essay type: Memoir
Size: 2 pages ~ (817 words)
The Outsiders–an iconic novel by S.E. Hinton–often receives credit as one of the first young adult novels that navigate the realities and challenges of teenage life. Personally, I find the themes found in The Outsiders just as relatable today as they were back when the novel was published in 1967. The novel explores such timeless topics as social labels and the real personalities behind them, class divide, violence and its devastating consequences, and the pressure of social expectations associated with growing up as a teenager.
So what are the themes in The Outsiders? In my opinion, the biggest theme that surfaces in the book is the gap between social labels or stereotypes and the reality hidden underneath them. On the one hand, we meet the Greasers–teens who can be easily judged hooligans for their backgrounds, clothes, hair, and other attributes of “baddies.” Yet, the majority of them, including the narrator of the novel–fourteen-year-old Ponyboy–are quite the opposite of what they are stereotyped for. Ponyboy does not drink, excels in the classroom, and is not violent in his essence. He even feels somewhat embarrassed when his friend swears. On the other hand, we see the Socks–rich kids who look generally more socially acceptable, wearing neat clothes and driving fancy cars. Despite their appearance as “good kids,” the Socks tend to cause a lot of trouble and are generally more violent than the Greasers. Yet, their image tends to keep them safe because of the social labels that cause prejudice.
Class divide is another big one among themes in The Outsiders book. It is the foundation that backs up the stereotypes that emerged for the Greasers and the Socks. The Greasers come from the wrong side of the class divide. They are kids coming from broken families, they don’t dress fancy or drive nice cars. And this is the main thing that causes prejudice against them. The good reputation and image of the Socks, on the other hand, are backed up by their social status. Basically, the two groups represent the working class and the elite, and the book explores the existing gap between them and emphasizes the pressing problems of inequality created by the class divide.
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The third one among major themes in The Outsiders is violence. Both the Greasers and the Socks are dragged into gangs. Their natural rival created by class divide and misunderstanding causes them to engage in violence, which negatively affects the entire society and causes devastating effects. The first consequence of this is pain that doesn’t have mercy either on the poor or on the rich ones. During the Rumble, kids on both sides of the battle–Ponyboy gets bruised and cut, Two-bit gets three broken ribs, and Johnny dies–the pain and devastation spread quickly as a result of violence. On top of that, we can observe how this rival and brutal force creates an even more unsafe environment in a society where kids no longer can walk alone around the neighborhood or “they’ll get jumped.”
The last one of the key themes in The Outsiders is what many teens experience not only on the book’s pages but today as well, in real life. It’s the pressure of growing up. Ponyboy, as well as other characters, are desperately trying to fit in. They feel the urge to find their spot in society and the expectations that come from their families, friends, peers, and society as a whole put additional tension on it. Yet, while trying to find their place in the world, they all struggle to see their true identities behind this pressure, expectations, and stereotypes, which makes the process of growing up as a teenager nearly unbearable.
Additionally, apart from the main themes in The Outsiders, such as stereotypes, class divide, violence, and the pressure of finding your place in the world, I can see a wealth of other important topics piercing through the book. The loss of innocence when facing the harsh realities of the world indicates the end of childhood. The importance of loyalty, honor, and duty in the social group is clearly depicted in the Greasers’ behavioral code. The importance of having resilience and hope to overcome the challenges and find your place in life. And most importantly, the role of understanding and empathy in tackling inequality and violence for a healthy and prosperous society–the Greasers and the Socks might look different and come from different classes, yet they have the same emotions, fears, and struggles, which demonstrate how similar we are despite the divide.
The Outsiders is a truly iconic novel that’s authentic and honest, yet incredibly gritty. It tells us about the hardships of being an adolescent in a world filled with pressure and unfair expectations. I believe that the themes in The Outsiders, such as class divide, inequality, violence, and the pressure of growing up are still topical, which is why every teenager should read this book.
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