Authors Note: This is a response to the theme, definition of family and describing what family means to Jonny and Ponyboy
There are many ways to define the definition of family. Most people think of family as their blood parents, but in the book, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, that is not necessarily the case. Ponyboy Curtis had two delightful parents that loved him a lot, but when they died in a tragic car accident, Ponyboy was never the same. Jonny has parents that fought day and night and beat him silly. How can you consider that your family? They don't. To them, their family is their friends and gang, the greasers.
Ponyboy Curtis was raised in a rough neighborhood, full of druggies and murderers. Fortunately, Ponyboy had what his fellow greasers did not. Ponyboy had parents who cared about him and would do anything for him. After they died, he looked at his two older for advice and to help put food on his table. Ponyboy would constantly fight with his older brothers and he wanted everything to be about him. He liked his family, but he had more of a relationship with his other greasers than with his brothers. So Ponyboy considered his gang to be more of his family than his two older brothers.
Just as Ponyboy was raised in a charming family, the same can’t be said for Jonny Cade. Jonny was born in a household with parents that fought a lot and beat him up. He was a sensitive kid and did not like them fighting and thought that it was tearing him apart. He would spend most of his days sleeping at friends houses and rarely ever went “home”. His parents didn’t care about him and what really made me feel that way was when Jonny was in the hospital with a broken back, he refused to let his parents see him because he absolutely hated them. Jonny had no one to turn to for advice, accept his gang, the greasers. He had no parents that cared about him and the only people who wanted him were his gang. His family was considered the greasers.
I think about Jonny’s situation and I feel so lucky to have parents that actually care and love me. It saddens me to think about parents who bring kids into the world that don’t care what happens to that person. I believe that the definition of family to me are fortunately my blood parents and I don’t feel closer to anyone else. I’m also glad that I can live in a house where I can see my parents and I feel safe. This book gave me a new aspect of how a person who has corrupted parents feel and I have shown me how lucky I am to have parents that really care about me.
As you can see Jonny and Ponyboy were raised in completely different types of families, but they turned out being the best of friends. To them their family is the greasers and nobody else. That is not the type of family that I would like to have, but those are the only people Ponyboy and Jonny have to go to. That’s another reason that I’m very thankful for the loving, affectionate parents that I have now. After all of this said, I believe that the true definition of family to me is my parents, but that can change depending on who you are and who your parents are. But even with that said if I was in Jonny or Ponyboy’s shoes, my family would be the people who care for me the most, the greasers.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Defying the Odds
Authors Note: This is a response to the theme stereotyping that explains how the Greasers and Soc’s are stereotyped in the book, The Outsiders.
Nick Roberts
11/17/11
I have been reading the Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. There are many themes that can be used to describe the book. There is stereotyping, definition of family, and loss of innocence. Out of all those themes, the one that I think stands out the most is the theme of stereotyping. Stereotyping is when people see you do things; they never think that you can change. That’s what is happening to the Greasers. People in the city believe that the Greasers are low-life thugs who care nothing about others or themselves. They won’t give the Greasers a second chance.
The Greasers, a gang that have been stereotyped for many years, are trying to change. There are many Greasers that fit perfectly into the stereotype Greaser, but some of the Greasers want to change. One of the people who want to change is a kid named Ponyboy. Ponyboy a kid, who lost his parents in a car accident, lives with his two older brothers. He is a caring, loving kid who at the same time looks tough and mean when he needs to. He doesn’t pick a fight and only hurts anyone in self-defense. He is defying the stereotype Greaser and is succeeding in doing it. Ponyboy is showing the Greasers that they don’t need to be the hard, tough group who make unwise decisions and get jailed. He is showing his gang that everyone can change.
Just as the Greasers have been stereotyped, the Soc’s have been too. They are supposed to be the polite, good-hearted people who do well in school and are very rich. Really the Soc’s are people who are snobby, brats that make fun of the people who are struggling to provide for their family. Even though the Soc’s are a gang, they should have the decency to respect the struggling people. I mean making fun of the Greasers for things they can’t control is just down-right selfish and mean.
I can relate to the theme of being stereotyped or judged. Many people think that because I’m blonde, that makes e dumb when I don’t think that I am. Another way that I have been stereotyped is because I am skinny and weigh very little that I am not strong. Personally I like being stereotyped because it gives you a chance to prove yourself to them and prove them wrong in front of many people. Most every time that I have been stereotyped I have proved the other person wrong. In basketball, weightlifting, and many other places, I have been stereotyped and have proven people that I can do what they think I can’t. So I think that being stereotyped is a very good thing.
These last few paragraphs can really help you to defy the odds and become a person that can do many things. I have defied the odds and so can you. You can be a Greaser and be stereotyped and judged many times. Maybe you keep doing the same thing and people begin to judge you. It’s okay because you can try to change like the Greasers did and become a great role model. In conclusion being stereotyped is not a bad thing, just see it as a challenge and you can defy the odds and do anything you set your mind to.
Nick Roberts
11/17/11
I have been reading the Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. There are many themes that can be used to describe the book. There is stereotyping, definition of family, and loss of innocence. Out of all those themes, the one that I think stands out the most is the theme of stereotyping. Stereotyping is when people see you do things; they never think that you can change. That’s what is happening to the Greasers. People in the city believe that the Greasers are low-life thugs who care nothing about others or themselves. They won’t give the Greasers a second chance.
The Greasers, a gang that have been stereotyped for many years, are trying to change. There are many Greasers that fit perfectly into the stereotype Greaser, but some of the Greasers want to change. One of the people who want to change is a kid named Ponyboy. Ponyboy a kid, who lost his parents in a car accident, lives with his two older brothers. He is a caring, loving kid who at the same time looks tough and mean when he needs to. He doesn’t pick a fight and only hurts anyone in self-defense. He is defying the stereotype Greaser and is succeeding in doing it. Ponyboy is showing the Greasers that they don’t need to be the hard, tough group who make unwise decisions and get jailed. He is showing his gang that everyone can change.
Just as the Greasers have been stereotyped, the Soc’s have been too. They are supposed to be the polite, good-hearted people who do well in school and are very rich. Really the Soc’s are people who are snobby, brats that make fun of the people who are struggling to provide for their family. Even though the Soc’s are a gang, they should have the decency to respect the struggling people. I mean making fun of the Greasers for things they can’t control is just down-right selfish and mean.
I can relate to the theme of being stereotyped or judged. Many people think that because I’m blonde, that makes e dumb when I don’t think that I am. Another way that I have been stereotyped is because I am skinny and weigh very little that I am not strong. Personally I like being stereotyped because it gives you a chance to prove yourself to them and prove them wrong in front of many people. Most every time that I have been stereotyped I have proved the other person wrong. In basketball, weightlifting, and many other places, I have been stereotyped and have proven people that I can do what they think I can’t. So I think that being stereotyped is a very good thing.
These last few paragraphs can really help you to defy the odds and become a person that can do many things. I have defied the odds and so can you. You can be a Greaser and be stereotyped and judged many times. Maybe you keep doing the same thing and people begin to judge you. It’s okay because you can try to change like the Greasers did and become a great role model. In conclusion being stereotyped is not a bad thing, just see it as a challenge and you can defy the odds and do anything you set your mind to.
Monday, November 14, 2011
The Death of Bob
Authors Note: This is a writing piece that discusses the killing of Bob from the Soc's point of view.
Wow, “Did you know that a Greaser just killed one of our main Soc’s, Bob.”
“I know he got stabbed and the Greaser fled from the scene.” “We have to get back at that Greaser, but how.” “I don’t know, but we will get him back. Even worse than what he did to Bob.”
Jonny Cade, the life-long Greaser who can’t stand up for himself, killed one of the idols of the Soc. Jonny came from behind Bob when he was drowning Ponyboy, stabbed Bob in the back, and watched as the other Soc fled from the scene. The Soc’s think that it was a crime and the police will to. How will they escape, what will they do, and how will we get back at them? Those are the questions that the Soc’s are bewildered by.
The police won’t believe that it was self-defense because they believe that the Soc are the goody-goody group and the Greasers are the corrupt group that has no good in them. The Soc’s can’t believe that Bob is dead. The Soc’s along with the police believe that it was a murder and that the Greasers responsible, should get the electric chair. They have a point because most Greasers have a criminal record and always are responsible for the crime. How will the Greaser make the police believe that it was self defense not a crime?
The police have no idea what happened, but the Greasers are just figuring out the repercussions that Ponyboy and Jonny are going to have to do to evade the police and the other problems. The Greasers, especially Darry and Sodapop, his brothers, are fearing for Jonny’s and Ponyboy’s lives. I believe that Dally portrayed courage and dedication to hide his friends from the police. This shows the experience that Dally has with evading the police and will user every trick in the book to save them. All of the Soc’s are probably looking for them to teach them a lesson that involves torture and maybe possibly resulting in death.
There are many different stories that the different groups could tell the police, but the police will probably believe the Soc more because they are the “perfect” group. In the end I think that the police will figure out what really happened. I hope that the police make it to Ponyboy and Jonny before the Soc’s do. With all of this said I believe that the police will find Ponyboy and Jonny and the will explain what really happened.
Wow, “Did you know that a Greaser just killed one of our main Soc’s, Bob.”
“I know he got stabbed and the Greaser fled from the scene.” “We have to get back at that Greaser, but how.” “I don’t know, but we will get him back. Even worse than what he did to Bob.”
Jonny Cade, the life-long Greaser who can’t stand up for himself, killed one of the idols of the Soc. Jonny came from behind Bob when he was drowning Ponyboy, stabbed Bob in the back, and watched as the other Soc fled from the scene. The Soc’s think that it was a crime and the police will to. How will they escape, what will they do, and how will we get back at them? Those are the questions that the Soc’s are bewildered by.
The police won’t believe that it was self-defense because they believe that the Soc are the goody-goody group and the Greasers are the corrupt group that has no good in them. The Soc’s can’t believe that Bob is dead. The Soc’s along with the police believe that it was a murder and that the Greasers responsible, should get the electric chair. They have a point because most Greasers have a criminal record and always are responsible for the crime. How will the Greaser make the police believe that it was self defense not a crime?
The police have no idea what happened, but the Greasers are just figuring out the repercussions that Ponyboy and Jonny are going to have to do to evade the police and the other problems. The Greasers, especially Darry and Sodapop, his brothers, are fearing for Jonny’s and Ponyboy’s lives. I believe that Dally portrayed courage and dedication to hide his friends from the police. This shows the experience that Dally has with evading the police and will user every trick in the book to save them. All of the Soc’s are probably looking for them to teach them a lesson that involves torture and maybe possibly resulting in death.
There are many different stories that the different groups could tell the police, but the police will probably believe the Soc more because they are the “perfect” group. In the end I think that the police will figure out what really happened. I hope that the police make it to Ponyboy and Jonny before the Soc’s do. With all of this said I believe that the police will find Ponyboy and Jonny and the will explain what really happened.
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