Gresers Vs. Society and Socs

Authors Note: The authors purpose for writing this was to show you how and why Ponyboy is a dynamic character.

Don’t you just hate when people judge you by your looks before even knowing you? Have you ever heard the expression, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? In the book “the outsiders”, there are two different types of people, the Socs and the Greasers. The Socs are known as the more popular, rich kids. The greasers are known as the poor delinquents. Although they aren’t really as bad as people may think. Too add to this, defying stereotypes is a very complex theme in this story.

Johnny Cade, a young Greaser, is thought to be a delinquent, but really, he's just misjudged. The Socs judge the Greasers by their looks. Johnny isn’t the most fortunate of people so he doesn’t look like he’s rich, he looks like he belongs to a gang, which he does. Johnny is actual a very nice 16 year old boy that is judged by the people he hangs out with. Just because the Greasers aren’t all rich, they shouldn’t be thought of as the scum on someone’s shoe.  Darry Curtis, the oldest member of the Greasers, is judge just because of who he hangs around with.

If Darry's parents hadn’t died in a car crash, he would have been most likely been a soc. He had a choice, give up his future in order to keep his family by taking care of his younger brothers Sodapop and Ponyboy, or take his chance at a scholership and be a very successful man. He used to be on the football team, he was once a star. He even had a scholarship for college, both academic and sport wise. Darry had his life set. He was popular, athletic, and smart, but he lost it all when his parents had died. If his parents hadn’t died, he would’ve been a Soc, and be living a good life. Instead, he is living in a bad neighborhood with the Greasers when he could be a Soc.

Before Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dallas had saved those kids from burning a live, they were believed to be horrible people because of their reputation, but really, they are no different from you and I. They just have a bad reputation. If people would stop and talk to them they would say,” hey, these guys aren’t half bad”. No one deserves to be mistreated for their looks or for who their friends are. I believe it isn't as much as the Greasers vs. Socs, but more of the Greasers vs. society. They are known as the bad, poor, and scummy kids, and no matter what they do, it doesn't change.

You shouldn’t judge a person before you get to know them it’s just not right. Who knows, maybe there really cool but look sort of funny, so you avoid them instead of finding out who they really are. People dont always have to be so stereotipical towards one another. Johnny, Darry, and the rest of the gang are judged before people ever really find out who they really are. They might be tough, and kind of scummy, but they still are humans.