The Best Outsiders Piece Yet

Author’s Note: Reader, this is my final Outsiders piece it is a mix of the themes and a character development all about Johnny. Enjoy!

I finally finished The Outsiders. I think my favorite character is Johnny. I think he grew the most in the story because by the end of the book he didn’t have anything to lose by the end of the book. He may have been greaser but doesn’t mean he was a bad guy the last thing he did was save children from a burning church. I don’t know about you but that doesn’t sound like a bad guy to me. I think that action, saving children from a burning church, is the way Johnny defies stereotypes. Even though he is a greaser he did something selfless and that is not how the world sees the greasers. But not only does he defy stereotypes but he does lose something, his innocence. I think he lost his innocence when he stabbed Bob. He might have lost it even before that but I think that’s when it clearly shows. Johnny really doesn’t have a family when his mom came to see him he just said he didn’t want to even see her. I think the greasers are his family. All of these things are clearly shown in the book with plenty of support.

In addition Johnny really develops as a character. In the beginning of the book he really doesn’t have and self confidence or belief in himself as a person. I he really starts to develop after he stabbed Bob, he really starts to believe that he is important and that people like Dally really do like an they do appreciate him and he really starts to think that he can be anyone he wants to be. This might also show when Ponyboy told him the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay”. He realized that he really wants to be gold.

Also Johnny defies stereotypes because he used to be afraid of the Socs. but after he killed Bob he wasn’t afraid anymore. I think he killed  Bo for a good reason. I am not saying that some people deserve to die but he was drowning Ponyboy and Johnny had to do what he had to do. He did the only logical thing he could do he knew that they could kill him and Ponyboy if he didn’t do something right away. I think what Johnny did was logical but not right he could have just hurt him but not kill him. That is just what people would look at a greaser.

I think Johnny lost his innocence when he killed Bob. That was when Johnny could no longer be looked at as an innocent person. He was looked as a killer. He was no longer a Johnny who didn’t matter he was a Johnny who was a real friend in my eyes. He did that to save Ponyboy and himself. I like the new Johnny better he isn’t afraid like the old Johnny. He was afraid to live. But now Johnny now what people think of him. And he isn’t afraid any more. I am glad he lost his innocence. But wish he didn’t die in the story.

In conclusion Johnny is one of the best characters in the whole book. He is my favorite character because he can react fast in tough situation, such as when David was drowning Ponyboy. Johnny reacted fast and did what needed to be done. Johnny did develop a lot in the story. But he died in the end. My favorite Johnny quote was his last words: “Stay gold Ponyboy, stay gold.” or when Johnny said “I killed him.” I think those two quotes really describe Johnny as a person because he used to be bad but now he is good and he cares. That is why Johnny is my favorite.

Bob's Point of Veiw

Author’s Note: Dear Reader, This is a point of view writing piece. It is on the scene where Johnny stabbed Bob. It is from Bob’s point of view.

            After we picked Cherry up from those nasty greasers she didn’t seem too happy. I asked her what was wrong. All she said was that she didn’t want to talk to me. Then she called me a drunken slob. I may have been a little drunk. Yeah me and my friends might have had a few beers but I felt fine. Better then fine actually I felt great. After we dropped Cherry off we went for a ride it might have been nine o’clock but I didn’t know for sure. We were driving around when we saw the two greasers that were with Cherry and Marcia. We circled around and went to the park. They looked as if they were going to run for it. This is typical for those dirty greasers. All they want to do is run. But instead they stood there. Like statues just looking as we got out of our blue Mustang. “ Hey, whatta ya know?” I said “ here’s the little greasers that picked up our girls. Hey greasers.” “ You’re otta your territory, you’d better watch it.” warned the one on the left. My buddy Randy swore at them. “ Nup, pal, yer the ones who’d better watch it. Next time you want a broad, pick up yer own kind- dirt.” The one on the right looked as if he was getting mad. “You know what a greaser is?” I asked “ white trash with long hair.” Man you should have seen how white the greaser on the right was, he looked like a ghost. Then he spoke, his voice shaking with rage, “You know that a Soc. is? White trash with Mustangs and madras.” Then he spit at us! I shook my head and smiled “You could use a bath greaser. And a good working over. And we’ve got all night to do it. Give the kid a bath, David.” I said. As David tried to grab him he ducked and ran, but David was too fast he grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. Then he shoved the greaser’s greasy head into the fountain. I was watching and laughing at the greaser struggling to get free of David’s grip. As I saw the kid finally stop squirming I felt a sudden surge of pain go though by body and the last thing I saw, as I was falling and I was sprawled out on the ground, was pool of blood slowly spreading around my body.

Loss of Innocence

Author's Note: Hello reader, This is a writing piece on how Ponyboy and his gang and the loss of innocence. Some of them are good but not all

 Currently I am reading The Outsiders. It is a great book. It is book that is narrated by the main character Ponyboy. He tells the story from his point of view. The book is about two gangs the Socs. and the Greasers. Ponyboy is a Greaser along with his friends and brothers.  The Socs. are the rich and clean good guys. The Greasers are poor, dirty, and the trouble makers. The world doesn’t see the Greasers as real people. It sees them as bad people, as the people who are always to blame. Like they are never innocent. At this point everyone in Ponyboy’s gang has lost their innocence. Johnny and Ponyboy lost their innocence when Johnny killed Bob. Then they ran away thinking they were going to be in real trouble. They thought they would go to the electric chair for stabbing Bob. Dally lost his innocence at a very young age. Since he grew up in New York he was exposed to gangs and violence at a really early age. He lost his innocence when he was 10 when he was in a gang and he always got in trouble. We don’t know much about Two Bit but he was always getting in trouble. Darry and the others they are the good greasers they don’t get in trouble very much. Darry could have been a Soc. but instead he chose to be a greaser to take care of his brothers and he will do anything to protect them. That doesn’t sound like a bad guy to me. Some of the greasers are good but people don’t see it.

Letter to Ponyboy

Author’s Note: Dear Reader: This is a letter to Ponyboy asking questions about the events in his life.

Dear Ponyboy,

           

            I am writing to you to ask some questions about your life and the things that happened. My first question is were you surprised when Darry slapped you? What was going through your mind? What do you think about Johnny killing Bob? Would you have done the same thing? I don’t think I would have. I don’t think you would have either. I think it was cool that you helped the children in the burning church. That was really selfless. Dally only went to help Johnny. I am glad he helped Johnny but he should have helped safe children too. What do you think? How bad are Johnny’s injuries? I hope he makes it. Do you think he will? I think he will. I can’t wait to find out what happens next in your life.

Yours Truly,

Nick W.