Ponyboy’s Change | Character Essay

In the novel The Outsiders, written by S.E Hinton a major change that one of the characters go through is the change of Ponyboy. His change slowly progresses throughout the novel. He goes through many events at the start, middle and end of the novel. At the start of the novel Ponyboy is just a kid being brought up in the greaser neighbourhood. By the end he is a changed man. The middle has some key events that make him change his personality and opinion on life. The reader learns that his personality and opinion changes because of the dramatic events he goes through and be the end of the novel the reader should be able to tell that he is a changed man because of the events that make him think differently about the way life goes.

At the start of the novel a main event that starts his change is when he is walking home from the movies he is thinking about the differences between Socs and Greasers, while hoping he doesn’t get jumped walking home all alone. A red Covair is following him and then Socs get out and surround Ponyboy. They cut him a couple times and threaten to kill him. “How’d you like that haircut to begin just below the chin?” Ponyboy isn’t sure if he is gonna live until The Socs run off and Darry picks him up. “I’m okay. Quit shaking me, Darry, I’m okay.” This is the first major experience that starts the major change in Ponyboys personality. He is still a bit shy and wanting a different life to the typical Greaser lifestyle and is hoping he can get out of it and do what he likes without all the violence like what he had just experienced. The author started the novel with this scene to show the typical life that the characters go through throughout the novel. To show that Ponyboys first apperance is a shy and scared one. His life starts to change from this part on, so does his opinion on life.

More so into the middle of the novel He goes through another big event that effects Ponyboy and his personality. This change is a very important part as it changes the way Ponyboy and Johnny look at life. They go through a hard experience from their actions that force them to do follow up actions in order to live they way they want to. This of course when Johnny and Ponyboy are at a fountain in a park and a blue mustang approaches them. A bunch of socs get our and one of them is the one that hurt Johnny badly. The characters instantly realise this and hope for the best. A coupl of socs start drowning a Ponyboy, while Johnny with his switch blade flicks it out and stabs Bob the Soc and he dies. “Bob, the handsome Soc, was lying there in the moonlight, doubled up and still.” This is a serious changing point on the book. The event sends Ponyboy and Johnny into a state of life that they had never experienced. Johnny had just stabbed a boy to save Ponyboy. Ponyboy was so scared and horrified at the scene. “Johnny,” I managed to say, fighting the dizziness, “I think I’m gonna be sick.” Ponyboy is now caught up in the deep life of a greaser and continues his next few descisions as a greaser would. S.E Hinton had this in the book to help emphasize that Ponyboy isn’t used to the life of a greaser even when now and then someone dies.

More towards the end of the book as Ponyboy and Johnny have gotten over the killing of Bob. They move on with their greaser life’s. They get to a church and this church starts the next big even in the book that effects Ponyboys change. The church is caught on fire and children are trapped inside. Even Edgar being told it’s too dangerous Ponyboy shows courage along with Johnny, this is a quality Ponyboy would never show before his life was taken over by fast pacing events that would change anyone. After knowing that there are still 6 children inside they ignore the danger warning and enter the flaming church. Fortunately they get the children out at the cost of Johnny almost dieing himself. He was sent to hospital in critical condition. “The Nurses Wouldn’t let us see Johnny. He was in critical condition.” Ponyboy is hoping that Johnny will make it. This changes Ponyboy as he is t sure that the right thing to do is to fight in the rumble for Johnny or not fight. After the Greasers win the rumble they go see Johnny who disagrees that the rumble should have happened. Johnny is dying becasue of violence. “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…” The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died.” That is what Johnny last said to Ponyboy. After losing his friend Ponyboy has finally started to decide exactly the kind of person he wants to be. Nice, non-violent and happy. Even if he can’t have the life he wants he wants to life his life that way. S.E Hinton is trying to say that you should I’ve life the way you want no matter what living conditions surround you. While still being able to stick it for yourself and do thing out of your comfort zone.

The Outsiders, a novel written by S.E Hinton, shows many changes of character qualities. Ponyboy one of the main characters experiences one of the most life changing events that shapes his character from being shy, kind, and confused about life to being confident, less afraid, wiser and many other different qualities. This is a major change that S.E Hinton is showing us what life can be like when we experience different life changing events. That you should be able to choose who you want to be. Ponyboy starts off as a young kid being brought up in the life of a typical greaser. More so towards the middle of the novel he experiences some dramatic events that starts shaping and changing his personality as he has new opinions on life. By the end he is a changed man and has a larger understanding of life. The reader learns that the way life goes can change someone’s character qualities and opinions.

By Cory Brown