The Outsiders Essay

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‘The Outsiders’ Essay In the Novel The Outsiders by S.E Hinton, there is a social class warfare mostly through the novel. It explores the ideas that people are often judged by their looks and personalities rather than their personalities and actions, this statement is true to a certain extent, but towards the end, the actions of the greasers changes the public’s perception. The greasers are judged on their presentation and appearance, which is based on prejudice. There is social class warfare between the underprivileged greasers from the east side and the rich Socs from the west side. During the novel there is a turning point where most things change. Prejudice plays are role in the public’s view of the greasers from the way they dress, their long hair and greasy appearance. The greasers are nice, caring and at times can be real gentlemen, but hide it all under their leather jackets and greys long hair. “You know the first thing the judge does is make you get a haircut”. “...it’s just a way of trying to break us”. Their greasy long hair gives them a sense of pride, safety and a way of showing that they are a greaser. All their lives the greasers have been judged on the way the look rather than their personality. The rivalry between the greasers and the Socs is mainly due to wealth and social class. The Socs have all the breaks while the greasers have to work hard for everything they have or want in the future. So while the greasers drove old souped up cars the Socs drove expensive mustangs and corvairs. ”...the warfare is between the social classes.” Meaning the warfare is between the higher class Socs and the lower class greasers. Ponyboy explains that the real difference between the gangs is that “it’s not money, its feeling; you don’t feel anything while we feel too violently”. The greasers are at the bottom of the social class and don’t have many breaks in
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