The Outsiders

Name

Date

Class/Period

Teacher

Ct:7.1.4:Write an argument about a central idea or issue raised by the text

The Outsiders

By:S.E.Hinton

1967 Tulsa, Oklahoma

           In the novel The Outsiders,S.E.Hinton(The Author) states that”Stereotypes and the resulting generalization about people, blind us to their true character.”S.E.Hinton expresses her feeling of the social background issue that takes place in The Outsiders,through Ponyboy’s words.When she states in the passage that”,and maybe people wouldn't be so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wore”.This quote shows that S.E.Hinton thinks that people should not just judge or describe a person by their social background.She is describing how stereotypes are the cause of how people like Dallas die,not as a hero,though as a bad delinquent.If people learned about how Dally had saved those children they would praise him like Johnny.Though Dally is a Greaser, and most people judge by others social background.Which shows how they wouldn't have killed him because the only way to discover someone is by what they do.Also S.E.Hinton says through PonyBoy’s words”It was too vast a problem to be just a personal thing.There should be some help,someone should tell them before it's too late”S.E.Hinton reveals that most people in situations like the Greasers are having their characters depicted by what social background their from.S.E.Hinton is stating that this stereotype is completely untrue and that people should be described by their actions not their background.So when Ponyboy says”Someone should say their side of their story”,this means people should be judged from their actions.This is mainly what S.E.Hinton felt about the social situation.As she wants to see the some change in the way the social situation was organized and that people would judge based on ones actions.

         Overall I agree with S.E.Hinton’s quote of “Stereotypes and the resulting generalization about people, blind us to their true character.”I agree with this quote because as you can see in the book Ponyboy is talking about how people shouldn't judge someone by their background.So stereotypes like how people who are Greasers always are delinquents or bad people in society.Though they are not,such as Johnny he saved children from a burning church.Another reason why I agree with S.E.Hinton’s quote is that Stereotypes influence what people think of their character.As shown when Dally died because if they saw his true inner character when saving kids from the church and looking out for Johnny.They wouldn't have inferred that Dally was bad because he was a Greaser.If they had looked past the stereotypes Dally would have lived.Overall I agree with S.E.Hinton’s quote and do see and understand the argument she had with The Outsiders social situation.

Please No Plagiarism