Johnny's Redemption

Molly Walsh

Post 4 (for The Outsiders)

January 15, 2012

            Redemption is something that stroke a strong chord with me in chapters 5-8 of The Outsiders.  When the boys skipped town after the altercation with the Socs, they sought refuge in an abandoned church in the country.  They camped out there for a while hoping no one would find them.  In that church, we got to know Ponyboy and Johnny better.  They talked about Pony’s family, and as that happened, it was obvious that Johnny wanted what Pony had with his brothers.  As Pony recited the Robert Frost poem, Nothing Gold Can Stay, we were able to see how relevant that poem was.  Pony never knew what that poem meant, but it talked about being innocent and how nothing can be innocent forever.  Even though Johnny killed someone and was on the run with Ponyboy, they were still kids and I definitely believe that there was still good inside of them.  I was reassured of my belief when the church was on fire and Johnny, Pony, and Dally went to go save the children who were trapped.    

            The boys could have just kept driving by, but they knew they were the cause of the fire.  That is a part of what made them decide to take responsibility for their actions and go back into the church to save the children, even if that meant risking their lives.  That was a very important and powerful moment in the book.  It just showed how even if someone made a mistake and did something wrong, it is never too late for someone to redeem themselves.  Sadly, though, Johnny did not get out of the chapel unscathed.  But that was because he sacrificed himself to save Pony.  That was a selfless move on Johnny’s part.  It showed that just because he made some sucky mistakes, he could help make right what he did wrong.   Even though he was in the hospital for a while, he sadly did not survive.  I heard that in older and classical books and movies, the person who did bad things usually died after redeeming themselves to pay for their actions.  It seemed that it was the case for Johnny.  He saved the children and Ponyboy, but in the end he sacrificed himself.  But in a way it was better for him to save people and go out doing good, rather than just sitting in a jail cell his whole life.  At least he was able to face his sins and gain in a way gained just a little bit of absolution for what he did.

4th post for The Outsiders-Relationship between characters and theme

I think the relationship between Darry and Ponyboy has gotten stronger towards the end of the book compared in the beginning of the book. Their relationship in the beginning weren’t as close as they are now. Darry was really harsh on Ponyboy, pushing him to get good grades and do well in school. That is why Darry want Ponyboy to do well so Ponyboy will have a good future and won’t end up like him and Soda. But Ponyboy thinks that Darry is really harsh on him because he yells at Ponyboy a lot. Darry is really strict and Ponyboy in a mean way, he thinks that Darry doesn’t care for him and doesn’t love him. Since the death of Johnny and Dally, Darry has been a little easy on Ponyboy and start to really care and support Ponyboy. Darry is trying to be more gentle and nice of how he treats Ponyboy. I think the tragic event of Johnny and Dallas has pulled them together to because they realize that they both need each other and that Soda needs them to and act more like family. Even while Ponyboy was very sick, Darry called him “little buddy” (166) which he never called Ponyboy before. I think overall that Darry realizes that that being nicer then yelling at Ponyboy is better way to encourage Ponyboy to do well and get a good education. And I also think that Ponyboy realizes that Darry really care and loves him and he is only trying to make sure he will have the best future possible and Ponyboy now realizes that Darry is trying to do everything he can to give Ponyboy the best life possible since their parents aren’t them to guide the way.

I think another theme for this book is family. Throughout the book, you see that the Greasers stick together, help each other out, and support each other no matter what. Without the Greaser gang, Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry wouldn’t feel as much of family without their gang. They are the only family they had since Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry lost their parents.

3rd Post of The Outsiders-Theme and analyzing quote

I agree that it isn’t right to censor this book because it isn’t going to stop minors from being influence by underage drinking, smoking, and violence. Books aren’t the only ones to blame underage drinking, smoking, and violence but the people in our society. It is hard to try to prevent bad influence so kids won’t drink, smoke, or join gangs. There are even kids right now that do drink, smoke, and are gangs because they were influence or encourage by their people, possible their friends because they think it is cool to do so.

Another theme for the book that you see throughout the book is honor. People will do anything to show honor for their families or friends like the Greasers. The Greasers will stand up for each other and face their enemies like the Socs to show how tough they are especially trying to be tougher and better then the Socs, they would even define the laws or authority. Not only do the Greasers try to show how tough they are do something to show honor for their gang but they will also do honorable things to sacrifice on self for another for a good cause since they are consider like a family.

After the daring rescue by Johnny and Ponyboy, Ponyboy went back home. While stopping by the gas station before going to see Johnny and Dally in the hospital, Randy and his gang of Socs came by in the car to see Ponyboy. Only Randy wanted to talk to Ponyboy about him and Johnny saving those kids from the fire. Randy didn’t think that a greaser would do risk their lives to help someone else. Then he talks about how sick and tired he was of people getting hurt or even killed. He said that “you can’t win, even if you whip us. You’ll still be the lucky one with all the breaks. So it doesn’t do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn’t prove a thing. We forget it if you win, or if you don’t. Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs. (117)” This a interesting point that Randy made and I think he realizes after the death of his best friend, who was killed by Johnny, that fighting or killing doesn’t solve anything. It will cost or damage more lives for no reason except for hatred and revenge, which isn’t right.

Oh Censorship...

Molly Walsh

Post 3 (for the Outsiders)

January 10, 2012

            There are many reasons why The Outsiders could have been banned.  There was a lot of drinking, smoking, and mention of dirty talk in it.  There were also vast amounts of violence that dripped off of every page.  It was a book that I could see restrictive parents not allowing because they would want to shelter their kid.  I’m not saying that this book should be read to kindergarteners on their first day of school, but if a middle school, or high school student wished to read it, it would be a bit ridiculous if the book was banned.  Sure there are violent scenes, mention of weapons and underage drinking.  I guess people may have been so caught up in the bad parts that frankly weren’t even that bad.  They failed to see an underlying theme of how those actions in the book were not shown positively. 

            The Outsiders talks about violence, drinking, and people with a lack of education but it for sure doesn’t endorse any of those things.  Instead, the book portrays the negative effects on violence and the harsh realities that could result.   For some reason a parents like to censor certain things to keep their kids from experiencing the real world.  It would be important for the students to see how drinking, and violent behaviors could result in serious consequences.  Through this book, children and young adults could learn many lessons about how violence, revenge, underage drinking, and being a part of a gang are not things to be desired.  Johnny’s life was ruined by his violent actions, and so was Dally’s.  Some of the boys did not really have an education, but in the book it was disappointing to see someone a dropout.  It was not something that was encouraged or shown in a positive light. 

            Though it is clear why this book could have been censored, but it is a bit ridiculous that it actually was because students could gain much more from reading it than they could be sheltered from it.

2nd post for the Outsider-Banned Book

I agree that one of the themes of the book is innocence or lost if innocence since they realize after the death of one of Socs, the dark side of the humans. Both Johnny and Ponyboy were innocence kids until the tragic night when their innocence was lost. They didn’t want anyone to get killed and now they are fill with guilt.

Some people in the United States would consider The Outsiders a banned book because of the gang violence, strong language, and underage drinking and smoking. Some adults think that this book should be banned because they don’t want the children to be influence to do what are bad things to do at their age since in the book, where some underage characters like Ponyboy drinks and smokes. Minors aren’t even allowed to drink till 21 years of age and smoke till 18 years of age. Including that the book contains gang violence which also is a bad influence for minors because it might seem cool to join a gang like in the book but in today’s world, it’s not a good idea to join a gang since they cause a lot of trouble. Like on 54, Johnny and Ponyboy were alone in their territory at night when the Socs drove up and want to pick on Johnny and Ponyboy since they were greasers. But at this time the Socs were a little drunk, so they wanted to give payback. They took Ponyboy and started drowning him in a fountain, then Johnny stabbed a Socs with his switchblade to save Ponyboy from drowning. This event all started because the Socs were under the influence of drinking and knowing that Greasers for their enemies became more violent with Johnny and Ponyboy. This show how minor got drunk and can result in behavior that is violent. Overall, the adult think it isn’t appropriate for minors since it can be a bad influence with all the gang violence, swearing, drinking, and smoking involving minors in the book.

That Ironic Twist

Molly Walsh

Post 2 (for the Outsiders)

January 9, 2012

            It was made clear in The Outsiders that the cycle of violence had continued and it brought more than a bloody nose and a Band-Aid to the boys involved.  The fight between Ponyboy, Johnny, and the Socs was so tragic because it ended really horribly and it caused many lives to be ruined for no good reason. 

            The Socs leaped on the chance to attack greasers and when Johnny realized the Soc who was standing in front of him was the same one who beat him up in the past, he had no mercy towards the guy.  Sadly, the animosity and the fighting went too far and Johnny ended up killing his former assailant with a switch blade.  Johnny made it clear that he wasn’t going to be attacked anymore.  Talk about irony.  Johnny taking down the person who did pretty much the same to him some time before.  That was a real turning point where the hatred between the Greasers and the Socs went way too far.  Johnny pushed the cycle of violence to the extreme and it ended up blowing his life into pieces.

            That fight scene showed how much hatred, violence, and retaliation can do so much damage to people’s lives and how it can even end them.  Johnny and Ponyboy’s lives would never be the same after the fight, but not in a good way.  Johnny has so much guilt for what he did, and it was unclear about how he was going to deal with what he done and how his life would go.  After the disastrous fight, Johnny would never have a normal life.  Assuming he didn’t go to jail, he would be stuck in the poverty cycle and would never really have a chance to get above his unfortunate childhood and abusive home.  And as for the person who was killed, he would have no future at all. 

           

Here’s a theme that I found:

Innocence:  Johnny and Ponyboy lost something that night that they would never be able to get back:  their innocence.  Their soul got a bit heavier, and they were no longer had a carefree minds.  They got opened up to the harshness to the world and they crossed a point in their life from which they would never return.  They had more knowledge about the dark side of the world and hopefully they will be able to move on and that Johnny can somehow redeem himself for what he did.

To come next:  That old abandoned barn stuff

1st post for The Outsider--Socs and Greasers

I agree that the Pony is a very interesting character that makes the book so much interesting that you don’t want to put it down. I would personal wouldn’t want a life as a greaser because it is dangerous in way like you could jump by the socs for no reason just cause of being a Greaser. Then after being jump you have to watch your back every step you have to take. Even though a life of a Greaser can be scary because you could get jumped by the Socs and get beaten up pretty bad and take part in fight, but it can have be fun to be a Greaser too. As I see it in their shoes, it just seems complicated and a crazy life style.

The story takes place during a time where there these classes called the Socs and the Greasers that people especially teens in high school use to define who they are. The Greasers are the one from the east side of town that are “almost like the hook; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas station and have a gang fight once and a while” (3). They also appeared to have long hair and dress with blue jeans, T-shirts, leave shirttails out, leather jackets, tennis shoes, and/or boots. They were given the name Greasers because kids from the East-side aren’t has good compared to the kids on the rich side. Unlike the Socs, they live in the West-side of town where the rich kids live. They think they are better than everyone else and can do anything they want. They also judge people a lot especially kids from the east-side.

People will define themselves or people will define for you of who they are based on where they live and where they mostly hangout the most, like Ponyboy. He joined the Greasers because he wanted a family. People would think the greasers are the bad ones compared to the Socs since the Socs appear better compared to the Greasers. They are trying to discover were they belong in their society but during these times it was hard to choose where you belong in society. In these times it is most properly for teens to be Socs and Greasers. That’s why socs and greasers were created in this society, to provide a place of somewhere to belong and it was the thing to do during this time as well.

These different classes of Socs and Greasers collide with each other a lot causing a lot of trouble in their society. They are similar to gangs in our society today and during those times they were considers gangs because all the trouble they cause in the town.

Post 1--The Dysfunctional Cycle

Molly Walsh

Post 1 (for the Outsiders)

January 5, 2012

            Ponyboy is one of those characters who are just so relatable and so interesting, that it makes the book, The Outsiders, one that I don’t want to put down.  He makes it so easy to dive right into his world and live all of the events of the book as if I was standing next to him.  Not many books do that and that is why I love this one so much.

            While reading, I tried to imagine living the life that all of the Greasers lived.  There would always be threats of fights and craziness constantly.  I thought in some ways it would be interesting to be in their shoes, but it would also be really scary.  Life with the Greasers would always be adventurous and there would never be a dull moment.  But, their lives are not just fun and games, not by any stretch of the imagination.  The boys in the story always had to be concerned for their safety, or else they could get beaten up like Johnny was.  On page 11 Ponyboy describes Johnny being beaten up by a group of Socs.  It seemed that Johnny never got over the attack and that is actually kind of tragic.  I would not want to live a life where I had to constantly watch my back to make sure a Soc wasn’t going to stab me with a switch blade.  The sometimes violent life of the boys seems it would get very tough and not a healthy situation to be in.  The boys seem to be thick skinned and they can handle the mean streets of whatever town they live in.

            Here is a theme I found in the book, there are many more to follow:

Revenge:  From pages 55-56 there was a dramatic and dreadful fight that involved Johnny, Ponyboy and two socs.  Johnny quickly realized that one of the soc boys was the one who almost killed him the last time they met.  Johnny went on to be ruthless towards the soc.  Johnny had a desire to put all the pain he felt from his previous attack into this outburst toward the assailant.  It seemed he had so much rage and so much sadness in him that he needed to get it out and in his desire to get even, Johnny ended up killing his attacker.

            Johnny’s compulsion to get revenge was prevalent and because of his revenge, led to most of the later events of the book.  It also seems that Johnny wasn’t the only one who had feelings of animosity to the socs.  There was a sort of dysfunctional cycle between the two groups that fueled the fire.  Because the socs and greasers hated one another, one group attacked another.  When the attacked group saw the attacking group again, they decided to retaliate and the cycle repeated itself.