Table of ContentsIntroductionChallenging Stereotypes in The OutsidersPonyboy: How He ChangesConclusionReferencesIntroductionSunsets are beautiful. It allows us to breathe and reflect on both the roses and the thorns that life throws at us. It's no wonder the characters in this story love and mention them so much. The novel The Outsiders by SE Hinton is a fictional story about two rival gangs in Oklahoma who may see the same beautiful sunset but nevertheless experience the world in different ways. The rivalry between the Greasers and the Socs turns violent and Ponyboy Curtis is left behind to tell us his story. We see how each character struggles with the challenges of being young and being trapped in limited social expectations. The theme that stereotypes don't always define who you are is developed in this story when Ponyboy and Johnny heroically save children from a burning church, when Cherry decides to help the Greasers, and when Randy has a heart-to-heart with Ponyboy. to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games shouldn't be banned'? Get the original essay Challenging stereotypes in The Outsiders The theme that stereotypes don't always define who you are is developed when Ponyboy and Johnny decide to risk their lives and save children. of a burning church. What readers need to know is that they were running from the police because Johnny killed Soc Bob. They spent a week hiding in an abandoned church before Dally came to visit them. When they left to look for food, they came back to a burning church and realized they may have started the fire. In this moment, they do not decide to flee, they decide instead to save the children. In chapter 6, Jerry tells Ponyboy, "Mrs. O'Briant and I think you were sent straight from heaven" (Hinton 95). What's happening right now is Ponyboy trying to explain to Jerry that he's a thug, someone who doesn't deserve such praise. Most people looked at him and thought he was a thug or a thief, but Jerry didn't see him that way. This moment illustrates how stereotypes don't always define you because Ponyboy didn't fit the stereotype of a violent and uncaring Greaser. In reality, he and Johnny were good people and Jerry recognized who they were based on their heroic actions, not their appearance. Another example that supports this theme is when a girl that Ponyboy likes, shows him that she is not what she seems. Ponyboy: How Does He Change The theme that stereotypes cannot define a person is developed when Cherry decides to help the Greasers. What readers need to know is that Cherry is a Soc while Ponyboy is a Greaser. When she learns that Ponyboy and Johnny are on the run because they killed Bob, she decides to do the right thing by telling the police what really happened and acting as a spy against her own gang. In Chapter 8, Cherry tells Ponyboy, “'I wasn't trying to give you charity, Ponyboy. I only wanted to help. » (Hinton 129). What's happening right now is that Ponyboy got angry at Cherry and called her a traitor. He was upset by everything that had happened and took it out on her. Even though Cherry was sad about Bob's death, that didn't mean she agreed with his actions. She cared about Ponyboy's well-being. This illustrates the theme that stereotypes are not always correct because Cherry chooses to do what., 1967.