Ponyboy Character Analysis Essay

Ponyboy

By Andrea Basile

Authors Note: This is a character analysis of Ponyboy, the main character in “The Outsiders.” I would like feed back if my ideas are clear and if I repeated things or got confusing in my word choice. Thanks!

          Ponyboy is caring and gentle, and a different type of greaser. Fitting in is everything, and sometimes people try to change for their friends, or groups. Like Ponyboy, he is even an outsider in his own gang because he is immensely different. His gang is into robbing things, fighting, being outgoing, swearing, and Ponyboy is just plainly into books. Ponyboy is a different kind of greaser.

In the gang you need to have one characteristic…and one characteristic only and that is “tough.”  When it comes to a fight, you do not cry, and you do not lose. On page 11, Ponyboy gets jumped, and then Darry comes. Ponyboy is sensitive, but he doesn’t want Darry to know that, “I felt hot tears running down my cheeks. I brushed them away impatiently…You don’t just cry in front of Darry.” Ponyboy tries to be tough in front of his older brother, because he doesn’t want anyone to think he’s soft. As you can see, he tries to hide and replace himself in the image he’s supposed to be.  You could also say that Ponyboy needs to grow up to be a man at an early age. He needs to accept the fact the he is a greaser. And greasers get jumped. Just in case he gets jumped, he needs to carry a knife around. Ponyboy also smokes already, because the rest of his gang does and he doesn’t know any better. So as you can see, Ponyboy is different, but he does get influenced by his gang as well.

Unlike the rest of the “greasers”, Ponyboy doesn’t enjoy fighting. Ponyboy is different. He likes to draw, watch the beautiful sunsets and read any book he can get his hands on. Ponyboy knows he is different too, as he stated in page one of the book “Nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do. I’m different that way.” The gang doesn’t judge him on who he really is, but they leave him out on fights, because sometimes they think he’s too fragile or soft. Ponyboy is fine with himself, he loves his “tough” greasy hair, and he’s totally okay with any book. But Ponyboy feels lonely sometimes. “For a while there, I thought I was the only person in the world that enjoyed books and movies. So I loned it.” He didn’t mind it though. He would rather watch a movie alone, than with one of his gang members. On page one he clearly says “When I see a movie with someone it’s kind of uncomfortable, like having someone read your book over your shoulder.” He is different that way.

Since Ponyboy is an outsider and he’s different than the rest of the greasers he reminds me of Greg Heffley in the book “Diary of a Whimpy Kid.” Greg is an outsider and, like Ponyboy, doesn’t have anyone that REALLY relates to him. Sure he has one close friend Rodney, like Ponyboy has Sodapop, but they don’t have the same feelings and interests. So both Rodney and Ponyboy are outsiders even when they’re with their friends. Another similarity between the two characters is they have one older brother that yells and is strict. Ponyboy and Greg both have different interests than the rest of their friends and family. These two characters are very similar.

As you can see, Ponyboy is different. He may think that different is bad…but it’s not. Being unique is better than being normal, or being what you’re “supposed” to be. I believe Ponyboy is strong because he believes in what he loves to do, and he doesn’t let anyone change him. Ponyboy doesn’t let people build him into the image he’s supposed to be. Being different lets him see the world in a different perspective, and in unique eyes. For example, Ponyboy loves to watch sunsets, because he thinks their beautiful and pure. The rest of the gang have probably never seen the beauty of a sunset and even if they did they wouldn’t take it in and would think anything of it. Ponyboy is not like the rest of his gang, nor is he a soc. He is his own and unique person. Ponyboy is a different kind of greaser.