“The Outsiders”
By: S.E. Hinton
Greaser versus Soc; more then labels a way of life.
Jane Doe
For: Ms. Quinn
Class: 7B
Date: March 12 2009
Grease versus Socs
The Greasers and the Socs are two sides to a very common battle that continues to be
waged even in today’s modern society. The Greasers are the blue collared working class, which
fights to have a voice in our world. The Socs have been birthed into a life of leisure and good
social standing.1 This is their ongoing conflict that is not isolated to the characters of S.E.
Hinton’s “The Outsiders”. The themes she touches upon throughout her classic novel are still
being discussed and fought for in the 21st century.2 The conflict of her theme can be seen in the
characters she develops, in the settings the events are place and in the events themselves.3 S.E.
Hinton chooses to portray a poignant view on the socio-economic structure, of the world she
create so closely to her own, that both the Greasers and the Socs choose to hold on to dearly as
their sole identity.
The lead male protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, clearly shows not only the stereotypes of
being from the class structure typical to a Greaser but also the conflict it can impose. Although
Ponyboy fits the part of a Greaser physically he is set apart with his intellectual capabilities.
These physical attributes are what Ponyboy uses to describe a typical Greaser in page 3 of the
novel. He states that every Greaser “wear(s) our hair long and dress in blue jeans and T-shirts, or
leave our shirttails out and wear leatherjackets and tennis shoes or boots”. Hinton makes stark
contrast in the physical appearance of her characters right from the beginning. The simple words
“Need a haircut, greaser?” and he is singled out by the Socs not for who he but for what social
class he is associated. Ponyboy has a very high IQ and makes good grades, which is not typical
for a Greaser, this has no bearing on the way he was treated by the Socs that day. He was simply
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lumped in the category of Greaser and that was enough to identify him as different from them and
a suitable target for their derogatory terms and actions.
The settings that helps to show a clear line placed between the social classes is at the drive
in. This setting is the perfect venue to showcase the socio-economic struggles that the Greasers
face. The ability to afford the price of admission is difficult for the average Greaser, many sneak
into the drive in. For those that can afford to pay for their own tickets they are then faced the need
to compete with the Socs top of the line ‘Corvairs’. The Socs glossy new vehicles are in definite
contrast to the ‘souped up’ old cars that the Greaser drives. This setting personifies the identity of
those that have versus those that have not. Their identity is solidified in the cars they drive, the
prices they can afford and everyone around them can clearly see the differences. The drive in is
suppose to be a place to sit back and escape the realities of life. In the case of Hinton’s “The
Outsider’s” it becomes a place where the division lines between the Greaser and the Socs socio
economic status become deeper and more defined.
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