I.

Catchy Title : Morality against Conformity in The Outsiders

II. Paragraph 1 : Introduction
A. Hook – Do you think morality is important to our lives?
B. Author – S.E. Hinton
C. Title – The Outsiders
D. Short Summary
The story of gangs called greasers and socs stated about friendship, family,
violent, discrimination and morality.
E. Thesis Statement
Having Johnny save Ponyboy from socs, decide to surrender himself, and rescue
the children, S.E. Hinton shows that morality is important than conformity.
III. Paragraph 2 : First body paragraph
A. Topic sentence (Argument from your 1 reason in the thesis statement)
When the situation gone wrong, the socs attack Johnny and Ponyboy; Ponyboy was
ducked by the soc named Bob, to save Ponyboy from socs, Johnny killed Bob.
B. Information (Context or background the reader needs to understand your evidence and
analysis)
Ponyboy was arguing with his brother due to he went back home late. He ran away from
his house and went to Johnny while they were talking to each other at the lots, the socs
attacked them. Bob ducked Ponyboy, and Johnny decided to stab him to save Ponyboy.
1. Who says it?
Johnny
2. What’s happening in the text when they say it?
Ponyboy was afraid and shocked to know that Johnny has killed tat soc while Johnny
tried to find the way to get out of trouble. He also wanted Ponyboy to go back home,
because he did not do anything wrong.
C. Quote from the text (cited appropriately)
“You really killed him, huh, Johnny?”
“Yeah, I had to. They were drowning you, Pony. They might have killed you. And they
had a blade… they were going to beat me up…” (Pg.57 / Line 5-8)
D. Analysis of the quote: How does it prove your thesis?

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 The absence of morality due to the concerned situation, Johnny had to kill Bob for self-
defensing.
E. Transition sentence (Wrap up the paragraph and preview the next paragraph)
This consequence determine about the absence of morality which led Johnny to the worse
situation. However, throughout the story, Johnny also made decision with moral that
made a huge change to the story.
IV. Paragraph 3 : Second body paragraph
A. Topic sentence (Argument from your 1 reason in the thesis statement)
Johnny has decided to surrender himself due to he did not want Ponyboy to stick with
him forever while his brother; Darry and Sodapop were worrying about him.
B. Information (Context or background the reader needs to understand your evidence and
analysis)
After Johnny went to Dally to ask for help, he went away with Ponyboy. The old church
at Windrixville is the place that Dally suggested them to hide there. They stayed there for
five days, and Dally came to visit them. While they were eating lunch, Johnny said that
he would like to turn himself in.
1. Who says it?
Johnny
2. What’s happening in the text when they say it?
Ponyboy was surprised, but Dally kind of did not want him to turn back, but Johnny
said that it was not fair for Ponyboy and their brothers.
C. Quote from the text (cited appropriately)
“We’re going back and turn ourselves in.” It was Dally turned to gag. Then he
swore awhile. Then he turned to Johnny and demanded: “What?” “I said we’re going
back and turn ourselves in,” Johnny repeated in a quiet voice. I was surprised, but not
shocked. I had thought about turning us in lots of times, but apparently the whole idea
was a jolt to Dallas. (Pg. 87 / Line 4-11)

“You sure you want to go back? Us greasers get it worse than anyone else.”
Johnny nodded. “I’m sure. It ain’t fair for Ponyboy to have to stay up in that church with
Darry and Soda worrying about him all the time.” (Pg. 87 / Line 27-31)

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 D. Analysis of the quote: How does it prove your thesis?
When Johnny decided to surrender himself, he has thought carefully, and he cared about
the right, fair and his friend more than himself. (The present of morality)
E. Transition sentence (Wrap up the paragraph and preview the next paragraph)
This consequence shows that when you care about others and do the thing that you
should do, it might not the best way for yourself, but you would feel great to deal with the
truth. As the next paragraph will demonstrate more influences of morality to the
character.
V. Paragraph 4 : Third body paragraph
A. Topic sentence (Argument from your 1 reason in the thesis statement)
Johnny and Ponyboy decided to get into the burning church to help the children.
B. Information (Context or background the reader needs to understand your evidence and
analysis)
After they finished lunch, they came back to the church to collect their stuff, but when
they saw a lot of smoke from the church that they used to hide, and teachers that took
children for a trip told them that there were some children that were disappeared. They
suddenly got into the burning church to help them. At last, Johnny got injured and died,
but he thought it was worth to help those children, and it worth to do things for other; that
made him did not feel worthless anymore.
1. Who says it?
Ponyboy, Johnny, Teachers
2. What’s happening in the text when they say it?
The female teacher was worrying about the missing children. So, Johnny and
Ponyboy get into the church while Jerry; the teacher was trying to stop them.

C. Quote from the text (cited appropriately)

The doctor came in a while ago but I knew anyway, I keep getting tireder and tireder. Listen,
I don’t mind dying now. It’s worth it. It was worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth than
mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came by to thank me and I know it was
worth it. (Pg.178 / Line 18-23)

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C. Analysis of the quote: How does it prove your thesis?
Johnny has written that it was worth to help those kids, so even though he died from the
condition, but he was willing to do it due to the morality, although other greasers would
definitely not decide to help those children.
D. Transition sentence (Wrap up the paragraph and preview the next paragraph)
This paragraph shows that the decision with morality might not led to the best way of
most comfortable way, but the right decision will not harm any people and you will be
pleased to do the right things.
VI. Conclusion : the fifth paragraph
A. Restate your thesis (make the same argument w/ different words)
B. Briefly summarize your body paragraphs
C. Clincher (the “knockout punch”, the last chance to show your reader that you are correct;
it summarized the entire paper)

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Morality against Conformity in The Outsiders

Do you think morality is important to our lives? For Johnny; a greaser boy, who has
black eyes like a little puppy in The Outsiders; the story of gangs called greasers and socs written
by S.E. Hinton, has lived his life pointlessly. When the situation was changed, and he needed to
resolve them, morality is the necessary factor that led him to make the decisions. The
consequences will express how morality influences the action of Johnny against conformity. By
having Johnny save Ponyboy from socs, decide to surrender himself, and rescue the children,
S.E. Hinton shows that morality is important than conformity.

Hinton uses the condition that Johnny was in concerned situation to reinforce the rapid
decision based on morality. In chapter 3 of “The Outsiders”, Ponyboy was quarrelling with his
brother, Darrel, due to he went back home late. He ran away from his house and went to Johnny.
When they were talking to each other at the lots, the socs attacked them. Bob – one of the socs –
ducked Ponyboy’s head into the fountain, and Johnny stabbed him to save Ponyboy. In the text
Johnny was asked by Ponyboy and he replied; “You really killed him, huh, Johnny?” “Yeah, I
had to. They were drowning you, Pony. They might have killed you. And they had a blade…
they were going to beat me up.” (Pg.57), this part details that Johnny chose to help Ponyboy even
though he might get hurt. As a result, Johnny did not mean to kill Bob, but it was self-defense,
and he made the right decision to help Ponyboy.

In Chapter 6, the act of Johnny decided to surrender himself represented morality against the
conformity due to most of the greasers preferred to get away. After Johnny went to Dally to ask
for help, he went away with Ponyboy. The old church in Windrixville is the place that Dally
suggested them to hide. There was enough time to let them think what they should do to make it
better. After five days, Dally came to visit them. He brought a letter from Ponyboy’s brother; in
the letter mentioned about how much they were worrying about what was happened, they wanted
to see Ponyboy. While they were talking to each other, Johnny suddenly said that he would like
to turn himself in; “You sure you want to go back? Us greasers get it worse than anyone else.”
Johnny nodded. “I’m sure. It ain’t fair for Ponyboy to have to stay up in that church with Darry
and Soda worrying about him all the time.” (Pg.87). As can be seen that when Johnny decided to
surrender himself, he has thought carefully, and he cared about the right, fairness and his friend
more than himself while greasers like Dallas did not desire to deal with the problem.

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 Through the action of Johnny got into the burning church to help the children, Hinton
examines doing the right things is better than doing what everybody else is doing, regardless of
what is right. After they finished lunch, they came back to the church to collect their stuff, but
when they saw a lot of smoke from the church that they used to hide, and teachers that took
children for a trip told them that there were some children that were disappeared. They suddenly
got into the burning church to help them without considering the objection. At last, Johnny died,
because he was injured from helping the kids. He has written a letter for Ponyboy; I keep getting
tireder and tireder. Listen, I don’t mind dying now. It’s worth it. It was worth saving those
children. Their lives are worth than mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came
by to thank me and I know it was worth it. (Pg.178). As shown above, Johnny got injured and
died, but he thought it was worth to help those children and it worth to do the right things for
others; that made he did not feel worthless anymore.

All in all, every situation establishes that morality is doing what is right, regardless of
what everybody else is doing – conformity. As Johnny’s decision to act what he was thinking
was right, although others might prefer not to act like him; included helping Ponyboy from socs,
deciding to surrender himself and helping children from the burning church. He thought it was
worth it—worth it to find the happiness of his life.

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