Natthanicha Ruangrat

Nicha

English 9

11/10/19

People’s identity

Although the cases of Ponyboy and Dally in The Outsiders suggest that a person’s

identity is uniquely shaped by their surroundings, Chris, in Stand by Me, shows that some

individuals can overcome this influence.

In S.E. Hinton novel The Outsiders, Ponyboy and Dally have different personality and

identity as it is shaped by their surroundings. Throughout the book, the main character,

Ponyboy Curtis, was introduced as the outcast of the gang, as Ponyboy himself has said “I’m

not like them...I thought I was the only person in the world that did. So I loned it” (Hinton 2).

This demonstrates how Ponyboy didn’t mind being different from the rest of the gang and

with Sodapop understanding him, he keeps on being the same without changing his identity.

Ponyboy likes to do things differently from the other Greasers, he watches the sunset, reads

books and loves going to the movies. He doesn't believe in fighting unless it is self-defense.

Unlike the other Greasers, he doesn't fight out of hatred, or pride, or for fun, like Sodapop.

Ponyboy is dreamy and artistic, unlike the other Greasers. Once, after Ponyboy was jumped

by the Socs, Darry complains and holler at Ponyboy “[have] you ever use your head for

common sense?” (Hinton 13) as he doesn't think of carrying a knife or other weapon around

with him. His identity is uniquely shaped by his surroundings as he is surrounded by people

who care about him such as Johnny and both of his brothers, Sodapop and Darry. Ponyboy’s

identity is different from Dally as how they are surrounded differently with different

influences.
 Dally’s identity was uniquely shaped by his surroundings. As Ponyboy was

surrounded by family and care, Dally was surrounded by fight and crime. Before moving to

Tulsa, Oklahoma he spent three years on the wild side of New York, participating in all gang

fights and has been arrested at the age of ten. In the book, Ponyboy has first introduced us to

Dally as “His eyes were blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world...He was

tougher than the rest of us--- tougher, colder, meaner” (Hinton 10). Dally’s identity is unlike

the other Greasers but not like Ponyboy, he is "hardened... beyond caring" (Hinton 59).

Comparing his identity to Ponyboy’s identity with the gang, Dally was the leader. He started

in the fight and participate in the rumble. He robs store, booze and gets arrested. Dally can be

violent and impulsive, but he genuinely cares about Johnny. In the book, the side character

Johnny looks up to Dally as he is "real," to the point of almost "hero-worship" (Hinton 76). It

is alway Dally who will help Johnny and Ponyboy when they are in trouble. Throughout the

book Johnny was the only one that Dally care for, Johnny was the only connection between

Dally and the gang. With Johnny passed away in the book, Dally goes crazy and suicide by

robbing the grocery store and got shot in the head by the cops.

As well as Stand By Me, Chris’s identity was shaped by his surrounding but later on,

he was able to overcome this influence. Chris was surrounded in a situation where whatever

he does, right or wrong, people will judge him as the bad guy. On the search for the body,

Chris has told Gordie a story about how he was treated differently while crying late at night.

He said it wasn’t fair how he was blamed for things he did not do. Chris was a smart kid as

Gordie has said that Chris can come to the course to study with him, but Chris denial. He said

that people wouldn’t accept and allow him to be something else that what they assume him to

be: mean, dumb and a brat. But as he grew up he overcomes that influence and becomes

successful. With the help of Gordie, Chris ignores all the failure people around him expect
him to be and tries his best to achieve his goal. Later on, he attends the course study with

Gordie and move out of the town and become a successful lawyer in the future.

In conclusion, people’s identities can be uniquely shaped by the people and places

that surround them but in some cases, some individuals can overcome this influence. As

readers can see that each character's identity got the effect in different ways as to how the

character is surrounded.