The+Outsiders+Character+Essay+ML15

Character Essay

Ponyboy Curtis is a member in a gang in the book //The Outsiders// by S.E. Hinton. He and his friends face many problems throughout the story. Luckily, Ponyboy powers through them, with the help of his friends of course. Pony isn't like most of the other boys in the gang, he is intelligent, sweet, and brave.

Ponyboy is an intelligent young man. He gets good grades in school, he is even in the higher classes with the Socs. Sometimes, though, he just doesn't use his head."...sometimes I just don't use my head. It drives my brother Darry nuts when I do stuff like that, 'cause I'm supposed to be smart; I make good grades and have a high IQ and everything, but I don't use my head." ( Hinton, 4) Pony is smart in school, it is obvious that he gets good grades, he has a high IQ, he's just very forgetful sometimes. Darry gets mad at him because, when Pony doesn't use his head, he gets himself into trouble sometimes. When Pony gets himself in trouble, there is a chance that Ponyboy and Sodapop will be forced to live in a boys home away from Darry, that is why Darry gets so worried about Pony using his head. Darry cares about Pony a lot, like any brother would, but just like all brothers they get into fights sometimes.

You could also describe Pony as sweet. He is usually nice to everyone, especially towards Cherry. "What's a nice, smart kid like you running around with trash like that for?". (Hinton, 23) That's what Cherry said to Pony at the movie theater. Pony was sweet to her and stood up for her with Johnny against Dally. Unlike the rest of the boys in the gang, Pony isn't as tough. He has a softer, sweeter side, well, as long as you stay on his good side. The Socs have obviously gotten on his bad side, so he fights back. Toward Cherry he was nice and sweet, when Randy was acting nice toward him, he acted nice to Randy. Just like towards the end of the book when he asks the boys why they like to fight, Pony sees no reason to fight. Some of the boys in the gang fight because they have nothing better to do, others fight because they want to show off, or some fight because they think that it is fun, Pony doesn't see any reason for it.

Pony has a smart and sweet, soft side, but he is also very brave. He goes through a lot! He faces two of his friends' deaths while still getting over his parents' death and living with his older brother that he thinks doesn't like him, and to top it all off, he was rejected by Cherry. Mentally and emotionally he is very strong and brave. Physically he is also brave, he risked his life to rescue some kids out of a burning building. "You are the three bravest kids I know." (Hinton, 95). Mr. O'Briant told pony that after he and Johnny rescued the kids out of the burning building and then Dally went in to rescue Johnny.He was able to face all of those problems. He even risked his life to save some kids that he didn't even know. He lost two friends in one night, while not even being all the way back to health, some people wouldn't be able to handle being in this situation, like Dally.

Ponyboy is an intelligent, sweet, and brave young man. He is smart, even when he forgets to use his head sometimes, sweet to everyone who doesn't get on his bad side, and brave, rescuing kids out of a burning building without a moment of hesitation. Ponyboy learns that there is good and bad in this world, but you just have to power through it. Luckily, you will always have friends there to help you along the way.