PRESENTATION OUTLINE
What is symbolism?
Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
What does the church's burning symbolize?
The church, a symbol of haven for most symbolized death and sadness for Ponyboy. The church made him uneasy due to his earlier experiences. "I'd been in church before. I used to go all the time, even after Mom and Dad were gone. Then one Sunday I talked Soda into coming with Johnny and me. He didn't want to come unless Steve did, and Two-Bit decided he might as well come too. Dally was sleeping off a hangover, and Darry was working. When Johnny and I went, we sat in the back, trying to get something out of the sermon and avoiding the people, because we weren't dressed so sharp most of the time. Nobody seemed to mind, and Johnny and I really liked to go. But that day... well, Soda can't sit still long enough to enjoy a movie, much less a sermon. It wasn't long before he and Steve and Two-Bit were throwing paper wads at each other and clowning around, and finally Steve dropped a hymn book with a bang--- accidentally, of course. Everyone in the place turned around to look at us, and Johnny and I nearly crawled under the pews. And then Two-Bit waved at them.
I hadn't been to church since.
But this church gave me a kind of creepy feeling. What do you call it? Premonition?" (Hinton 58.) Ponyboy seemed to know that something bad was going to happen to his safe haven for a second time far before the church burned.
How does the burning church affect the characters?
The burning church's rafters break Johnny's back, leaving him in pain and then killing him. When Johnny dies because of his back, the main burning of the church leads to Dally's suicide. The church's burning affected me because I thought that someone would die in the burning. Eventually, Johnny kicked the bucket but it wasn't as painful and he died surrounded by people that he loved and that couldn't live without him.
What do Greasers' wounds symbolize?
During fights people get hurt often. However, the Socs' always look for a smart fight and bring weaponry, cars, and more fighters meaning the greasers are the ones sporting bloody limbs and broken bones.The scars and bruises represent the greasers' pride of their fights and being "tough" seeing that they display their wounds proudly. An example of that would be on page 11 where Two-Bit was complimenting Ponyboy.
"Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Nice-lookin' bruise you got there, kid."
I touched my cheek gingerly. "Really?"
Two-Bit nodded sagely. "Nice cut, too. Makes you look tough." (Hinton 11.)
How to the Greaser's wounds affect them?
The pain that the Socs have inflicted upon the Greasers' to give them scars makes some like Dally hard and others like Johnny on the brink of collapsing. The scars bring readers like me a sense of sadness knowing that crippling violence can still happen today. Older readers may feel emotional because in the 50's this may have happened to them too.
What does the fighting symbolize?
There are many fights in the Outsiders between Greasers and Socs. These incorporate a survival of the fittest theme into the book that Jack London used in his works of literature. "They moved in a circle under the light, counterclockwise, eyeing each other, sizing each other up, maybe remembering old faults and wondering if they were still there. The rest of us waited with mounting tension. I was reminded of Jack London's books--- you know, where the wolf pack waits in silence for one of two members to go down in a fight. But it was different here. The moment either one swung a punch, the rumble would be on." The fighting symbolizes the mindset that Socs and Greasers had. They both fought with the intensity of wolves and the same animalistic hate. The Socs fighting represents that they like having an advantage and will only think to save themselves if their 'pack' is in trouble. The Greaser's fighting represents that although they might be disadvantaged that they stick together no matter what.
How does the fighting affect the characters?
The fights give both Greasers and Socs an opportunity to be proud of the side that they are on. They can affect characters in many different ways depending on the intensity and frequency of the fights. According to the Greasers fist fights are a good way to blow off steam but, it is only okay up to a certain point. If someone pulls out a weapon then it becomes a real brawl.
In The Outsiders there are many symbols that represent different aspects of the novel to characters and readers alike. We have shown a few examples here but there are so many more that you can find in the novel that you might be able to relate to your own experiences. The Outsiders' symbolism means a lot and we hope that you enjoyed this presentation.
