A Real Family

            Authors Note: I this is a piece I wrote on to explain what family really is. With help from the book The Outsiders.

Everybody could have a definition of family. Most people think it is the people like your mom and dad, but some people might not consider that you can have people in your family that are not related to you. In the book The Outsiders by SE Hinton, Ponyboy was raised by his brothers and other boys in a group called the greasers so he did not have a mom and dad.

My family is the people I was raised with. My mom, dad and my sister live with me all my life. But does it have to be the people I am related too. Some people who do not have parents or no siblings might have been raised by other people who would have cared just as much as my family. I don’t think you have to be related to be in your family. A real family consists of the people who love you.

Johnny, who is Ponyboy’s best friend, was raised by the greasers instead of his parents. His dad abused him and his mom did not do anything about it so he turned to the greasers. Dally cared for him a lot, almost like a loving dad or big brother. A similar thing happened to Ponyboy and his brothers. Their parents died in an accident, so the oldest brother Darry, raised his brothers himself with the help of other members of the greasers. Dally and the rest of the gang was always there for Johnny and Ponyboy.

The movie The Blindside is another example. A boy was on the streets and got taken in by a wealthy family. The family started assuming him as another son apposed to be referred as an adopted boy.

"That was the first time I realized the extent of Johnny's hero-worship for Dallas Winston." I think this quote best represents the family theme because even though Dally and Johnny are not related, the still treat each other as their family.

In conclusion a family is not just your dad or brother but it is the people who help raise you or are always there to help you. The Outsiders demonstrates this theme perfectly with Johnny and Ponyboy being raised by the greasers.

Themes of Our Lives

Authors note: I wrote this to explain a critical theme from the book The Outsiders and if the theme effects the real world.

           

     The book “The Outsiders” has an important theme which is to not judge other people, but what does this have to do with the Real world. The main character, Ponyboy was judged a lot because he is part of the greasers. It does have to do with the real world and it teaches people to not judge a book by its cover.

             

     Many people judge others on how they look, like if a boy is wearing big glasses, everybody would think he is a nerd. In the book, the soc’s try to hurt Ponyboy just because he is a greaser. I think is the soc’s got to know him like how Cherry did, they would not try to target him. Everybody in the book besides the greasers, think that the greasers are trouble makers that rob stores. But if you got to know them you would know that some greasers are harmless like Ponyboy.

             

     Like Ponyboy, I am misjudged too. I look like a person who only has a interest in learning and nothing else, but I hate learning and I love sports. I look like I do not like sports because of the way I look like (glasses, curly hair, very tall and slim). Even a trouble maker like Dally is misjudged by the public. Dally is misjudged too, for example he helps Ponyboy and Johnny and helps them so they don’t get into trouble like he did. Dally cared for Johnny especially because Dally seemed to of given up on life when Johnny died and in result Dally purposely killed himself.

           

     Being misjudged happens across everywhere and that is why this book had such a big effect on people. It help realize to dig deeper with someone and find out there real personality before you misjudge them.

The Outsiders, Chapter 3.5

     Author’s Note: This is an additional chapter after chapter 3 and, before 4 of the book, The Outsiders. I am doing this for my writing piece in language arts to achieve my goals. 
     
      I was not even thinking about how cold I was, the thought of Darry hitting me would haunt me forever. We were in total darkness and Johnny and my only companion was the street light on the corner. They walk to the Park at about 2:30 in the morning and they are all alone. We were running and all of a sudden we saw a blue mustang. It was bob and his friends.

     He was wearing lots of jewelry especially on his fingers. They got out and they were looking all drunk, I wanted to run away but, I knew I would be chased down by their mustang real easily. They were drunk, you could tell by the way they looked. They got out and went up to use and said “you guys are the most hated guys in America, no one likes you, not even your brother”.

     I gave Johnny the motion to run away from them because I thought we could actually run away. 1, because it is totally dark outside, and 2, they were out by use and they were drunk.

     As soon as Bob’s friend reached over to hit me we sprinted out of there as fast as we can without stumbling. We got out of the park and lost Bob and the Soc’s. But just before we did we heard a loud scream it was Bob he screamed louder then anyone has ever screamed before and said “I will kill you Ponyboy”.
    
     I felt nauseas but I had to keep going. I was never as afraid as I am now. Johnny was the same way. We can never be seen again, even if it means to actually run away.