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The Outsiders, a la Shmoop. Back in the 17th Century, John Donne wrote
that “no man is an island.” We think he meant it figuratively, but we’ve
tried contacting him to confirm and he won’t return our calls.
Anyway, he did have a point. We human beings kinda like each other’s
company. We join clubs . . .
. . . and groups that share our interests., , ,
. . . all so we can avoid being alone. In The Outsiders, Ponyboy, Sodapop, and their
friends . . . . . . are part of a gang called The Greasers.
And since belonging to a gang doesn’t exactly increase your life expectancy . . .
. . . or make you more popular . . . . . . or make your life easier . . .
. . . we have to ask the question: Why would anyone ever want to join one?
Well, being part of a gang may feel like being part of a family . . .
. . . even if it’s a dangerous one. And any family . . .
. . . is better than no family. Or maybe a gang’s biggest attraction is
protection. Pony and his friends lived in a dangerous
area . . . . . . patrolled by a rival gang called the
Socials. If they didn’t look to each other for protection
. . . . . . the Socials might find a way to be,
dare we say, unsociable. And while some people in tough situations
have the strength to go it on their own . . . . . . most of us have trouble resisting a
steady stream of peer pressure . . . . . .especially if we’re feeling hopeless
. . . . . . or bored . . .
. . . or confused. And even though we’re aware real gangs don’t
look anything like these happy hoodlums . . . . . . they might still look better than any
other option around. So if gangs offer a sense of family . . .
. . . loyalty . . . . . . and friendship . . .
. . . maybe the reasons for joining a club like this one . . .
. . . or a club like this one…
… aren’t as different as you might think. So what do you think? Do the pros outweigh
the cons? Shmoop amongst yourselves.