The Outsiders Themes - LitCharts

The Outsiders Introduction + Context Plot Summary Detailed Summary & Analysis Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Themes All Themes Divided Communities Empathy Preserving Childhood Innocence Self-Sacrifice and Honor Individual Identity Quotes Characters All Characters Ponyboy Curtis Darry Curtis Johnny Cade Dallas Winston Cherry Valance Symbols All Symbols Sunsets and Sunrises Greaser Hair The Blue Mustang Literary Devices All Literary Devices Alliteration Allusions Flashbacks Foreshadowing Genre Hyperbole Imagery Metaphors Mood Setting Similes Style Tone Download PDF Download Teacher Edition Sign In Sign up for A+ AI Tools

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Sign In Sign up for A+ Sign up Introduction Intro Plot Summary Plot Summary & Analysis

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12

Themes

• All Themes
• Divided Communities
• Empathy
• Preserving Childhood Innocence
• Self-Sacrifice and Honor
• Individual Identity

Quotes Characters

• All Characters
• Ponyboy Curtis
• Darry Curtis
• Johnny Cade
• Dallas Winston
• Cherry Valance

Symbols

• All Symbols
• Sunsets and Sunrises
• Greaser Hair
• The Blue Mustang

Lit Devices

• All Literary Devices
• Alliteration
• Allusions
• Flashbacks
• Foreshadowing
• Genre
• Hyperbole
• Imagery
• Metaphors
• Mood
• Setting
• Similes
• Style
• Tone

Theme Wheel Theme Viz Download this Chart (PDF) Download the Teacher Edition Download this Chart (PDF)

Previous Chapter 12

The Outsiders Themes

Next Divided Communities

Themes and Colors LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Outsiders, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.

Divided Communities

Ponyboy stands in the middle of two major conflicts: the conflict between the Socs and greasers, and the conflict between Ponyboy and Darry within the Curtis family. In the gang conflict, the novel shows how the two groups focus on their differences—they dress differently, socialize differently, and hang out with different girls—and how this focus on superficial differences leads to hate and violence. Yet the novel also shows how the two groups depend on their…

read analysis of Divided Communities

Empathy

Empathy, the ability to see things through another person's perspective, is central to the resolution of both the gang and the family conflict in The Outsiders. The two gangs' preoccupation with the appearance and class status of their rivals underscores the superficiality of their mutual hostility, which thrives on stereotypes and prejudice. Certain characters can see past the stereotypes, however. When Cherry befriends Ponyboy at the drive-in and insists that "things are rough all…

read analysis of Empathy

Preserving Childhood Innocence

The Outsiders shows the importance of preserving the hope, open-mindedness, and appreciation of beauty that are characteristic of childhood. Ponyboy's daydreams about the country, his appreciation of sunrises and sunsets, and his rescue of the children from the burning church distinguish him from other characters in the novel. These traits show that Ponyboy, unlike the other boys, still has preserved some of his childhood innocence. They also allow him to see beyond the shallow…

read analysis of Preserving Childhood Innocence Get the entire The Outsiders LitChart as a printable PDF. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S. Download

Self-Sacrifice and Honor

Despite the greasers' reputation as heartless young criminals, they live by a specific and honorable code of friendship, and there are many instances in which gang and family members make selfless choices. These choices often reflect a desire to make life better for the next generation of youths. Darry forfeited a college scholarship for a full-time manual labor job in order to support his younger brothers. Dally, who seems not to care about anything…

read analysis of Self-Sacrifice and Honor

Individual Identity

Both the Socs and the greasers sacrifice their individuality to the styles and sentiments of their groups. Greasers, for example, wear their hair long and oiled, and share a common hostility toward the Socs.

At the start of the novel, Ponyboy is a dedicated greaser even though he knows that certain aspects of his personality make him different from the rest of the gang. The gang provides him with too great of a sense of…

read analysis of Individual Identity Previous Chapter 12 Previous Chapter 12 Next Divided Communities Next Divided Communities Cite This Page Close Company About Us Our Story Support Help Center Contact Us Connect Facebook Twitter Legal Terms of Service Privacy Policy Privacy Request Home About Contact Help LitCharts, a Learneo, Inc. business Copyright © 2025 All Rights Reserved Terms Privacy Privacy Request Save time. Stress less. Sign up!

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