The Outsiders by Jonah

Jonahof Chicago's entry into Varsity Tutor's May 2017 scholarship contest

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Jonah of Chicago, IL
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The Outsiders by Jonah - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

One book that has influenced is The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. I read this book when I was in 7th grade and loved it from the start. It is the story of a group of kids who are in a gang in a neighborhood that is not of the highest quality. They are rivals with a gang called the Socs who are very wealthy. Before reading the novel, I felt that people in gangs were too lazy to do something with their lives. I did not feel that they cared about anything other than cigarettes and getting into trouble with the law. When reading this book, I discovered that there is more to their lives. One character named Dally is perceived as lazy and rude. By the end of the novel, Dally is seen as a good friend. It turns out that he cares more than just himself. He cries when he sees Johnny in the fire because he cares a lot about him. He does everything he can to save his friends.
The other part about the gang is how they are all alone. Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy do not have their parents with them. It is very difficult for them. They do not have an adult figure to depend on. When I would see people like the Curtis family, I felt that they were lazy and did not care about anything. It turns out that they are very protective of their family and their gang. Everyone in the gang looks out for each other. I did not think that they cared about anything but themselves. That is the impact The Outsiders had on me.

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