The Dynamic Randy

Author’s Note: This is about how Randy Anderson of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a dynamic character because he changed over a period of time.


Just imagine, being at the top of your school, and best friends with the most popular teenager in the whole grade. Now, I want you to think about watching that friend get stabbed and killed by the opposite group, the greasers. Finally, vision the chance to get to know the greasers and actually find out that the groups are not that different. This is what Randy goes through in the short time in which the story takes place. Like I said before, he was at the top of the popularity chart, his friend got stabbed, and that was what finally changed him. When Randy is talking to Ponyboy in his car, he basically says exactly what Cherry said all along, “It’s rough all over”. Randy Anderson is definitely a dynamic character because his beliefs and actions change over time.

I strongly believe this primarily because he changed his views about the greasers entirely. He started to feel sympathy for the poor, bad, street boys. At the beginning of the story, he was rude to the greasers, picked on them, and beat them up. In the end he apologizes to them because he realizes that the greasers are just like him and his friends. Some other reasons that Randy id dynamic is the fact that he chose himself to not fight against the greasers in the rumble. He thought that it was wrong to fight. Unlike the beginning, where he beat up the greasers willingly. These are the most noticeable reasons on why Randy is very dynamic.

I wouldn’t really say that the changes in Randy Anderson’s bias opinions against the greasers affected the events of the book. Although, what it did do though, was change Ponyboy’s beliefs of the Socs. Also he helped change other people's opinions about the people they stereotype. He helped the socs by telling them that greasers were not that much unlike them. "You can't win, even if you whip us. You'll still be where you were before- at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn't do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn’t prove a thing. We'll forget it if you win, or if you don't. Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs"(Randy page 103) He learned that being a Soc was not all that great either.

In past novels in which I’ve read, I can compare Randy to Kino of The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Kino and his family were poor pearl divers who barely had money to eat. Then all of it changed when Kino found this humongous pearl. They thought they were rich until they found that the pearl was bad luck. His opinion and mood toward the “lucky” pearl changed and their baby Coyotito ended up dying in the end. That is why Kino of the novel, The Pearl is like Randy of The Outsiders.

Undoubtedly, Randy Anderson is a dynamic character. He changed his opinions throughout the story. All it took was seeing his best friend die, which is pretty extreme. Randy is definitely the most dynamic character in the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

The Winners Who Came in Second

Author’s Note: This writing piece is about the rumble between the greasers and the socs. It’s also about how the greasers always come in last in the eyes of all of the other people. No matter what happens.

Think about all of the times you were judged for whom you were by your looks or how you acted. Imagine, being looked at as no good thugs who would terrorize anybody and steal from any store. Lastly, I want you to wonder if you, as a greaser, would actually have a chance to prove yourself and make a point to the socs. As a greaser, I would be proud of myself and my family for winning the rumble. But even though they won the fight, the trashy greasers are still second to the west side socs through the eyes of all the other people in the world.

Nobody denies the fact that greasers are tough, strong, and overall better fighters. That is why they achieved their goal of winning the small but statement making fight. Although the greasers feel that they had won and were on their way to more rights and popularity, the group of kids is going to be disappointed. Through the eyes of all of the police, lawmakers, and socs, those families of greasy haired thugs are still going to be people who are going to steal things and hurt people for no reason.

During the story though, Johnny and Ponyboy did defy that stereotype by saving the children in the church. They actually cared about other people in the world and that made an impact on the citizens of the United States. (“Juvenile Delinquents Turn Hero”, Chapter 7)

Again, I would like to compare this theme to The Pearl by John Steinbeck. When Kino finds this wonderful pearl, he thinks they are going to live in a big house with riches, guns, and much more. But everybody else in their city still looks at them as the poor people who live in a small hut on the shore. Just like the greasers of The Outsiders.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton shows that regular delinquents can defeat and neglect their stereotypes to the opposite group, the socs. Did they really though? In the brains of all of the other human beings around them, they are still no good, very bad greasy haired thugs who would steal and/or harm anybody around them. "You can't win, even if you whip us. You'll still be where you were before- at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn't do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn’t prove a thing. We'll forget it if you win, or if you don't. Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs"(Randy page 103)

My The Outsiders Predictions

For Whole Book: I think that the greasers and socs will become one group of friends.
 
For Chapter 2: I think that the boys will just go and fool around because there hasn't been much action yet. I also think that there will be a few new characters in the chapter.
Right/Wrong: I was pretty much on target with this prediction because the greasers went around and stole things and they met two new characters at the movie theater. Marcia and Cherry are two soc girls who are very kind and sweet. Ponyboy learns that being a soc isn't all that great either.
 
For Chapter 3: I predict that someone else is going to get mugged and that somebody will get arrested. I think this because the boys are with the two most popular girls in the whole school.
Right/Wrong: This time around I was wrong. As the two socs and three greasers were walking to Two-Bit's car, the socs boyfriends came up in a Mustang and almost got into a fight, but left before things got violent. Then Johnny and Ponyboy accidentally fell asleep in the parking lot and Ponyboy was out way past his curfew. Then Darry was so mad he hit the youngest boy in the face and Pony ran away.

For Chapter 4: I think that the "runaway" Johnny and Ponyboy are going to get into trouble or get beaten by socs. I believe this just because Pony said he was wrong when he thought that they were going to be safe out in the neighborhood at night.
Right/Wrong: I was actually half right on this prediction. Johnny and Ponyboy were walking in the park and got jumped by five socs. Then Ponyboy spit in his face and started to get shoved into the pond in the park. After that, Johnny went and stabbed the soc who was drowning Pony and he died. On an attempt to escape and not get in trouble, they went to Dally and he helped them a lot. He gave them money and a gun to escape for a week or two so the story would die down. The two boys are now hiding at an abandoned church.
 
For Chapter 5: I think that somebody will be in the abandoned church. I also think that the person will force them out or call the cops. I think this because there has been a theme of random turns of the events in the story.
 Right/Wrong: Once again, I was way off with my prediction. At the beginning of the chapter, Johnny went to get supplies for their stakeout(bologna, cigarettes, cards, etc.). Then Ponyboy and Johnny changed their hairstyles by cutting/dying it. Then, just like he promised, Dally showed up and took them to get something to eat. Finally he told them that Cherry was going to spy for them.
 
For Chapter 6: I think that Dally, Ponyboy, and Johnny are going to go back to town and talk to Cherry. This is because the boys had just found out that she was going to be a spy for the greasers.
 Right/Wrong: On this prediction, I was totally wrong. What actually happened was Johnny decided to turn himself in because he had a lot of people on his side because it was just self defense. But on the way, the old church that Pony and Johnny hid out in was on fire.(Probably because of a cigarette bud) They also noticed that there were people around the church and that children were inside of the burning building. What happened next was Johnny and Pony ran inside to save the children. They saved everybody but got hurt themselves. When waiting to see how Johnny and Dally were, Ponyboy was reunited with his family.
 
For Chapter 7: I believe that Dally is going to be alright. But Johnny is going to be in critical condition and that he might die. If Johnny is alright, then I think that he's is going to turn himself in because he is hoping that he won't get into too much trouble because it was self defense.
 Right/Wrong: I wasn't totally wrong with my prediction except that this prediction might be for the next chapter. What happened in Chapter 7 was that Two-Bit and Steve came to Pony's house and talked to him about the crazy weekend. He showed him the paper ("Juvenile Delinquents Turn Hero") which basically stated that Ponyoby and Sodapop may be sent to a boy's home. Then at the gas station, Ponyboy talked with lead soc, Randy Anderson. Both boys then discovered that life for both groups was not that great.
 
For Chapter 8: I think that Two-Bit and Ponyboy will be unable to see Johnny. But I do think that they will be able to see Dally. I also think that Ponyboy and the other greasers will have a talk with Cherry and/or Marcia. I think that this will happen because it is right before the big rumble and their "spy" might want to talk to them.
 Right/Wrong: I was pretty spot on with my prediction this time. The only flaw in this hypothesis was that they were able to see Johnny. He didn't look good and fainted when his mother came to see him. Then, after talking with Dally, they met up with Cherry and talked with her for a little while.
 
For Chapter 9: I believe that this time, the rumble will take place and I think that it will be a blood bath. I also think that something terrible is going to happen because Ponyboy mentioned that he didn’t think the fight was a good idea. S.E. Hinton would not have put that in there if something 'good' was going to happen. Quote: (From Ponyboy, bottom of page 111) “Tonight-I don’t like it one bit.”
Right/Wrong: My prediction was correct to the fullest extent this time. A short summary of this long chapter was that the big rumble took place. It was a no weapon, all skin rumble and the first to run loses. The greasers won with very few injuries. I was also right with the prediction that something bad was going to happen. Johnny died and Dally ran out of the room.

For Chapter 10: I think that Dally is going to get into some big trouble or something bad is going to happen to him. I believe this because after Johnny died, Dally “suddenly bolted through the door and down the hall.” (Pg.130)
Right/Wrong: I was again, correct with my prediction because Dally happened to rob a grocery store and then as the police were chasing him on foot, Dally pulled a gun without any ammo in it. But what Dally really wanted to be dead because Johnny was the only thing that he truly loved. Without Johnny in his life, he couldn’t imagine living anymore, so got shot by the police. Also, in the rumble, Ponyboy got a concussion and was passed out for a week.

For Chapter 11: Since Ponyboy has nothing else to do in bed, he is going to read the Gone with the Wind book and maybe discover something in it. Also, I think he might get some visitors over the week that he’s in bed.
Right/Wrong: I was wrong about the book which he didn’t read at all. But…Randy Anderson did visit him and they just talked about the court date, which was the day after.

For Chapter 12: This time around, I do think that Ponyboy will look at Gone with the Wind. I also believe that Ponyboy and Sodapop will be able to stay with Darry after their court date.
Right/Wrong: This final chapter was very good and my prediction was right. Ponyboy and Soda did get to stay with Darry but Pony and Darry fought a lot. As their fourth straight night of fighting was going on, Soda ran out of the house. He was really stressed out because he couldn’t pick a side to the fights and his family was being pulled apart. Also, the girl that he loved dumped him. Ponyboy and Darry promised not to fight and they lived happily ever after. The boy also looked at Gone with the Wind and found a note from Johnny in it. The note basically explained that his life was less important than all of those children’s lives he saved. Lastly, he examined the poem that Ponyboy had said. He thought that if more people looked at the sunsets, there will be less ‘hoods’ in the neighborhood.

Right/Wrong (Whole Book): My prediction for the book was incorrect only because of the fact that the two groups weren’t super close at the end. They did understand each other a little more though. This relates to the poem that is in the book by Robert Frost(Page 69). They used to really hate each other and the greasers and socs loved to beat each other. But, after a while the two groups were really sick of fighting each other.
"Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafs a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."(Robert Frost)