Topic > The Outsiders: Is Johnny Guilty and How to Overcome Struggles

IndexExploring The Outsiders and Its ThemesOvercoming Fear and Being Guilty in The OutsidersWorks CitedExploring The Outsiders and Its ThemesThe Outsiders is a novel composed by SE Hinton in 1967 to describe life of teenagers living in reality. The Greasers face numerous battles and face multiple obstacles in this critically acclaimed novel. The diverse topics and messages in this book strike a chord with most of Hilton's audience. The Outsiders address the greatness of kinship and family through the theme of brotherhood through their passionate fight for each other, their care for each other, and their ability to never abandon each other. Amid these deep themes, a central question emerges in The Outsiders: Is Johnny guilty? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Susan Eloise Hinton was born on July 22, 1950, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In Oklahoma there are very few activities for girls during this time, so she spent her days reading and writing. As she grew up, she realized that nothing interested her as much as she wished some things would interest her. Typical "girl meets boy" stories weren't good for her. He wanted something that truly represented the lives of American teenagers. SE Hinton has written many books including That Was Then, This Is Now, Rumble Fish, Tex and Hawkes Harbour. Susan loved animals and considered life a major influence in and out of her writing. Hinton attended Will Rogers High School and then graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1970. The writings of her youth influenced her writing style. SE didn't like the stories with wonderful happy endings that she grew up reading. S. E. Hinton was and will always be known as one of the most important writers of young adult fiction. Overcoming Fear and Guilt in The Outsiders Hinton expresses the theme of brotherhood in this novel. The first way he does this is through their fight with each other. This can always result in violence. For example, in chapter four, the Socs were drowning Ponyboy in the park fountain. Ponyboy was helpless and Johnny had no idea what to do. Johnny, the youngest of the gang, stabs and kills the leader of Bob the Socs. “I killed him. I killed that boy. (Hinton 56). The human body is programmed to feel compassion, empathy, and guilt for accidental or intentional crimes. Johnny may have accidentally killed Bob, but that makes no difference. The orbitofrontal cortex is a region of the forebrain responsible for moral sensitivity, behavioral choices, and moral judgments. Johnny reacted out of fear and compassion for his best friend and his family. Johnny overcame the fear and guilt of the murder to save Ponyboy. To be capable of murder, you must have a very strong cause. Johnny was saving himself and Ponyboy. That's how important family is to the Greasers. Overcoming the fear, guilt, and unawareness of the murder is extremely difficult. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom EssayWorks CitedHinton, SE The Outsiders. 1967.Hinton, S.E. That was then, this is now. 1971.Hinton, S.E. Turbot fish. 1975.Hinton, S.E. Tex. 1979.Hinton, S.E. Hawkes Harbour. 2004.