I won't attempt to actually go back and count the number of times the various characters meet in a family atmosphere in The Outsiders. Aside from the parentless Curtis family, there are not really many examples of family gatherings. Johnny mentions his family a few times, but there are actually no scenes where they are together except when his mother comes to see him in the hospital. Dally has no family living with him in Tulsa. None of the other greasers' families are mentioned much; Tim Shepard discusses his brother, Curly, but he is in a reformatory and not actually present in the novel. The Soc, Randy, talks about his father following Bob's death, but it is only in passing.
There are quite a few scenes in which the three Curtis brothers--Ponyboy, Sodapop and Darry--are together. Despite the fact that their parents have been killed, this threesome constitutes the only real family in the novel. Of course, the greasers talk about how their gang is like a family, so Johnny, Steve and Two-Bit (and to some extent Dally) are extended members. Pony also reminisces about his parents on several occasions.
No comments:
Post a Comment