The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton - Why the Greasers Were Considered a Disgrace and Menace to Society

From looking at the two gangs, the Greasers and the Socs, in the book The Outsiders, it is safe to say that the Greasers were the true disgrace and menace to society. The Greasers were able to show this from their looks, their behavior, and their choices that they make.

One reason that the Greasers are considered a disgrace to society was because of their looks. From just looking at them you could tell that they meant trouble. Greasers were not the average group of kids, they were hoods.

A quote from the book describes exactly what people thought of them, "But most looked at us like we were dirt." ,15. Greasers wear their hair long, dress in blue jeans and T-Shirts and leave their shirttails out and wear leather jackets and tennis shoes or boots. They are below middle class and look like they are always trying to steal something because they can not afford anything. The Socs on the other hand are very rich, wore expensive clothes, drove Mustangs.

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The Socs did bad things but they never get in trouble because they didn't look like they would do anything bad. If the Greasers and the Socs both did something equally as bad, the only people that would be blamed would be the Greasers because they are a true menace to society even though they might not truly be one.

Another reason that the Greasers are considered a menace to society is because of their behavior. "Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while.

" ,3. This quote from the book shows that people will think even worse of the Greasers because of their actions. Normal people would not do what they are doing because they have principals. The Greasers were criminals and this gave people a even bigger reason to be scared of them and consider them a disgrace to society. The Socs did similar things but were not punished for them like the Greasers, and were still able to keep a excellent image of themselves. "Not like the Socs, who jump greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks, and get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next." ,3. This quote shows that unlike the Greasers, whatever the Socs do, it will not ruin their reputation at all. Overall from looking at both the Greasers and the Socs, it is easy to say that the Greasers are a bigger disgrace to society concerning their behavior than the Socs.

One final reason that the Greasers are a bigger menace to society is because of the choices that they make. The Greasers could have been average people but they chose to drop out of school and make them who they are now. Darry is an example, "He had been a real popular guy in school; he was captain of the football team and he had been voted Boy of the Year." ,16. He couldn't afford to go to college and now works at a gas station. This may not be his fault but if he would have went to college he could have gotten a good job and would have not become a hood. One final example is Sodapop, who had dropped out of school. If he would not have done that then he too would probably not have become a hood and would be working at a good paying job with his brother Dally. The Socs on the other hand did not have to worry about their choice because their money could fix anything bad that they ever did. Overall from looking at the Greasers and the Socs, putting into consideration their choices the Greasers were a bigger disgrace to society than the Socs.

From looking at the looks, the behavior, and the choices of both the Greasers and the Socs it is able to be concluded that the Greasers were the true disgrace to society. Even though the Greasers and Socs both did many bad things, at the end of the day, the Greasers had the worst image of all.