Social Identity Crisis of Ponyboy as Main Character in The Outsiders by S.E Hinton

Tiara, Monika (2023) Social Identity Crisis of Ponyboy as Main Character in The Outsiders by S.E Hinton. Diploma thesis, Universitas Andalas.

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Abstract

This thesis discuss about social identity crisis as experienced by Ponyboy Curtis, the main character in S.E Hinton novel The Outsiders. Living in a world divided by socioeconomic status and rivalling gangs, Ponyboy navigates the tension between his loyalty to the Greasers and his desire for a life beyond gang affiliations. In society's eyes, lower-middle-class described as bad teenagers, like to mess up, poor, and have broken homes family. This abstract explores how Ponyboy’s struggle to define his social identity shapes his character throughout the novel, ultimately leading to personal growth and deeper understanding of the complexities of social class and belonging. This research applies Erik Erikson's theory of Psychosocial development, focusing on stage five (identity vs. role confusion). After analyzing the novel, I found that Hinton highlights the universal theme of identity formation amid societal pressures and divisions. To support this research, I use the qualitative method, library research, and close reading method. As a result, this research shows how the main characters survive his crisis identity and how Ponyboy changes society's view of him and his friends. Ponyboy proves that children who do not come from the upper classes are not as bad as society portrays them; I also conclude that in the end, Ponyboy managed to change society's view of him and his friends, and they are more respected in societies. Keywords: Identity Crisis, Social Stratification, Psychosocial development, Social identity.

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