Sodapop: Why is he Stu'd so much?

[latch22]

He's the easiest character to fit into their own mold because he already seems so "perfect," and it's easy--for some people--to overlook everything else. His less congenial side is ignored because it doesn't fit today's standards of what a good guy is supposed to be doing.

I never really understood it because, even when I was starting out, I still liked showing that other side of him. It was much more interesting to me, just like how I think serious!Two-Bit is great.

They turn him into a fairy tale because they don't see--or want to see--that, yes, he *is* a real boy, Geppetto!

Cheers!

P.S. Good topic.

[samanthamae]

I'm glad someone brought up this topic!

I hate reading stories that shows Soda was being "perfect". My older brother, to me, seems like a perfect guy, but there's some bad things about him too. With Soda, Pony says he's "no innocent". He's never been defeated in a fight, he totally wrecked the guy that kicked Pony in the rumble, he fights and likes it, he didn't do well in school, he actually thought Sandy's baby was his at one point, and he doesn't let himself realize true facts until they hit him hard.

Some girls attend to like to forget these facts. That's my opinion. I love trying to explore his other side that often isn't mentioned.

[Nittanylizard]

What everybody else said. ;D

I love that other side to Soda, and it's great when authors expand on it to show us something different from what Pony sees. Even from Pony's POV, I'd like to see more stories where he is actually in situations with Soda that draw out those traits (like sitting in on a bull session, or being there when Soda starts making embarassing comments to girls).

As far as why he's often written even better than Pony described him, regardless of the story POV, I think a lot of younger readers haven't yet gotten a grasp of the idea that the narrator is seeing things for the reader, and their perspective may not always reflect every aspect of the truth.

[fairlane]

Even his less wonderful qualities can still be seen as positive - beating up the guy who hurt Ponyboy, dropping out of school to help support the family, despite being 'no innocent' he doesn't brag about his girlfriend, etc. He is a tough guy without actually being threatening, I can see how it is easy for some writers to idealize him.

[Masquerade]

I feel slightly guilty reading all this--I actually do a fair bit of writing about Soda--hope I don't "Stu" him too much!

But I agree, as usual, with everything said. And I thought Fairlane had a great point--what with even his less wonderful qualities being shown as positive, and good example too.

I think he's the easiest character of the bunch to ruin in a story. He is shown as, basically, the perfect guy, even though we know he has that other side. But since we don't see it much, people don't want to explore it in their writing. Or something like that.

Now you've got me thinking of a story idea...and I just started a new one! Somebody, stop me.

[fosterchild]

People do idealize him. Like samanthamae, I have an older cousin, not brother, who has SOOOO many bad traits but I idealize him so much from growing up and even now that the bad traits just disappear when I think of him or I'm around him.

I agree, too, that some of the younger readers do think of him as the perfect boyfriend therefore Sue him to death in their writing.

In reality, I'm sure he WOULD BE a wonderful guy but EVERYONE has faults!

[fosterchild]

I'd give him something to not be so innocent about! DOH!

It should be pretty obvious to everyone about now that I've Two-Bitted a little tonight....just a bit!

[EmilineHarris]

When I think of Soda, I think I tend to focus on all of the positive attributes (like Pony does). In fact, I think I do that with all of the greasers to some extent. Even after watching "The Outsiders" numerous times, and rooting for the greasers in the rumble, I never seem to get the impression that they are mean or bad. Instead, I see them fighting for their brothers, their friends, their pride... and how can that be wrong? It seems quite noble in many ways. But I guess that's the point. The greasers are the heroes of the story, so it can be very easy to neglect the little details (like the fact that they steal, start fights, drag race etc.) and just see them as "good guys at heart." Had the story been written by Randy, we would have been given an entirely different picture of the greasers and what they were all about.

But, I digress... back to Sodapop. The one time I was really pulled out of that "Saint Soda" Gary-Stu mentality was in a chapter of Artemis' story "Saving Grace." In it, Grace is sort of being held hostage by Ray and his boys so Soda, Steve, Two-bit, and Darry go to get her back. The fight that eventually ensues (and the lead up to it) really made me see Soda (and the other greasers) as truly being dangerous. I think it was the first time that light went off in my head and I realized that they aren't as docile and sensitive as many of us girls would like to believe. It made all of them seem more human to me and capable of having flaws. It made them all seem more well-rounded and real, especially Soda. That chapter, for me, is sort of like my "gold standard" of how to keep all of these characters from becoming cardboard cut-outs of themselves.

[latch22]

Did I not comment on that yet? Shame on me.

That was great, Artemis! I know that you find him to be a bit flat and uninteresting--or at least you've said that in the past--but you really did a great job with him in Saving Grace, and that scene was the icing on the cake in that respect.

[zevie]

I don't like it when Soda's Stu'd - but I don't like the opposite either, lol. (Think TV series.) And yeah, I haven't read Saving Grace yet because I am a terrible, lazy person, but that chappie of The Boys Are Back In Town was great Soda-humanizing.

[BlindedxxFalcon]

Good point...I hadn't really noticed it before.

[st.elmo-lover]

I honestly have to say that anymore I don't read anything with Soda in it because he's Stu'd so much. It's a huge turn off for me to read anything with him in it because it makes him flat instead of round. People always make him out to be this perfect emotional guy that cares for everyone and doesn't have an angry bone in his body.

I don't know why some writers do that. I don't understand it at all! I wish I could see their reasoning for it though...but I can't.

[samanthamae]

Here's a funny thing:

The other day, I was skimming through TWTTIN because, honestly, I really didn't have anything better to do. Then I saw something that caught my eye.

Bryon and Mark are talking about Ponyboy, then Bryon says "That whole family's conceited."

I can see Sodapop being slightly cocky.