Post by fluriana on Sept 9, 2008 17:02:29 GMT -5
That's why I'm posting it for the second time on a forum about The Outsiders.
Somewhere I read this book review:
"In high school, what I thought I learned from this book wasthat, underneath it all, most hoods have hearts of gold. I had to learn the hard way that this was not so, and I worry about the legions of teenage girls who may be similarly affected - and confused - by the story of poor, unfortunate Ponyboy Curtis. Oh, the story is good, and I understand why so many teenagers have been drawn to it over the years. I have discovered, though, that boys rarely like it. The fact that it was written by a teenage girl gives it a skewed perspective. It is a girl's vision of how boys think and behave, but my husband says that all of the male characters act like girls. At the doddering old age of 42, with some experience now behind me, and as a teacher who deals with teenage boys, I have to agree. From a purely psychological standpoint, the relationships among the three Curtis brothers do make sense. There is within all human beings an inherent desire to form a family group. It even happens in prison. Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable for Darry to take on the father role and Soda to take on the mother/nurturing role, but some of it just does not ring true. Read through "Outsiders" fanfiction and you will discover that the writers, of whom probably 90 percent are teenage girls, absolutely love this whole concept of the sweet, gentle, misunderstood greasers. But let's get real, boys will be boys. They generally show affection for one another by knocking each other down,not by calling each other "honey". I know; I have one of my own, not to mention the dozens that I deal with every day at school. Young, vulnerable girls need to understand that some hoods are just hoods. I counsel many young ladies who have fallen in with losers, convinced that they can bring out the good that is in them. It's a dangerous notion, and, unfortunately, one that this book perpetuates"
How far do you agree?
Somewhere I read this book review:
"In high school, what I thought I learned from this book wasthat, underneath it all, most hoods have hearts of gold. I had to learn the hard way that this was not so, and I worry about the legions of teenage girls who may be similarly affected - and confused - by the story of poor, unfortunate Ponyboy Curtis. Oh, the story is good, and I understand why so many teenagers have been drawn to it over the years. I have discovered, though, that boys rarely like it. The fact that it was written by a teenage girl gives it a skewed perspective. It is a girl's vision of how boys think and behave, but my husband says that all of the male characters act like girls. At the doddering old age of 42, with some experience now behind me, and as a teacher who deals with teenage boys, I have to agree. From a purely psychological standpoint, the relationships among the three Curtis brothers do make sense. There is within all human beings an inherent desire to form a family group. It even happens in prison. Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable for Darry to take on the father role and Soda to take on the mother/nurturing role, but some of it just does not ring true. Read through "Outsiders" fanfiction and you will discover that the writers, of whom probably 90 percent are teenage girls, absolutely love this whole concept of the sweet, gentle, misunderstood greasers. But let's get real, boys will be boys. They generally show affection for one another by knocking each other down,not by calling each other "honey". I know; I have one of my own, not to mention the dozens that I deal with every day at school. Young, vulnerable girls need to understand that some hoods are just hoods. I counsel many young ladies who have fallen in with losers, convinced that they can bring out the good that is in them. It's a dangerous notion, and, unfortunately, one that this book perpetuates"
How far do you agree?
