Ponyboy and Greg Comparrison Essay

           Ponyboy and Greg are very different people. Ponyboy lives in a place where poverty, and crime are common. Greg comes from an ideal family with parents that love him. Even though they are very different, they share some similarities.

           One similarity is that they are both trying to fit in. Ponyboy feels that he doesn't fit in because he is the youngest in the gang. He tries to fit in by dressing, acting, and talking, even though he is not that type person, with a high IQ and good grades in school. Greg really wants to fit in, no matter what happens. He tries acting cool around other people, acting so he can get attention, and doing stuff that are the fad nowadays. He even tried changing his bestfriend Rowley, changing the way he dresses, acts, and the way he talks so he can make it to the top.

           Another similiarity is that they were both bullied by older brothers. Ponyboy's older brother Darry is strict with him, and he's always so hard on him. I think the reason is that Darry is the type of person that doesn't like showing his emotions or true feelings. Darry loves Ponyboy, but since he is the oldest, if Ponyboy or Soda get hurt, then the blame is on him, and he doesn't want that. So he has to be strict, especially since their parents aren't there anymore. It is good that he is strict, but maybe he's being to hard on him. Soda's bestfriend Steve also bullys Ponyboy because he is young and he thinks he is just a tag-a-long kid in the gang. Greg's older brother Rodrick is the kind of the sibling that loves to get people in trouble, especially Greg. Since Rodrick is older, he bullies Greg to think he is cool, teasing him, and always giving Greg the blame. And since Rodrick thinks he is cool, he doesn't like Greg being in the way, because that is just the way he is.
        My last similarity is that they both don't use their heads when it comes to thinking. Ponyboy's head is always dreaming, and imagining things in his head, and he over thinks things, not realizing, understanding the main points, not seeing the actual point, and he only sees what he sees. Greg didn't use his head in the story. He was so busy thinking about trying to make it to the top, that he didn't see what was going on around him. He didn't see that he was hurting people, especially Rowley, and he overthought things. He only saw the negative side of things, like if he didn't change Rowley, then he would be at the bottom of the pile, but since he hurt Rowley, now he's way at the bottom of the pile. If Greg would just be himself, then maybe people would accept him. He would do anything to make it to the top, getting people in trouble, lying to get himself out of trouble, and scheming against others to make them feel bad.
         In my conclusion, the main point of my essay is that both Greg and Ponyboy need to use their heads in situations. Since they are both trying everything to fit in, it just makes them insecure. Greg would be popular if he had been himself, and tried not to care about what others thought of him, and Ponyboy just needs to understand that not all things have a bad meaning to it.