Empathy from Ponyboy by Jocelyn
Jocelyn's entry into Varsity Tutor's October 2025 scholarship contest
- Rank: 132
- 0 Votes
Empathy from Ponyboy by Jocelyn - October 2025 Scholarship Essay
One of the books that has had the most profound effects on me is “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. “The Outsiders” is a novel where there are two different types of social groups which are the poor and rich. The poor group is called “Greasers,” while the rich people are called “Socs.” Ponyboy Micahel Curtis, the narrator of the story, is often described as empathetic and intelligent, and is “different” from his “Greaser” group because of these characteristics and the fact that he likes to read. Ponyboy has learned many things from his sense of belonging in the world, therefore, an important lesson I have learned from him is empathy and understanding.
I have learned empathy and understanding through Ponyboy’s experiences with the “Socs,” because he gets a better understanding of other people’s backgrounds and sees why they are the way they are. This stood out to me because it taught me that everyone is different in their own way, and sometimes people don’t choose the way they are. For example, they may act the way they do because of their past experiences or those around them. Furthermore, he mentions, “Things are rough all over,” which means things are difficult for both groups even if the Socs are perceived as better. So, he understands that both groups will see the same sunset at the end of the day even if they are on opposite sides of town. For that reason, I have learned that it is important to not judge those around us, because at the end of the day we are all human and should all be willing to help each other out during difficult times. This fictional character has led to me remembering that resilience and compassion is very important. Also, I am often sensitive to people’s battles and challenges, which allows me to put myself in their shoes and put our differences aside.
To conclude, Ponyboy has taught me valuable lessons that are needed for compassion and humanity. Overall, having empathy and understanding has increasingly helped me.