The Outsiders RR –– SPOILERS

Friendship plays a huge role in everyone's lives, whether it's existent or not. But when you have a friendship so strong, that nothing could ever break your friend and you apart, then you are luckier than you could ever imagine. S.E. Hinton makes this clear through the book, The Outsiders. The main character, Ponyboy, is best friends with Johnny, a member of their gang of greasers. Their "gang" is actually just a group of very close friends consisting of Steve, Two-Bit, Dally, and Sodapop and Darry, Ponyboy's brothers. They look out for each other, and love one another like family. Yet Ponyboy and Johnny are the closest of them all, and their friendship plays an extremely large part in the plot of the entire book.

Ponyboy needs Johnny, and Johnny needs Ponyboy. They love each other. They a have a true friendship; a friendship bound by unbreakable bonds. They would walk beside each other through hell and back. Which is precisely what they did. After going through so much together, Johnny and Ponyboy finally did something that would truly test their friendship – murder. After being jumped by Socs (the rich kids), Johnny finally reached his breaking point, and killed one of the kids, making the others scramble away like chickens. But things would only go downhill from there. They ran away by advice from Dally, Johnny's hero and the closest thing to a father figure he had. They, too, were close. But Ponyboy and Johnny spent a long time in hiding, and they were lucky to have each other. Their friendship, in my opinion, was what gave them the strength to push on and not give up on their venture for survival and safety. Friendship is key in this scenario, and without it, I doubt either of them could make it this far without breaking down and choosing to end it all, rather than force themselves to keep on moving forward. A lot happens from then on, and I won’t go into detail, but Ponyboy eventually loses Johnny. But Ponyboy does not give up in life. He does not come to a screeching halt. Because Johnny may be gone, but their friendship isn’t. Johnny may be dead, but their memories live on. Ponyboy may never see Johnny’s face again, but he’ll never forget him. Because that’s just how strong friendship is.

So in the end, friendship is crucial. And the scenario I explained between Poyboy and Johnny is not far-fetched from that of one in reality. Friendships that strong are existent in real life. Encouragement like that is existent in real life. That push is existent in real life. But then again, that feel to give up is also existent in real life. That want to end it all because no one is there to make you feel important, that's also existent in real life. So think deeply about your friendships, or other friendships you have experienced before. What are the impacts? Do those powerful bonds exist? With any friendship, I'll tell you now, the answer will always be yes. Some people just neglect the love.