Wild Men

The only movie I could really think of on this topic that I have actually seen is “The Outsiders.” It was first a book based off the lives of young men that lived on opposite sides of town and therefore divided themselves into the “greasers” and “socs.” It is told from one of the youngest greasers, Ponyboy who seems to have a more naïve outlook on his life and the different events that take place throughout the movie and novel. I believe this is a case of “Wild Men” because after Johnny (a greaser) kills a soc in self defense, he and Ponyboy are forced to run in order to avoid time in jail. They are two teenagers forced to survive on their own and stay hidden from family and friends. They end up miraculously becoming hometown heroes when they save children from a church fire; an accident that cost Johnny his life. Ponyboy has to return home and face the troubles he left behind between his family, the greasers, and the socs from the nicer side of town. The socs and greasers are continuously fighting and will never seem to stop, not even with the help of the slain soc’s girlfriend Cherry. This movie takes on the classic issue of how kids from “opposite sides of the tracks” will never get along or understand things from the other group’s point of view.

In Jack Boozer’s article on wild men and wild women he mentions while analyzing Thelma and Louise the importance and effect the setting can have on its characters and the overall theme that is trying to be portrayed (208). Boozer discusses the influence the West has on Thelma and Louise and how that setting plays into the culture of the film; this is similar to what is occurring in “The Outsiders (209)’ Where the story takes place sets up all the conflict as well as the pivotal moment where Pony and Johnny become real wild men. It is through this setup of men from opposite sides of town that lessons are learned and lives are changed forever. This view of where the story takes place also creates opportunity for culture to be involved which is another factor the author Boozer mentions (Boozer, 208). The feud between both groups in the movie is based around two cultures colliding. The Socs are clean-cut, wealthy, letterman jacket wearing young men while the Greasers are less privileged, rough around the edges, leather jacket wearing boys. It is through their constant fighting and “Rumbles” that boys become men and both sides have their bonds tested when they lose people they care about. The fact that a woman tries to play the peacemaker or problem solver in this movie is also a reverse of the gender roles (Boozer, 210). Although she plays the “innocent girlfriend bystander” Cherry takes on a much more important role, a role that does not usually belong to the woman in a story of this nature.

Even though Ponyboy and Johnny only live like wild men or fugitives for a short period of time, they, as well as their other Greasers, really embody the characteristics of real wild men. Especially since Pony, along with his brothers are parentless in their situation. The other important factors that attribute this behavior are where the movie is taking place as well as the colliding cultures present in the story. Without the lack of parental supervision, classic setting of “who lives on what side of town,” and the constant reminder of cultural differences between the groups the presence of wild behavior would not have existed.

Boozer, Jack. “Seduction and Betrayal in the Heartland: Thelma and Louise.” Literature Film Quarterly, vol. 23 no. 3, (July 1995). Salisbury State University.