Bailey Gladfelter

Gladfelter 1

Mrs. Henry
ELA/Reading 2/6
9 December 2016
The Outsiders Essay (Psychological Criticism)
Everyone has the potential to understand their growth and development throughout time.
Abraham Maslows Hierarchical Theory of Human Needs displays Ponyboys growth throughout
the novel. It is important to achieve each level of need in Maslows Theory. In S.E. Hintons
novel The Outsiders this theory goes into depth of Ponyboys journey and what problems and
needs he faces along the way. When Johnny, one of Ponyboys gang members, kills a Socs in self
defense after the Socs were jumping them, Ponyboy agrees to run away from the cops along with
Johnny. Along the way a church where Ponyboy and Johnny were staying, catches on fire and
Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally save the kids that were inside. The severe burns and broken back
that Johnny endured killed him later on. Ponyboys behaviors and motivation can be analyzed
through Abraham Maslows Hierarchical Theory of Human Needs in which Ponyboy must
achieve each level of need through his own understanding and determination to reach his full
potential of self actualization.
The first need that can be achieved and understood is the physiological need. While Ponyboy
was away from home he realized that he needed his brothers and his home back. I had taken the
long way around, but I was finally home. To stay. (99) Ponyboys behaviors and motivation of
running away and then returning back home has led him to reach his physiological needs in

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Maslows Theory. When Ponyboy was away from home he realized that he was missing the love
and belonging part of his life, his brothers. Another need that can be achieved in Abraham
Maslows Hierarchical Theory of Human Needs is love and belonging. Ponyboy believed that
Darry, his big brother, did not love him and did not care about him as much as Soda did. Soda,
Dally, and Two-Bit tried to point out to Ponyboy that Darry did love him just in a different way.
This did not click for Ponyboy until he realized how much he needed them back into his life. In
that second what Soda and Dally and Two-Bit had been trying to tell me came through. He
was stroking my hair and I could hear the sobs racking him as he fought to keep back the tears.
Oh, Pony, I thought wed lost you. (98) Ponyboy finally comprehended that Darry does love
him very much. Darry is just so afraid of losing another family member since he already lost his
parents. Using Abraham Maslows Hierarchical Theory of Human Needs Ponyboy can be
analyzed through his own understanding to realize that he has accomplished his physiological
and love and belonging needs. Ponyboy can now move up in the pyramid of needs.
The third need that can be achieved and understood is self esteem. Ponyboys self esteem
grows over the course of the novel with him getting more confident in himself. Ponyboy reaches
his full self esteem when writing about all that had happened to him for his theme project. And I
decided I could tell people, beginning with my English Teacher. (180) Ponyboy gained his full
self esteem by opening up to his english teacher about everything that has happened to him
recently. He now has full confidence in himself. Ponyboys new gain in self esteem then opens
him up to achieving self actualization. The last need that can be achieved in Abraham Maslows
Hierarchical Theory of Human Needs is self actualization. Ponyboy reached self actualization
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while looking at the book Gone With the Wind. This book is the first time Johnny and Ponyboy
really connected, since Johnny died Ponyboy has not looked at the book. Finally I picked up
Gone With the Wind and looked at it for a long time. I knew Johnny was dead. I had known it all
the time. (177) Looking at Gone With the Wind Ponyboy reached self actualization. Ponyboy
has now completed the whole pyramid in Abraham Maslows Hierarchical Theory of Human
Needs.
Ponyboys behaviors and motivation was analyzed through Abraham Maslows Hierarchical
Theory of Human Needs. Ponyboy has achieved each level of need through his own
understanding and determination which lead him to reach self actualization. Ponyboy overcame
his physiological needs, love and belonging needs, self esteem, and reached self actualization.
The Outsiders is about identity. The outsiders by S.E. Hinton proves that identity can be changed
or switched when that person reaches a higher level of need.

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Works Cited
Hinton, S. E. The Outsiders. New York: Viking, 1967. Print.
Gillespie, Tim. Doing Literary Criticism: Helping Students Engage with Challenging Texts.
Portland, ME.: Stenhouse, 2010. Accessed 12 December 2016.