Final essay

The Changing Character

            Author’s note: This piece discusses how one of the main characters, Randy, in the Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, is a dynamic character who changes his behavior, actions, and his sayings throughout the story.

            One of the main characters, Randy, is an excellent example for a dynamic character because he changes drastically. He was mean and snobby in the beginning but he changed through steps. One of the major steps is definitely through his actions. He literally changes from a bad guy to a good guy. Randy is a dynamic character because his actions, behaviors, and the words he speaks change him.

            As I said before, the most obvious step that changed Randy was his action. When he began to change, he even tells one of the main characters, Ponyboy, that he couldn’t believe that he would save children from a burning church. What really told me that Randy changed and learned something was when he chose not to go to the rumble; a rumble is a melee that his friends and other people are going to fight in. He knew that fighting wouldn’t solve anything. So his actions really showed you that he changed and matured.

            I’ll be the first to admit that Randy’s behavior changed him also. He really was a snotty person and thought that the world should revolve around him. Then he changed to being nice and thoughtful. During the story something that really made him think about things was when his friend got murdered. That made him sad, but it also made him realize that all this time he was being a jerk and he decided to change himself. Randy told Ponyboy that he did a good thing to save the little children from the burning church. I really could tell that Randy changed to a new person.

            To further explain, Randy’s quotes also showed us that he was changing. During the incident when he was telling Ponyboy about the burning church he even said, “I would’ve let the kids burn to death” (115). Then he starts to realize that he was being a jerk when he called Ponyboy a Greaser and then apologized for calling him a Greaser. At the end of the book he starts to change and realizing that no matter how much people fight, they won’t change. At that point he said, “Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs” (117).

            When all is said and done, it is clear that Randy changed. Randy also finds out that just because you’re called something doesn’t mean that person is mean or nice. He starts to find out that he misjudged so many people and he felt terrible. When he changes from a bad guy to a good guy he talks to new people he doesn’t really talk to. Randy is definitely a dynamic character because he changes a lot at the end of the book.