Loyalty
The Greasers are very loyal to one another. Oppressed by their own poverty, most of them come from difficult family lives, so they stick together as a way of simulating the home life they do not have. The entire structure of a gang itself is built on loyalty to the gang, and a sense of maintaining that loyalty. Even when Ponyboy seeks to find connection with Socs (like Cherry and Randy) he keeps a firm grip on the loyalty he feels towards his brothers in the gang. The Greasers show loyalty to one another in many instances. Dally helps Johnny and Ponyboy get out of town after the murder of Bob. He also follows them into the burning church to help them, even though he disapproves of their reckless act.
Violence
Violence abounds in the world of the film, which is part of why the boys stay so loyal to one another. When a Greaser comes upon a Soc, violence is almost certain to break out. The only reason Bob doesn't start a fight with Ponyboy and the others after the drive-in movie is that the girls are there. Then later at the playground, the Socs descend on Johnny and Ponyboy, almost drowning in a nearby fountain. The only thing that seems to prevent Bob from drowning Ponyboy is the intervention of Johnny, who stabs Bob. In the world of the film, 16 year old boys must resort to violence to protect their friends. Violence is both the only option and the worst symptom of the adolescent angst that pervades the Tulsa of the film. After Johnny dies, Dally does not know how to grieve the loss, and instead resorts to a violent performance, ending in his own death at the hands of the police.
Observation vs. Action
Ponyboy is an active member of the gang, and wants to participate in the rumble, but he is also distinguished from his fellow gang members by his relative gentleness. He is strong and silent where others are rough-housing and wild. He is the thoughtful member of the group, content to observe rather than join in the fight. He reassures Cherry that he would not hurt Bob, after Two-Bit hands him a broken bottle to use as a weapon. While he must assume the postures of a violent gang member, he is not a man of action. Rather, he is a writer, recording all of the events of the film in his composition book.
Protection and Self-Reliance
Along with the loyalty of the gang, the boys show one another a certain amount of protection. Evidently, none of their parents can offer them protection from the violence of their neighborhood and community. Thus, the boys need to protect one another. Darry tries to be a responsible guardian for Ponyboy in the beginning, but his protective impulses come out as abuse. Dally, on the other hand, is happy to act as a protector. He takes a great deal of responsibility for Johnny and Ponyboy after Johnny kills Bob. He tells them where to go, he comes and finds them in a few days, and he treats them like his much-loved younger brothers. However, Dally also has a complicated relationship to dependence and self-reliance, and becomes upset when Johnny ends up in the hospital. He tells Ponyboy, "You watch out for yourself, and nothing can touch you man!" Dally's main lesson for the boys is to teach them to look out for themselves; but, rather ironically, he struggles to do just that.
Abandonment and Loss
All of the characters in The Outsiders struggle with a distinct fear of abandonment. Particularly, Johnny and Ponyboy are orphans; Ponyboy literally and Johnny emotionally. Ponyboy grieves the loss of his parents and the strain that their loss has put on his brothers. Johnny feels neglected by his abusive parents, who argue violently and hardly care if he comes home. Johnny's feelings of emotional neglect even drive him to consider suicide. He feels so abused by the world and his home situation that he wants to kill himself. Ponyboy has lost his parents, and fears being taken away from the care of his brothers, the only family he has.
Class
The main distinction between the Greasers and the Socs is one of class. The Greasers are impoverished and live on the wrong side of the tracks, while the Socs live in affluent and stable households on the south side of Tulsa. The Greasers wear their hair long and greased, and sport tight jeans and ripped t-shirts, while the Socs have close-cropped hairstyles, wear khakis and collared shirts, and drive nice cars. Class tension is what creates the violence of the plot.
Gender
While the majority of the movie depicts homosocial configurations—boys spending time with other boys—the introduction of Cherry and her best friend Marcia early in the film introduces the potential of romance, and shows the gendered differences in the community. While the two gangs are divided by class distinctions, the girls find a way to bridge that gap by striking up conversation with the Greasers at the drive-in movie. Ponyboy and Cherry's relationship is not quite romantic, but her presence is almost maternal to the orphaned boy, who wants to get to know her and feels he can trust her. Dallas is clearly taken with Cherry, but does not know how to express his feelings properly. Cherry admits to an attraction for Dallas, but only hints at this to Ponyboy in a fleeting moment.
