Wednesday, February 16, 2011

What does Pepsi symbolize in The Outsiders?

When Johnny and Ponyboy are hiding out in the church, Ponyboy says, "I was dying for a Pepsi. I'm what you might call a Pepsi addict. I drink them like a fiend, and going for five days without one was about to kill me." When Dallas takes them out after they've been in the church for several days, the first thing Ponyboy orders at Dairy Queen is a Pepsi. 


Pepsi symbolizes Ponyboy's and Sodapop's innocent desires. Ponyboy and Soda do not drink alcohol, but both love Pepsi. Soda does not drink alcohol, as, in Ponyboy's words, "He gets drunk on just plain living." The fact that Ponyboy only craves Pepsi when he is in hiding—not alcohol or drugs—means he is essentially an innocent kid who is only addicted to reading and drinking Pepsi. Ponyboy gets caught up in a situation that is deadly, but he is an innocent kid who is not self-destructive.

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