Discuss the various attitudes toward fighting found in The Outsiders. Which attitude do you agree with? Which attitude do you disagree with? Do you feel that violence can ever be justified?

There is a wide array of attitudes towards fighting in this novel. The Socs seem to consider it a past time. They seem to be mean spirited about it. There is a validation they seek fighting greasers. Violence is used to compensate for all their many insecurities. The Greasers use violence as a brotherhood type of thing, almost a bonding ritual. In many cases, like Ponyboy and Johnny at the fountain, they fight in self defence. Fighting defines the Greasers but in a more heroic way than it defines the Socs. For some, like Dally, violence is their only outlet for emotional pain and redemption.