Similarities and Differences

Authors Note: In this following piece, I will compare and contrast two characters from two different books.

Most people wouldn’t think that a young girl from the 1700’s, and a gang member from Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1900’s could ever relate; but those who believe they can’t are wrong. Willy Freeman from War Comes to Willy Freeman is taken place in the time of the Revolutionary War and experiences many adventures and tragedies including the death of both her parent’s. Willy had to face living on her own until she met a group of people who looked after and cared for her as if they were a family. Fast forwarding two hundred years, Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders is a gang member in Oklahoma, whose parents also died and has to face living with his two older brothers and a group of friends who he cares deeply about. Both Willy from War Comes to Willy Freeman and Ponyboy from The Outsiders are alike in many ways, but they also have differences too.

First, both main characters had to face survival, living on their own without a mother or father by their side to guide them. Ponyboy has his two brothers Sodapop and Darry who both look after him, but it’s still nothing like having a mom or dad. When you’re going through a tough time, the first place most people think to go is to your parents for advice. They’ve been through the stage you’re going through, so they know what’s best and how to get you through it. Relating to Ponyboy, Willy’s dad died and her mom was taken away with the British, so she also didn’t have anyone to go to.

Furthermore, even though their parents are dead, they both have a group of friends who care for them. Willy meets some older men in New York, who give her shelter, pay her for her hard work, and provide her food. They all end up caring so much for one another that you could consider them a family. Ponyboy has his brothers and his friends in their gang that he depends on. The greasers are known as the mean, poor people who don’t care about a thing; but all of Ponyboy’s friends and brothers care about each other, which they are also considered as family.

However, although these characters are both very much alike, they also have differences. Willy still has an Aunt and Uncle that could look after her. She never knew her Aunt or Uncle before the death of her parents, but knowing that either living on her own, or living with her kindhearted Aunt and Uncle, they would be the better decision. Ponyboy doesn’t have any adults to look after him besides his brother Darry who is 26 years old. It’s better to have an older adult raising you because they know what’s best and how to handle situations from going through that stage of being a teenager.

In conclusion, Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders and Willy Freeman from War Comes to Willy Freeman can definitely relate to one another. The death of both of their parent’s makes it the easiest to have similarities. But, just as they relate in many ways, they also have their differences. While the two of them are from different time periods and from different backgrounds, I’m sure they would have been friends. They both went through tragic circumstances, and had to grow up without parents to guide them.