We see this at the end of the book when Ponyboy breaks a bottle, fully prepared to fight the Socs, but then cleans the pieces of glass so someone doesn't puncture a tire (p. 146). However, Freud can provide an explanation for the strange set of moral values, due to the lack of strong parenting in children's lives. Freud believed that a tool for full moral development was love withdrawal, which is the fear of losing love due to wrongful behavior. However, most of these kids didn't have that attention to begin with and therefore had nothing to lose. The affirmation of power and induction are also missing in the lives of children. Families An important theme in this novel that we also covered in class is the family structure. Three of the four parenting styles described in the textbook can also be found in The Outsiders. The Social parents, even if readers only read directly about Randy's father, are assumed to be very forgiving. These parents bought their children cars, clothes, and anything else they might want. They were involved in their children's lives and