Read this excerpt from The Outsiders. What universal theme is present in this excerpt?
Then there were shouts and the pounding of feet, and the
Socs jumped up and left me lying there, gasping. I lay
there and wondered what in the world was happening
people were jumping over me and running by me and I
was too dazed to figure it out. Then someone had me
under the armpits and was hauling me to my feet. It was
Darry.
O Losing hope means losing a battle.
O Fitting in is important while growing up.
O Challenging times bring families together.
O A positive attitude can overcome anything.
"Are you all right, Ponyboy?"
He was shaking me and I wished he'd stop. I was dizzy
enough anyway. I could tell it was Darry though—partly
because of the voice and partly because Darry's always
rough with me without meaning to be.