Sandy, Sodapop Curtis’s girlfriend, becomes pregnant and moves to Florida to live with her grandmother. It is implied that the baby is not Sodapop’s, and their relationship ends.
In S.E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders,” Sandy is a minor character, but her situation has a significant impact on the Curtis family dynamics, particularly on Sodapop. Throughout the book, Sandy is mentioned as Sodapop’s girlfriend, and they are said to be deeply in love. However, the relationship faces a serious challenge when Sandy becomes pregnant. The novel does not delve deeply into Sandy’s background or her perspective, but it is suggested that the child is not Sodapop’s, which leads to the assumption that she has been unfaithful.
Sandy’s pregnancy and the subsequent revelation that Sodapop is not the father create a strain on their relationship. Sodapop is heartbroken, but he is willing to marry Sandy regardless of the baby’s paternity. Despite his willingness to accept Sandy and the baby, she is sent away to live with her grandmother in Florida, which was a more common response to teenage pregnancy during the time period in which the novel is set.
The situation with Sandy contributes to the emotional turmoil Sodapop experiences. He is caught between his two brothers, Darry and Ponyboy, who often quarrel, and the loss of Sandy adds to his stress. Sodapop’s character is portrayed as easygoing and cheerful, but the issues with Sandy reveal a more vulnerable side to him. The novel uses Sandy’s departure as a means to explore themes of love, loss, and the complexities of relationships, as well as the impact of societal pressures on young people during the 1960s.