Analyze three characters in the novel, indicating how they portray the theme of fighting for individualism.

Many of the themes in The Outsiders revolve around ideas of individualism vs. collectivism. In many ways, the entire story is about learning to see individuals instead of the collective, because all of the characters in the novel have been characterized by a collective stereotype. Whether they are Socs or Greasers, the stereotype of that gang follows each character, and people assume that they know that character because of his or her association with each group. Several of the characters fight this by getting to know each other on a personal level and seeing other people as individuals instead of just as a group label.
Ponyboy and Cherry are two characters that fight for individualism in their relationship with each other. Ponyboy feels that he can talk to Cherry and tell her personal things, even though she's a Soc and they've only just met (Hinton, 34). Cherry sees past the Greaser stereotype with Ponyboy and imagines that he reads books and watches sunsets (Hinton, 35). Ponyboy admits that he likes both and asks her about whether or not she likes sunsets too. As Ponyboy thinks this over, he tells the reader:

I pictured that, or tried to. Maybe Cherry stood still and watched the sun set while she was supposed to be taking the garbage out. Stood there and watched and forgot everything else until her big brother screamed at her to hurry up. I shook my head. It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset (Hinton, 35).

Both of these characters see beyond the stereotype, and the fact that they are "supposed" to be enemies, to the person underneath.
Johnny also stands out from the gang. Ponyboy describes him by saying:

Johnny Cade was last and least. If you can picture a little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers, you'll have Johnny. He was the youngest, next to me, smaller than the rest, with a slight build (Hinton, 11).

Johnny is the boy that all the other Greasers want to protect, and although he is depicted as meek and scared for most of the novel, he also demonstrates his individualism by seeing it in others and by sticking up for what he believes is personally right. He is the one who, at the end of the novel, seems to most clearly understand Ponyboy. He writes him a personal letter about the meaning of the poem that he and Ponyboy shared. He is also the one who sticks up for Cherry at the movies, despite the fact that she is in a different gang.