The Outsiders (novel)

The Outsiders

File:The Outsiders book.jpg
Author	S.E. Hinton
Language	English
Genre	Realistic Fiction
Publisher	Dell Publishing
Publication date	April 24, 1967
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (soft cover)
Pages	156
ISBN	ISBN 0-670-53257-6 (hardcover edition)

The Outsiders is a novel by S. E. Hinton, first published in 1967 by Viking Press. Hinton was 15 when she began writing the novel and when she was 16 it was published. The themes of the book, such as friendship, and coming of age, are portrayed by following two rival groups, the Greasers and the Socs (pronounced "soashes" by the author, short for Socials), who are separated by their social economic status.

It is ranked on the American Library Association's top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990 and 38th on their 1990-1999 list. The book was challenged in South Milwaukee because of its portrayal of violence, language, drug and alcohol abuse, underage smoking, and the fact that "virtually all the characters were from broken homes".

A film version was produced in 1983.

Plot

The Greasers and Socs,(pronounced soashes), are two neighborhood groups who are always fighting over anything they do. One day, a greaser named Ponyboy is jumped (attacked) by a group of Socs as he's exiting a movie theater. He is saved in time by his gang of Greasers. Later, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny go to the drive-in with Dally, another one of their gang members. They meet two Soc girls who had left their boyfriends because they were drunk. Ponyboy gets to know one of them, Cherry Valance, very well. After the movies, Ponyboy and Johnny walk to a lot and fall asleep looking at the stars and the moon. They wake up hours later and Ponyboy rushes home to explain what had happened his brothers, Darrel(Darry)and Sodapop(Soda). Darrel was extremely worried about Ponyboy's disappearance, scared that the Socs had hurt him and is outraged that he fell asleep. In a moment of uncontrolled fury, he slaps Ponyboy, who runs out of the house, shocked, because no one ever hits anyone else in the Curtis family. He goes to Johnny in the vacant lot and wakes him with the intention of running away, but eventually decides to just walk around the park to cool off before returning home. As they arrive, a blue Ford Mustang pulls up near them and five drunk Socs jump out. Two of the Socs are the boyfriends of the girls that Ponyboy and Johnny picked up. Bob, their leader and Cherry's boyfriend, lets one of his goons try to drown Ponyboy to teach him a lesson. Seeing that the Socs have a knife, and recognizing Bob as one of the same boys who had already beaten him senseless once before, a terrified Johnny stabs Bob to death, scaring the other four Socs away. Believing they have committed murder, (though in reality they probably would not have been charged, as it was a textbook case of self-defense) Ponyboy and Johnny turn to Dally for help because Dally was a hood who grew up in New York City and has seen things like this happen before. Dally tells them of a hideout place: an abandoned church out of town near Windrixville on Jay Mountain; he also gives them instructions, $50, and a heater (hand gun).

The two get to the church, and Johnny buys a copy of Gone with the Wind to have Ponyboy read to him to help pass time. During the week at the church, Johnny becomes interested in a poem by Robert Frost that Ponyboy recites to him. Johnny also buys baloney, bread, as well as materials for a haircut and bleach to make them less identifiable. They hide out for four and a half days before Dally comes to find Johnny and Ponyboy. Dally explains that there will be a big fight (rumble) between the Greasers and the Socs because of Bob's death. The trio pass the abandoned church again as they are leaving and find it on fire. They learn that a group of schoolchildren on a picnic are trapped inside, and Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally go to rescue them. They successfully rescue all the children, but Johnny is badly injured, and is unable to participate in the rumble.

After the rumble, which the Greasers win, Dally and Ponyboy go to the hospital to visit Johnny. Johnny dies of his injuries after hearing about the Greasers' victory. His last words were "Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold". Dally breaks down after Johnny dies, his will to live gone, because Johnny was the only thing in the world that he loved and cared for. He robs a store, gets the fuzz chasing after him, and calls the gang to hide him. However, they are too late, arriving just in time to see Dally pull out his unloaded heater (gun) and get shot under a streetlight in a successful suicide by cop attempt.

Due to the shock of two deaths and a kick in the head during the rumble as well as many other minor illnesses, Ponyboy faints. He is carried back home to his bed by Darrel. Soon afterward, he goes into a state of delusions, one of which is the belief that he, not Johnny, had killed Bob. However, he discovers a note Johnny wrote to him in his copy of Gone with the Wind, explaining what 'Nothing Gold Can Stay' meant. Johnny explains that Robert Frost means that a person is gold when they're a kid. He states that everything seems new to a child, and it is dawn. When the child becomes used to something, it turns to day. Johnny also says that the way Ponyboy "digs" about sunsets is gold because the idea is not familiar to others. He is able to begin the healing process when a judge rules that he may stay together with his big brothers, whose love and devotion to him he has gained a new appreciation for.

The book ends with Ponyboy writing about all the events that happened to him for an English assignment starting with the book's opening/ending line: When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home...

Greaser Main Characters

• Ponyboy "Pony" Michael Curtis: The novel's fourteen-year-old narrator, and the youngest of the greasers. Ponyboy's athletic prowess, literary interests and academic accomplishments set him apart from the rest of his gang (except his oldest brother). Because his parents died in a car accident six months ago, Ponyboy lives with his brothers Darry and Sodapop. Darry seems to be on Ponyboy's case for almost everything but he mostly gets mad at him for his lack of common sense and out of concern for his safety. Ponyboy matures over the course of the novel, eventually realizing the importance of strength in the face of class bias. But he also comes to detest the violence around him, coming to understand that while "Soda fought for fun, Steve for hatred, Darry for pride, and Two-Bit for conformity," he sees no purpose for it other than self-defense. He has light brown, almost red, hair and grey/green eyes.

• Johnny Cade: Johnny is the "pet" of the gang and is defined as a "little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers", and is a vulnerable 16-year-old in a group defined by toughness and a sense of invincibility. He had taken a severe beating several months before the book's action begins at the hands of several Socs including Bob, recognizable to Johnny by the several rings Bob wears. This beating led Johnny to carry the switchblade he eventually used to kill Bob. He comes from an abusive home, and always hangs with the gang because they are his only reliable family. Johnny ends up dying of injuries he suffered from when he and Ponyboy saved children from a burning church that they stayed in on Jay Mountain in Windrixville. His fatal injuries included third degree burns, and a broken back, but he died a hero for saving the children. He looks up to Dally and always thought that he was a hero. His dying words are "Stay gold, Ponyboy, Stay gold."

• Sodapop Patrick Curtis: Sodapop is the middle brother of the Curtis, and will be 17 a few weeks after the events in the novel. Soda dropped out of high school after their parents died, and works full-time as a mechanic at a DX gas station. Ponyboy describes him as "movie star handsome", and an undefeated fighter. Sodapop is very carefree, and sticks up for Ponyboy when Darry gets mad at him. Soda is the only person who can tease Darry and get away with it. Soda is upset when he learns that Sandy, a girl he considered to be his one true love, sends back a letter he sent to her un-opened. He wanted to marry her, but her parents hit the roof when they found this out, so they send Sandy to go live in Florida. Though he lacks the book smarts of either of his brothers, he winds up being the glue that keeps the three together, because he understands Darry and Ponyboy better than they sometimes understand each other and can help guide both to see the other's perspective in disputes.
• Darrel "Darry" Shaynne Curtis: Darry Curtis is 20, the oldest of the three Curtis brothers. Highly intelligent and a top-class athlete, Darry gave up a college football scholarship to act as guardian for his brothers after the tragic deaths of their parents in an auto wreck. Darry takes his role seriously, working two jobs (one of which is roofing houses--the other is not identified) to provide for Ponyboy and Sodapop. Darry sees that Ponyboy has the intelligence to move beyond the limited opportunities afforded to everyday "Greasers". For this reason he is sometimes harsh towards Ponyboy, burdening him with his own sacrificed dreams of success. Ponyboy later comes to understand Darry's motivations and grows closer to him at the end of the book.

• Dallas "Dally" Winston: Dallas Winston is 17 years old. Dally is the tough guy and a real character; practically a hood. He is tougher, meaner and colder than the other guys. If you are not careful what you say to him, you are in for a real load of trouble. He spent three years on the streets of New York and first was arrested at the age of 10. Dally reacts violently, even to his friends, and avoids showing emotion as much as possible. He does have a soft spot for Johnny, and is very protective of him. Dally was also eternally loyal to the group of friends, once taking the rap for Two-Bit for vandalizing the school, helping Ponyboy and Johnny out when they need direction after the killing, and later trying to save Johnny when the roof of the burning church collapses on him. Dally has a record with the police "a mile long". Johnny was the only thing he loved and when Johnny died Dally couldn't take it. He robbed a store and the store clerk called the police. The police cornered him, Dally takes out his unloaded heater, but the police were unaware that it was not loaded, so they shoot him,and he dies under a street light.

• Keith "Two-Bit" Matthews: Two-Bit is the humorous one in the gang, and he is known for shoplifting anything that is not nailed down, whether he needs it or not. He believes that "if you say everything is all right, it is". He gets drunk often, and carries around his treasured black handled switch-blade to show off and to scare away any of his enemies but he rarely uses it. He has gray eyes and is the oldest of the gang, though still in high school.

• Steve Randle :Steve is 17, tall, lean, cocky, and smart. He likes to comb his hair in thick complicated swirls. Along with that, he's been Soda's best buddy since grade school. He once called Darry "all brawn, no brain", and ended up with a punch to his jaw. Steve's specialty is cars and he works part-time at the DX gas station with Soda. He also considers Pony "a tag along," which Ponyboy seems to resent, but tolerates Steve because of Soda.

Soc Main Characters

• The Socials (Socs): The Socs are the more refined characters. They appear proud and boastful. They are very rich by parental status and seek to only mock the Greasers. The socs have lots of money and their parents do not care about disclipining, spoiling them instead. They live in the west side of town. Unlike the Greasers, both of the Soc genders have a different sense of style. A typical young adult female Soc would wear a light color blouse, a flimsy sweater, and any type of skirt usually reaching to the knees. Their hair would be neatly done usually in a bob cut hairstyle. A typical young adult male Soc would wear a ski jacket, a college T-Shirt or any other shirt resembling their culture, and slacks or khaki pants.

• Sherri "Cherry" Valance is Bob's girlfriend.She is 16 years old. She is a Soc cheerleader who attends Ponyboy's school. Ponyboy meets her at the drive-in. Cherry's real name is Sherri, but people call her Cherry because of her red hair. Ponyboy and Cherry have a great deal in common, and Ponyboy feels comfortable talking to her. Cherry is both offended and intrigued by her encounter with Dally Winston at the drive-in. Cherry admires Dally's individuality and tells Ponyboy that she could fall in love with Dally (Eventually, Ponyboy realizes that she was afraid of falling in love with Dally) In the days preceding the rumble, Cherry becomes a spy for the greasers. However, Cherry doesn't believe in violence.

• Marcia is Cherry's friend and Randy's girlfriend. Marcia is fairly pretty, with her short, dark hair. She is a Soc who befriends Two-Bit at the drive-in. Marcia and Two-Bit share a quirky sense of humour.

• Randy Adderson is Marcia's boyfriend and Bob's best friend. Randy is a handsome Soc who eventually sees the futility of fighting. Along with Cherry, Randy humanizes the Greasers by showing that some of them have redeeming qualities. Randy helps Ponyboy realize that Socs are as susceptible to pain as anyone else. Randy tries to make peace with Ponyboy after Ponyboy saves the children from the fire, and he refuses to fight in the Soc-Greaser rumble. He is really the only "peaceful" one of the gangs, though Ponyboy by the end of the story has also come to detest violence.

• Robert "Bob" Sheldon is the Soc who beats up Johnny before the beginning of the story. He is a handsome black-haired boy with dark eyes who is Cherry's boyfriend and Randy's best friend. According to Cherry, Bob is sweet and friendly, standing out in a crowd, but loses control when he's drunk--which he was when he and his group came after Ponyboy and Johnny in the fatal incident. Bob's parents neglect to discipline him or set limits for his behavior. He constantly acts out, waiting for his parents to disapprove but they never do, causing his behavior to worsen. Bob is killed by Johnny Cade in the middle of the story. He is killed because he jumped them.

External links

• The Outsiders at IMDb
• S.E. Hinton website