The Outsiders (novel)

The Outsiders

File:The Outsiders book.jpg
Author	S. E. Hinton Susan Eloise Hinton
Language	English
Genre	Young adult novel
Publisher	Dell Publishing
Publication date	April 24 1967
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages	156 pp
ISBN	ISBN 0-670-53257-6 (hardcover edition)
Followed by	That Was Then, This Is Now

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 17 when it was published. The Outsiders is the lifestory of fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis. Hinton explores a multitude of themes throughout the story, such as friendship, and coming of age.They are seen by following two rival groups, the Greasers and the Socs (pronounced "soashes" by the author, short for Socials), who are separated by status.

The Outsiders is ranked 43rd on the American Library Association's top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 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, and the fact that "virtually all the characters were from broken homes.".

Characters

The Socs

The Socs are the nickname of the "Socials," the West Side rich kids. Ponyboy tells the reader they drive nice cars like Ford Mustangs, Corvairs and Corvettes, and learns that the Soc girls he meets are partial to the Beatles instead of Elvis Presley. The Socs are known to jump the greasers on the East side of town.

Main characters who are Socs include:

Cherry (March 8)

Sherri "Cherry" Valance: Bob's girlfriend, whose nickname comes from her red hair. She sympathizes with the greasers and becomes Ponyboy's friend. She admits to Ponyboy that she could fall in love with Dally Winston and hoped to never see him again because of it. Though Cherry is appreciative of Johnny telling Dally to leave her alone at the drive-in, she refuses to go visit Johnny at the hospital because he killed Bob. She also admits to Ponyboy that she watches sunsets from the east side. Played by Diane Lane in the movie.

Marcia (May 24)

Marcia: Friend of Cherry who accompanies her during the night at the drive-in. She has short black hair, and appears to get along with Two-Bit, which is a reason why her boyfriend, Randy, wants to get back on the greasers. Played by Michelle Meyrink in the movie.

Bob

Bob Sheldon:the Soc who originally beat up Johnny. He is Cherry’s boyfriend, and, like Johnny, he is a victim of his own family. Unlike Johnny, his parents do not physically or verbally abuse him; however, they do something equally as harmful: They allow Bob to shirk responsibility for his own actions.Bob is the rich kid who has never had to work for anything. His parents have given in to him his whole life, and have never set any boundaries for him. Johnny kills Bob when the Socs attack Johnny and Ponyboy in a park.

Randy(February 10)

Randy Adderson: Bob's friend, who is tired of the fighting between the Greasers and the Socs. He is the only person shown to voluntarily not participate in the rumble. When he meets Ponyboy at the Tasty Freeze, he tells Ponyboy that he is impressed with the younger boy's heroics and admits that he himself would have been too scared to do the same, though Ponyboy disagrees. Played by Darren Dalton in the movie.

The Greasers

While the Socs live carefree lives of privilege, the greasers all come from hard-knock backgrounds. They like to listen to the music of Elvis Presley and think the Beatles are "out". Their attire usually consists of tight fitting t-shirts, leather jackets, and snug jeans. Some greasers are involved in criminal activities, which causes many people to incorrectly assume that all greasers are juvenile delinquents (JDs). Many of the greasers also have many family problems at home.

Ponyboy Curtis (July 22)

Ponyboy Michael Curtis, (recently turned) 14: the hero. The youngest of the Curtis brothers and protagonist of the novel, he is a daydreamer, painter, a bit of a bookworm, and a self proclaimed Pepsi addict. Ponyboy watches the sunsets from his backyard and often wonders what life would be like if there were no Greasers or Socs; no labels, just people being real. At the beginning of the novel, he thinks that only Greasers have problems, but comes to realize that the Socs often have similar problems, that some of them are as tired of fighting as he is, and that they too want to live in an environment where no one looks over their shoulder for fear of being "jumped." A heavy smoker, Ponyboy is also a star on his school's track team and is best friends with Johnny Cade. He analyzes many things deeply. Ponyboy is particularly attached to his hair and was upset when Johnny told him that he had to cut and bleach it when they were on the run. He often thinks the blond hair makes him look stupid and wimpy. He has a very close relationship with his second-oldest brother, Sodapop, who he feels is the only other person, besides Johnny, that he can confide in. His parents died in a car crash, leaving his oldest brother, Darry, to take care of the two of them. Ponyboy feels that Darry is too hard on him and does not love him, but later realizes that Darry is firm with him because he loves both his brothers very much and wants them to have the opportunities that he himself did not have. Ponyboy is often considered, though not clearly stated, the baby, the "kid". Played by C. Thomas Howell in the film adaptation.

Johnny Cade(March 1)

Johnny Cade (Johnnycake), 16: "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," says Ponyboy. Johnny is a small in statute, and his shy and nervous nature stems from years of abuse from his parents and from a recent jumping from a Soc, who is later revealed to be Bob Sheldon. Johnny's face bears scars from the beating from Bob, who was wearing several large rings at the time. Ever since then, Johnny never walks alone, and carries a six-inch switchblade in his back pocket. Ponyboy quotes that if Johnny was ever jumped again, he would kill the person that did it to him. He looks up to Dally Winston and is prone to instability and emotional oversensitivity. Although he never finished school, Johnny is very good at analyzing things that many other people do not understand. Johnny is the "gang's pet, everyone's kid brother," and relies on the greasers for the love and affection he does not get at home. He also does his share with the gang, and Ponyboy says he would "shut his mouth good" in front of the cops, and that outsiders would see Johnny as a tough hood. He would do anything to protect Ponyboy, and this is shown while up in Windrixville. Also, he risks his life to save little children, claiming that they have more to live for. He does not have much self-confidence, but in the end, he realizes that he never wanted to die, and sixteen years was too young for anyone. In the film adaptation the part of Johnny is played by Ralph Macchio.

Darry Curtis (January 5)

Darrel Shaynne "Darry" Curtis Jr., 20: The oldest of the Curtis boys, Darry is tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular. Darry is occasionally perceived as cold and uncaring, as a result of assuming the role of parental figure after the death of his parents, in order to keep the family together. Ponyboy had believed that Darry did not love him, yet later realizes otherwise when Darry cried for him, since Darry did not cry at the death of their parents. Because of his build, Darry is often referred to as "Superman" or "Muscles." However, Darry is quite intelligent, and he seems to at least slightly resent the hulking-strongman stereotype; Steve once calls him "all brawn and no brains," leading Darry to punch him hard in the jaw. He roofs houses for a living. He is Ponyboy's opposite; he is as logical as Ponyboy is imaginative. Darry is extremely concerned about Ponyboy's grades, though not upset about Sodapop dropping out of high school. Darry is very bitter about the fact that he never went to college. Even though he had been offered an athletic scholarship, he turned down the opportunity in order to raise Sodapop and Ponyboy, thus keeping them out of a boys' home. Even though Darry is associated with the Greasers, he keeps his hair cut short. Ponyboy notes that Darry is very Soc-like and too "smart" to be a Greaser, and the only reason that Darry was not a Soc was because he would not turn his back on his brothers or the gang. In the film adaptation the part of Darry is played by Patrick Swayze.

Soda Curtis(October 8)

Sodapop Patrick Curtis, 17: The middle Curtis brother, who dropped out in High School and works at a DX Gas Station. He is described as extremely good looking; they describe him by saying he has "Movie-Star looks", and is an undefeated fighter, though he is not the runner his brothers are. Sodapop is very carefree, preferring to play around rather than do any work. He isolates himself and smokes only when he is upset; otherwise, he is social and hyperactive. Although he is generally very optimistic, when reality hits him, he descends into an extremely deep funk. Sodapop confides in Ponyboy and sticks up for him when Darry lectures him. He is the only person who can tease Darry and get away with it. Towards the end of the novel, Soda is greatly upset when he learns the hard way that Sandy, a girl he considered his one true love, has cheated on him, become pregnant and been sent to live in Florida. Despite learning of her infidelity, he wanted to marry her, but her parents refused. In the film adaptation the part of Sodapop is played by Rob Lowe.

Steve Randle(April 15)

Steve Randle, 17: He has thick greasy hair that he combs back "in complicated swirls." Steve is tall, lean, cocky, and arrogant, though smart and skilled at driving. He and Ponyboy get along only because of Sodapop, and is a perfect example of a greaser who suffers from child abuse, as his father forces him out of the house every week. Steve has been Sodapop's best friend since grade school; the two even work at the same gas station. Steve and Sodapop often bicker and get into wrestling and arm wrestling matches to vent their excessive energy. Sodapop is the only Curtis brother he really cares about; on one occasion, he called Darry "all brawn and no brains," which infuriated Darry so much that he punched Steve in the jaw and nearly shattered it. He considers Ponyboy a "tag-along" and does not like when Sodapop brings him along to places. In the film adaptation the part of Steve is played by Tom Cruise.

Two-Bit Matthews(June 20)

Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews, 18: He has been known as "Two-Bit" for so long that even his teachers have forgotten that his real name is Keith. Two-Bit is the joker of the gang, always smiling and cracking jokes. Like Sodapop, he lives for action and fun. Though nearly 19 years old, Two-Bit is still a junior in high school because he finds school "entertaining." Two-Bit is known as a shoplifter, a decent fighter and has a propensity for dating blondes. His prize possession is his stolen black-handled switchblade (a balisong in the film). He flirts with Marcia, even though he knows that she is the girlfriend of a Soc. In the film adaptation the part of Two-Bit is played by Emilio Estevez.

Dally(November 9)

Dallas "Dally" Winston, 17: The tough guy of the group, Dally is considered extremely dangerous. He grew up on the streets of New York and was arrested at the age of 10. Although he is not muscular, many people wouldn't fight him. Dally is the opposite of Johnny; he is prone to react rashly and violently, even to his friends, and avoids showing emotion as much as possible. He does, however, have a soft spot for Johnny, and is very protective of the younger boy. Ponyboy on Dally: "He had an elfish face, with high cheekbones and a pointed chin, small, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. His hair was almost white, it was so blond, and he didn't like haircuts, or hair oil either, so it fell over his forehead in wisps and kicked out the back in tufts and curled behind his ears and along the nape of his neck. His eyes were blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the world." Dally has a record with the police 'a mile long'. He is killed by police, rather sets himself up for suicide, after the death of Johnny Cade, the only person he ever really cared about. In the film adaptation the part of Dally is played by Matt Dillon.

Tim Shepard(November 5)

Tim Shepard, 18: Though he is friends with the main characters, Tim leads a gang that bears his own name. The Shepard gang had rumbled with the Curtises and their friends in the past and they join forces at the rumble against the Socs. Tim is described as having dark, curly hair and blue eyes. A tramp slashed him with a broken pop bottle, so he has a scar from his temple to his chin. He dishes out harsh discipline to his gang. His nose had been broken twice before and was broken a third time during the rumble. Tim and Dally are "two of a kind," says Ponyboy. He has a younger brother, Curly, who is mentioned in the book as being in the reformatory. The character of Tim Shepard (as well as Curly Shepard and Angela Shepard) appear in S.E. Hinton's second novel, That Was Then, This Is Now. In the film adaptation the part of Tim is played by Glenn Withrow.

Note: The birthdates listed are from S.E. Hinton. When creating The Outsiders TV series, she provided the information to producers about the month and date of each characters' birth, but did not provide birth years.

He also likes cheese.

Film version

Main article: The Outsiders (film)

A film adaption of the novel was made in 1983 by Francis Ford Coppola. The film is notable for being the breakout film for a number of actors who would go on to become major stars, for example, Tom Cruise, who played the part of Steve Randle. In September 2005, Coppola re-released the film, including 22 minutes of additional footage, entitled The Outsiders: The Complete Novel, reinserting scenes that were left out of the previous version, making this new version much closer to the book.

Television series

Main article: The Outsiders (TV series)

A 13-part television series based on the characters from the novel was aired in 1990 by Fox. S.E. Hinton co-wrote the pilot episode with Alan Shapiro. She was listed as a creative consultant for later episodes, but has stated in radio interviews that her input wasn't accepted by producers.

External links

• The Outsiders at IMDb
• S.E. Hinton website
• Fansite for the book and film
• The CliffsNotes page on The Outsiders.
• The SparkNotes page on The Outsiders.
• Bookrags notes summary page on The Outsiders.
• "'The Outsiders': 40 Years Later" by Dale Peck, in The New York Times