The Outsiders

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Hinton, S.E. (1967, 1995). The outsiders. New York: The Penguin Group
ISBN: 014038572X

Plot

Ponyboy lives with his brothers Soda and Darry. Darry is 20 and has been acting as the two teenager's parent since their parents died in a car accident. Ponyboy likes to draw and read and is sensitive. The boys live on the wrong side of the tracks and are part of a gang called the "Greasers." Their life is hard and they are tougher than they should have to be at a young age. They often fight the more affluent kids from town called the Socs (so-shes). The other members of their gang include Dally, a criminal from an early age, Two-Bit, Steve and Johnny. Johnny is shy and sensitive. He comes from an abusive background. When Johnny and Ponyboy are attacked by a group of Socs in the park, Ponyboy is almost drowned by a boy named Bob. Johnny stabs Bob to save Ponyboy. Bob is killed. The two Greasers run to Dally for help. He hides them out in an old church outside of town. While there, Pony recites the Robert Frost poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay," to Johnny about the beauty of youth and the loss of innocence. They tell Dally that they want to turn themselves in, but before they can do this, the church catches on fire with chilldren trapped inside. Johnny and Ponyboy rush in to save the children. Dally rushes in to save Johnny and Ponyboy. Before he can reach Johnny, a beam crashes onto him and breaks Johnny's back. The boys are written up in the newspaper as heroes. There is a rumble between the Greasers and the Socs. The Greasers win. Dally and Ponyboy go to the hospital to tell Johnny. Johnny is dying and is unimpressed with violence. He tells Ponyboy to "Stay gold," and dies. Dally goes crazy, robs a store and is gunned down by the police. Ponyboy is upset and rebels against Darry. Ponyboy must try to harness his frustration and grief before it destroys him and his family.

Critical Evaluation

This book is a classic coming-of-age story. The two warring gangs are separated by socio-economic factors. The author depicts several interactions between the rival gangs that indicate they have a love of music, literature and nature in common. Ponyboy's character  evolves over the course of the story so that he understands that youths from all classes must come to terms with the same issues of sorrow, fear, hatred and love. Finally he sees the same vulnerability in his brother, Darry, that he feels within himself. The book is exciting, action-packed and filled with intriguing characters. There is violence depicted, but it is age and reading level appropriate for tweens.

Readers Annotation

Ponyboy prefers art and reading to fighting. But when he is attacked by a member of a rival gang, his friend, Johnny, stabs and kills his assailant. The boys have to go into hiding. They finally decide to turn themselves in, but before they do, a tragedy occurs that will change the lives of all concerned forever.

About the Author

Susan Eloise Hinton is from Tulsa Oklahoma where she was born in 1950. She began writing The Outsiders while she was in high school. The book was published in 1967 while she was still a teenager. It has sold over 13 million copies. She uses her initials instead of her name on her books after a suggestion by her publisher that young males might overlook her work if they knew it was produced by a woman.  She is one of the best known and most popular of young adult fiction writers. She became the first recipient of the ALA's Young Adult Library Services Association's Margaret A. Edwards award in 1989. She has published several other Young Adult books. Many of her stories have been made into major motion pictures.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties: Language Arts, Social Studies

Booktalk Ideas: Doing the right thing, Gan

Reading Level: Grade 7+
Interest Level: Grade 7+
Challenge Issues: Violence. The violence portrayed in The Outsiders represents the reality these young people live with everyday. It is not gratuitous. This book is becoming a classic. It would be easily defended from attack.

This book is included as it is a classic coming-of-age story that has achieved iconic stature while still remaining popular with young adult readers.