The Outsiders Novel by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders Novel

• Published in 1967 by S.E. Hinton
• A young adult novel that shows the lives of "greasers" from the wrong side of the tracks
• The story is about the coming-of-age journey of Ponyboy, the main character

Genre

• The genre of the book is young adult realistic fiction
• Written mainly for readers aged 12-18

Plot Summary

• The story takes place over one summer and follows Ponyboy Curtis and his friends, a gang of "greasers"
• The opposing gang is called the Socs, representing the "have's" and the "have-nots"
• Ponyboy and his friends face poverty, grief, loss, and violence, and the story shows how these issues affect their lives

Chapter Summaries

• Chapter 1: Introduced to Ponyboy, his family, and the rivalry between the greasers and Socs
• Chapter 2: Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally go to a drive-in and get into a verbal altercation with a Soc girl, Cherry Valance
• Chapter 3: Ponyboy and Johnny walk Cherry home, and Ponyboy opens up about his feelings towards his brother Darry
• Chapter 4: The Socs attack Ponyboy and Johnny, leading to Johnny killing Bob in self-defense
• Chapter 5: Ponyboy and Johnny hide out in an abandoned church, and Ponyboy reads to Johnny from a book of poetry
• Chapter 6: Johnny decides to turn himself in for Bob's murder, and Ponyboy and Johnny try to rescue children from a burning church
• Chapter 7: Ponyboy and his brothers learn about the aftermath of the church fire and the consequences of Johnny's actions
• Chapter 8: Ponyboy and Two-Bit visit Dally and Johnny in the hospital, and Ponyboy learns that Johnny may not survive
• Chapter 9: The greasers prepare for a rumble against the Socs
• Chapter 10: The rumble takes place, and the greasers win, but Johnny dies soon after
• Chapter 11: Ponyboy struggles to come to terms with Johnny's death and the events that followed
• Chapter 12: Ponyboy writes an autobiographical theme for his English class, reflecting on the events of the novel

Characters

• Ponyboy Curtis: The main character, a 14-year-old who has lost his parents and is struggling to find his place in his family
• Darryl (Darry) Curtis: Ponyboy's oldest brother, who is the guardian of his brothers after their parents' deaths
• Sodapop Curtis: Ponyboy's middle brother, who is kind and handsome
• Johnny Cade: A member of the gang who is frail and sensitive, but also brave and heroic
• Dallas Winston: A tough and troubled member of the gang who considers the gang to be his family
• Sherri "Cherry" Valance: A Soc girl who is kind and understanding, and helps Ponyboy to see the similarities between the greasers and Socs

Publication and Reception

• The Outsiders was published in 1967 and was controversial at the time due to its portrayal of gang violence and strong language
• The novel has stood the test of time and is a common book in many English curriculums in America today
• S.E. Hinton wrote The Outsiders in her teens, based on the types of things she saw taking place in her own community
• The novel is often credited with inventing the young adult category of literature