The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a striking coming of age tale about a fourteen year old boy, named Ponyboy, and his close knit group of friends. The novel is set in Oklahoma during the 1960’s. Ponyboy lives in a very tough neighborhood where every teenager is in a gang. Both of Ponyboy’s parents died in a car accident and his two brothers, Darry and Sodapop, raise him in their dilapidated old home.
Ponyboy belongs to a very close group of friends who call themselves the Greasers. The Greasers’ main rival is a band of snobby rich kids called the Socs. The two gangs have a deep hatred for each other. The conflict between the two gangs leads to Ponyboy’s Greaser friend, Johnny, killing a Soc in order to defend Ponyboy. Throughout the novel, Ponyboy and his gang must face the harsh realities of life such as death. Ponyboy is forced to grow up faster than any boy should. He matures from a mindless young gangbanger into a thoughtful, intelligent young man.
One boring summer day, a family member suggested that I read The Outsiders. I was not overly excited about the opportunity and thought that I had better things to do. After hearing a quick explanation of the plot, I did not think that I would be able to identify very much with the novel. The novel is set in the rough slums of Oklahoma during the 1960’s. I had virtually no knowledge of gang life, and I had no desire whatsoever to read a book about a kid named Ponyboy. My parents suggested that I read the first chapter and decide whether or not to continue reading the novel. I followed my parents’ advice and fell in love with the book. After reading the first chapter, I could not put the book down. I was completely caught up in a world of gangs and guns, street fights and murders. The book was too entertaining to put down and I ended up finishing the novel in only a couple of days.
At the conclusion of the novel, the reader finds that the entire novel was written by Ponyboy himself. Although Ponyboy is a fictional character, I was able to feel and understand his struggle to survive the cruel underworld of street gangs. Ponyboy’s transformation from street thug to a thoughtful young man and writer is surprising and uplifting. He endured a lot throughout his transformation, and I found his development throughout the novel very entertaining. Hinton mixes Ponyboy’s deep and often intellectual thoughts with brawling street violence. The novel gives the reader entertainment from the fights and interactions between the Socs and the Greasers as well as a reflection on the difficulties young men face while growing up.
The Outsiders is fairly short and very easy to read. Because Hinton does not use a complex vocabulary, I was able to read the novel in a short amount of time. Hinton uses very entertaining and action packed words that keep the reader’s attention at all times. The only question I had while reading this book was whether or not there was a sequel to this novel. I looked up some of Hinton’s other works and, although there isn’t a sequel, there are several other books that are very similar to this novel. I would recommend The Outsiders to everyone. It is a fantastic novel for anyone to read.
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I haven’t read this book in forever but I really enjoyed it. I was forced to read it in 7th grade so at first I thought it would be just a dumb book about gang violence but it is not just a book about gang violence because that’s exactly what I thought it would be when I was about to read it. The story itself is interesting and fast moving. The characters are very well developed. I can't recommend this book for teenagers and maybe some adults. I also saw the movie but the book was way better. The book not only is very interesting but also teaches a very important lesson.
ReplyDeleteI’ve seen The Outsiders on reading lists in prior years, but I judged the book by its cover and did not think it would be interesting. Like you mentioned, a story about the harsh life of gangs does not seem to grab my attention. Once I read the summary of the novel, The Outsiders seems like a book I may like. Not only does it tell the story of gangs, but also how that kind of life can affect a boy who is so young. I also like how the reader finds out that the main character is actually the narrator of the novel. Reading this review has given me an urge to read The Outsiders, which I have passed by multiple times.
ReplyDeleteI read The Outsiders for an assignment in seventh grade, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Most people in my class dreaded reading it at first, but I welcomed it as I do with most new material. Hinton’s simple message couples very well with the simple writing. She was very young when she wrote the book, and as I read it, I could feel the way she related to the characters. Now that I am the same age, the book may speak differently if I reread it. I barely remember the book, but this summary makes me want to pick it up again. I have also read Hinton’s Rumble Fish, and, though not as good as The Outsiders, it is worth reading.
ReplyDeleteThe Outsiders sounds like a very interesting novel. I have never read any of S.E. Hinton’s works before. From how you describe The Outsiders, I might want to read some of her books, especially this one. The conflicts and fights between the Greasers and Socs along with Ponyboy’s struggle to survive the underworld of street gangs would make this book very interesting to read. Another reason I want to read this book is because of its short length. With all of the schoolwork assigned, this would be a good book that I could have time to read. I definitely think that I will read this book after reading this blog.
ReplyDeleteI also read this book in seventh grade as an English assignment. As usual if the English teacher assigns a book for the students to read, we (students) start thinking “wow this book is going to stink.” This novel was a pleasant surprise to our general thinking. I enjoyed the action and conflicts involving girls, social status, and hair products. For some strange reason while reading this novel I imagined Ponyboy as a young John Travolta. In this novel Ponyboy’s life is changed in the course of one night. I believe that many peoples lives can be changed in the course of one night.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading “The Outsiders” in middle school, and I remember really enjoying it. I thought that the plot was very interesting, and the characters were very memorable. The book is a very good read about the social conflicts between gangs and the effect of growing up in gang environments. It has a very good perspective about learning to accept people as they are and putting aside differences such as social class. The movie was not bad either, but I still prefer the book. I would recommend this book because it is an easy but interesting read and contains good themes and ideas.
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