The Outsiders is a young adult novel written by S.E. Hinton. It has won numerous awards and was made into
a major motion picture produced by Frances Ford Coppola. Although it was written in 1967 it remains a
popular English literature required reading for middle school students.
Summary
This book tells the story of
Ponyboy Curtis and his experiences as a young teen. Ponyboy, along with his two older brothers,
are members of a loosely formed gang referred to as the greasers. The brothers and their friends are often harassed
and jumped by the Socs, a rival gang who have money and seem to get everything
they want. The greasers, on the other
hand, come from families who struggle economically. At the outset, Ponyboy sees these differences
in black and white. To him, the Socs are
spoiled kids who get all the breaks and in their free time harass the
greasers. He sees his friends as doing
what they need to do to get by and deal with the realities of their sometimes
difficult lives. He comes to realize
however, that everyone has problems they must face and in the end people aren’t
really that different.
Ponyboy is jumped on the way
home from the movies but is saved when his brothers and the other greasers come
to his rescue and chase off his attackers.
Immediately you learn of the tension between Ponyboy and his oldest
brother, Darry who must tirelessly work to keep the family together.
The friction between the
gangs escalates to the point where one greaser kills a soc in order to save
Ponyboy when they are both attacked.
With the help from the most incorrigible greaser the two escape, where
they learn much about themselves and finally become unlikely heroes.
Through a tragic series of
events, Ponyboy and his fellow greasers learn a painful lesson about what is
important in life. Finally Ponyboy gains
insight into the true personalities of his brothers, friends, and even the
rival gang. As he reflects on the
heartbreaking incidents, he realizes that people are more than what they seem
to be on the outside.
Impressions
I was amazed to learn that
S.E. Hinton was actually a young woman who wrote this book when she was still
in high school. While the characters are
fictional, she did relate some of the events to real life happenings. She states on her website that what she likes
most about this book is that it has gotten kids interested in reading.
This book sparks a chord with
young readers because the theme is universal.
All young adults, no matter their social circumstances, at one time or
other feel that they are on the outside.
Through Ponyboy and his gang, teens get the idea that their feelings of
isolation and being different are not theirs alone.
Even though Darry is Ponyboy’s
brother, this relationship is parallel to a parent/teen relationship since
Darry is the caregiver. Hinton
demonstrates that the reason Darry is hard on Ponyboy is because he loves him
and he has high expectations for him in the future. Darry wants Ponboy to live the life he was
robbed of when he was forced into the caregiver role after the death of their
parents.
I love how Ponyboy realizes that
although he dislikes the Socs, they also have problems and obstacles in their
lives. He eventually comes to the
conclusion that rumbling will not end their problems.
His relationship with his
best friend Johnny is so touching and expresses perhaps what many boys may feel
but lack the ability to put into words (I know girls feel deeply about their
friends but they usually can verbalize these feelings more easily). We see that although Johnny is haunted and
quiet, he is extremely brave and insightful.
I so wanted him to grow up to become a fireman!
Although the text is quite
easy, the story is a page turner until the end.
I am so happy I had an opportunity to revisit this story (I think I read
it when I was younger, but was not sure).
Both of my sons read the story for 7th grade English and I am
excited to get the movie so we can watch it together. This book is timeless, engaging, insightful,
and easy for teens to relate to. The
definition of a classic!
Professional Reviews
In the 1960′s fifteen
year-old Susan Eloise Hinton was frustrated with the only books for teens revolving
around prom and dating. When a friend of hers was beaten while walking home for
being a greaser, she took her anger and wrote a novel about the cruelty of
teenage life and social cliques. This changed juvenile literature in American
and began Young Adult Literature and
realistic teenage fiction as we know it. When it was released, reluctant
readers – especially boys- related to the story and her portrayal of conflict,
brotherly love, and coming of age. Of course gangs and violence were part of
the story which reflected the realism and respect for the audience.
The Outsiders remains popular today and is often included in middle
and high school curriculums. When S.E. Hinton was asked why the book has
remained popular through the years, she replied:
“Every teenager feels that
adults have no idea what’s going on. That’s exactly the way I felt when I wrote
The Outsiders. Even today, the concept of the in-group and the out-group
remains the same. The kids say, “Okay, this is like the Preppies and the Punks”
or whatever they call themselves. The uniforms change and the names of groups
change, but kids really grasp how similar their situations are to Ponyboy’s.”
Some schools and libraries
have banned The Outsiders for the portrayal of gang violence, underage smoking
and drinking, as well as strong language/ slang and family dysfunction. When I
was able to convince a teacher to use The Outsiders with a group of Middle
School students, it was an instant hit. Many of the students sought other
realistic fiction titles afterwards, particularly those dealing with gangs and
the type of daily violence to which they are exposed. I had one teacher
hesitate to use The Outsiders because she thought it would be dated and
students wouldn’t relate. Yet the beauty of S.E. Hinton’s writing and her
impact is just as strong today. Stay gold, Ponyboy.
--School Library Journal, 2012
The Outsiders is an exciting
story that seventh graders enjoy reading. The characters have tough exteriors,
but Hinton reveals that they are sensitive individuals facing difficult
situations. As middle school students discuss the social dynamics between the
Socs and greasers and people within their own groups, they learn to make sense
of their lives. Although many good young adult novels are available, I keep
returning to The Outsiders because its message is ageless. The story inspires
adolescents to think about acceptance and rejection and the value of each
individual.
--English Journal, 2006
Library Uses
This book contains so many
nuggets. There are many truths, myths,
lessons, and insights. The main
characters, although very likeable engage in some unsavory and unlawful
activities. There are some generalizations
and prejudices which are exposed and some which are merely hinted at. Students could write on large cardboard puzzle
pieces something about the book that touched them in some way, either
negatively or positively. The pieces
could be fit together in a display. This
could be done in conjunction with a book club, or through an ongoing display or
feature of the book.
References
Chen, D. (2012, April 15).
Top Teen Titles #2. School Library Journal.Retrieved February 1, 2015 from http://blogs.slj.com/practicallyparadise/2012/04/15/top-teen-titles-2/
Gillespie, J. S. (2006).
Getting inside S. E. hinton's the outsiders. English Journal, 95(3), 44-48.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/237307672?accountid=7113
Hinton, S. (1967). The
outsiders,. New York: Viking Press.
Hinton, S. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 1, 2015, from http://www.sehinton.com/books/outsiders.html
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