Classics: The Outsiders

Check out the first scene from the book in the 1983 movie

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. New York: Speak Platinum Edition, 2012. Print. ISBN 978-0-14-240733-2; paperback; $10.99.

Annotation: Ponyboy and his group of Greasers grow up in a class struggle between them and the rich Socs. With his brothers Darry and Sodapop, Ponyboy learns hard lessons and faces challenges that explore class diversity in this coming of age story.

Nicky B. "I really liked this book because it was different than much of our school reading.  The characters are great since they are diverse and from diverse backgrounds.  The author was able to show us that the Greasers and Socs were different only because of the labels that were placed upon them, from the stereotypes of where they were from, rather than the actual people they were.  I think the story teaches a lesson in seeing people for their character, for who they are, rather than where they are from.  It made me realize that books are like people, you can never judge one by its cover."

Book Awards

• New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967
• Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967
• Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975
• ALA Best Young Adult Books, 1975
• Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, 1979

Book Review: Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis is the youngest member in his gang, known as Greasers. Unlike his older brothers Darry and Sodapop and their group of friends, Ponyboy is an outstanding student at school who loves to read. After being attacked by the Greaser's rival gang, the Socs, Ponyboy struggles with violence, class divisions and his relationship with his oldest brother Darry throughout the novel. Over the course of the story, Ponyboy learns the importance of the relationships with his family and his strength to overcome the challenges of social class prejudice and violence.

The power of the story comes from its teenage narrator, Ponyboy. Telling the story in his point of view and how he comes to terms with the challenges he faces makes The Outsiders a must read for all young adults. Ponyboy is a person that many readers will connect to and the problems he faces seem all the more real when told from his perspective. The Outsiders is a classic coming of age novel that demonstrates the realities and hardships that many young adults face. A reality that includes violence, drug use and relationships with the opposite sex is revealed in its most natural and pure form. Hinton's writing, specifically her ability to make everything imaginable and visible to the reader, makes the story and characters so memorable. The Outsiders should be read by all young adults, especially teenagers that sometimes feel overwhelmed or scared by the struggles of something in their lives. The story's message of showing strength through adversity is an important life lesson that all readers should experience and understand.