The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, is a young adult novel about a boy and the events he faces. The story is told in the perspective of Ponyboy Curtis, a fourteen year-old Greaser. In the story there are two rivaling groups: the Greasers and the Socs. The Socs or Socials are the rich kids who drive Mustangs and wear madras who jump Greasers just for fun. The Greasers would get in trouble a lot usually robbing stores or getting into fights. They have a tough home life, but the Greasers treat each other like family. The Greasers consist of the Curtis family: Pony, Soda, and Darry. The other greasers are Johnny, Two-Bit, Dally, and Steve. Some of the Socs mentioned are Cherry, Marcia, Randy, and Bob.
In the beginning, Pony is walking home from the movies when he gets jumped by some Socs. This begins a conflict between the Greasers and Socs. Just in time the Socs are chased away by the Greasers. Later, Pony, Johnny, and Dally go to the movies and meet Cherry and Marcia. Pony and Cherry form a good relationship and Pony realizes that Cherry isn't like the other Socs he's met. The boys are walking the girls home when they run into the girl's boyfriends, Bob Sheldon and Randy Adderson. The boys soon get into an argument causing the girls to go with Bob and Randy. Pony comes home late making Darry upset and ends up hitting making Pony run away with Johnny. Pony and Johnny go to the park to cool off when they find out they were followed by Bob, Randy, amd some other Socs. The boys try to run away, but is caught and is drowning when Johnny kills Bob.
In the beginning, Pony is walking home from the movies when he gets jumped by some Socs. This begins a conflict between the Greasers and Socs. Just in time the Socs are chased away by the Greasers. Later, Pony, Johnny, and Dally go to the movies and meet Cherry and Marcia. Pony and Cherry form a good relationship and Pony realizes that Cherry isn't like the other Socs he's met. The boys are walking the girls home when they run into the girl's boyfriends, Bob Sheldon and Randy Adderson. The boys soon get into an argument causing the girls to go with Bob and Randy. Pony comes home late making Darry upset and ends up hitting making Pony run away with Johnny. Pony and Johnny go to the park to cool off when they find out they were followed by Bob, Randy, amd some other Socs. The boys try to run away, but is caught and is drowning when Johnny kills Bob.
After Johnny kills Bob, the boys go to Dally for help since he was the most street smart out of all the Greasers. Dally provides them with a gun, money, and directions to an abandoned church. The boys stay at the church for a couple of days and kill time by reading Gone With the Wind. Pony also tells Johnny about a poem called "Nothing Gold" by Robert Frost. After about 4 days,Dally comes to deliver news and gives Pony a letter from Soda. The boys go get something to eat and Dally says Cherry is a spy for the greasers surprising the boys. Then Johnny says he'll turn himself in when they get back surprising Dally. The boys drive back to the church to find it's on fire. Pony and Johnny go inside the church to help trapped kids. As they pull out the last kids, Dally pulls out Pony just in time burning timber falls on Johnny and breaks his back. The boys are sent to the hospital and Pony reunites with his brothers. The next day Pony, Johnny, and Dally are declared heroes for saving the children and Johnny will be charged with manslaughter for murdering Bob. Pony also learns the Socs and Greasers will settle their turf war with a rumble. Later, Pony and Two-Bit go visit Johnny and Dally in the hospital. They soon realize that Johnny might not live.
Ponyboy and Two-Bit meet up with Cherry to receive news concerning the rumble. That night the rumble happens and the Greasers win. After they win the rumble, Dally takes Pony to go visit Johnny. They arrive at the hospital and see Johnny die. Dally can't handle Johnny's death and runs out of the hospital. Pony goes home to deliver the news of Johnny's death to the rest of the Greasers. The Greasers then find out Dally has robbed a store and is being chased by there police. Dally points an empty gun at the police, but they shoot and kill them. Pony faints and stays sick and delirious for a whole week. As he recovers, he convinces himself that Johnny is still alive and it was him that killed Bob. After Pony recovers, there is a trial and Pony is able to stay with his brothers. At school, Pony's grades are dropping, but his English teacher says he'll pass if he writes a personal theme. While thinking about topics to write on, Pony finds a letter from Johnny in his copy of Gone With the Wind. Johnny says it was worth saving the kid's lives and urges Pony to "stay gold" referring to Frost's poem. Pony decides to write on his recent events and begins his essay with the novel's first line: "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie theater, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home..."
Ponyboy and Two-Bit meet up with Cherry to receive news concerning the rumble. That night the rumble happens and the Greasers win. After they win the rumble, Dally takes Pony to go visit Johnny. They arrive at the hospital and see Johnny die. Dally can't handle Johnny's death and runs out of the hospital. Pony goes home to deliver the news of Johnny's death to the rest of the Greasers. The Greasers then find out Dally has robbed a store and is being chased by there police. Dally points an empty gun at the police, but they shoot and kill them. Pony faints and stays sick and delirious for a whole week. As he recovers, he convinces himself that Johnny is still alive and it was him that killed Bob. After Pony recovers, there is a trial and Pony is able to stay with his brothers. At school, Pony's grades are dropping, but his English teacher says he'll pass if he writes a personal theme. While thinking about topics to write on, Pony finds a letter from Johnny in his copy of Gone With the Wind. Johnny says it was worth saving the kid's lives and urges Pony to "stay gold" referring to Frost's poem. Pony decides to write on his recent events and begins his essay with the novel's first line: "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie theater, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home..."