The story is set in the 1960s and is about the class struggle between the Socs (short for Socials) and the greasers. Socs are privileged, wealthy kids and greasers are kids who live in the poorer neighborhoods and tend to be hoods. The novel is told from the point of view of Ponyboy Curtis, a fourteen-year-old greaser. Although he is a greaser, he makes incredible grades, loves cinema, reading and nature, and doesn't go out of his way to break the law; this makes him generally misunderstood by his two older brothers and the rest of his gang. In the novel, Ponyboy describes his conflict with Socs, and how one night things get out of hand and he ends up on the wrong side of the law.
There are a lot of dynamic elements to the story which make it interesting. But the story behind the writing of the book itself is worth noting. I remember having to read an article about it in English class the year we read the book; I still remember it. I even remember the picture of S.E. Hinton. Actually named Susan Hinton, this author was encouraged to use her initials instead of her real name so people would take it seriously and actually be willing to buy the book. What's more amazing is that Hinton began writing the book when she was fifteen years old. She was inspired by her own high school and things that happened to her own friends. In 1967 Hinton turned eighteen and her book was published, and this young, unknown, female author instantly became popular.
The Outsiders is an overall very well-written book. It appealed to me as a thirteen-year-old and I still love it now. After just re-reading it as a 22-year-old, I will admit that some of the writing can be a bit goofy, but remembering that a teenager wrote it, it makes sense. I personally can relate to Ponyboy in many ways, and I think a lot of people can, which is why the book has such a lasting effect. But his vivid description of his greaser friends could leave any reader identifying with someone in the novel. The book also just leaves you feeling inspired and better about the world. As someone who tends to read darker books, it's refreshing. S.E. Hinton wrote the book, hoping the audience would sympathize with the greasers. But by the conclusion, you feel for both the Socs and the greasers. You realize that everyone has problems and everyone is dealing with their own demons. It's no excuse to justify and allow immoral behavior, but it is important not to generalize groups of people. You need to get to know people individually and judge them by individual actions.
I can easily say that the seventh grade was the year that I was obsessed with The Outsiders. I read and re-read the book and watched the film over and over and over again with my best friend. It completely opened up new genres of books for me and shaped how and what I read. I became more open-minded and more willing to read books that had controversial content to dig deeper and find a message. The Outsiders is constantly argued over by scholars and educators due to its controversial content and is often on banned book lists. However, it still ends up on middle school reading lists decade after decade for a reason. The simple and clever writing style, the relatable characters, the message of hope and friendship mixed with the dark and violent content makes this book stand out. If you didn't have the pleasure of reading The Outsiders as a teenager, I highly suggest reading it now.
Stay gold xx
PS: After you've read the book, watch the DIRECTOR'S CUT of Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film adaptation. You won't be disappointed.
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