Essay, Research Paper: The Outsiders

"Opposite Worlds"
a book review of The Outsiders

I recently finished reading The Outsiders, a novel written by S.E.
Hinton. The Outsiders was Hinton's first novel, which she wrote when
she was only sixteen. Her other books include That Was Then, This
is Now, Rumble Fish, Tex and Taming the Star Runner. She received
the American Library Association's first annual Margaret A. Edwards
Award, honoring authors whose novels have influenced young adults
and have helped them "grow and to understand themselves and their
role in society." S.E. Hinton now lives with her family in Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
The Outsiders was an interesting novel to read because it dealt
with the everyday life of three young brothers trying to carry on after
their parents' death. The main conflicts of the plot were based upon
rivalries between the Greasers, a gang from the poorer section of
town, and the Socs, a gang of rich teenagers from the more affluent
neighborhood. I found this book to be very exciting, and more realistic
than other fiction novels I have read.
The story begins with Ponyboy, a tough, yet sensitive,
fourteen-year-old trying to continue with his life after his parents'
untimely death with the support of his two brothers, Darry and Soda,
and his gang of Greasers from the wrong side of town. Life is hard for
Darry, Soda and Ponyboy. Although Darry and Soda are only a few
years older than Ponyboy, Darry is forced to get a job and provide for
the two other boys, even though he could have had more potential if
he had been able to attend college. The long-haired, rough Greaser
gang the boys belong to are constantly armed and ready to rumble
with any member of the Socs for the sake of their fellow Greasers.
Ponyboy is proud to be a Greaser and loyal to his gang, until his best
friend Johnny ends up murdering a Soc in self-defense. The two boys
must leave town to avoid being caught by the police and end up hiding
out in an old abandoned church in a nearby neighborhood. One day
after going out to buy groceries, the two fugitives return to the church
ablaze. Ponyboy and Johnny are quick to go back into the burning
building to retrieve some school children who had wandered inside.
Both boys are named as heroes for saving the children and Ponyboy
escapes the fire with few injuries, but Johnny is hurt badly and could
possibly be paralyzed for the rest of his life, if he survives at all.
Meanwhile, a huge battle between the Socs and the Greasers is set to
take place in an abandoned parking lot near Ponyboy's house.
Although he wants to join in the rumble against the Socs to support his
gang, the murder has given Ponyboy second thoughts about whether
fighting will help solve anything between the two groups. He
continues in the rumble as planned, thinking it might bring Johnny new
hope and strength if he hears of the Greasers' victory against the
Socs, but Johnny dies that same day. The death of his best friend
causes Johnny's divided world to crumble beneath him and teaches
him that pain feels the same to a Soc as it does to a Greaser.
I fully enjoyed The Outsiders, which has quickly become one of
the best books I have ever read. Although the ending was sad and
somewhat emotional, I found the plot to be fast-paced and the
characters to be quirky, yet believable. The descriptions of the gangs
and its members were very realistic, even though the book was
published over thirty years ago. I was also amazed that S.E. Hinton
could have had such an excellent talent for writing at age sixteen.
This book will remain a classic and one of my favorite novels for a
long time.