The+Outsiders

 Ponyboy can count on his brothers, and his friends. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up "greasers" like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect. Until the night someone takes things too far. Main Characters: Ponyboy, Sodapop, Darry, Johnny


 * Ponyboy** is only 14 years old and the youngest of the greasers. He lives with his two brothers Darry and Sodapop because his parents had died in a car accident. Ponyboy is more worried about his school work and things like that which sets him aside from the gang. Darry accuses Ponyboy for lacking common sense all the time.


 * Darry** is Ponyboy's oldest brother. He is 20 years old and very strong and intelligent. Darry quit school to work two jobs so he can raise Ponyboy and Sodapop. He is the unofficial leader of the "greasers" and becomes an authority figure for Ponyboy. He also makes amazing chocolate cake and they eat it everyday for breakfast. The other "greasers" call him "superman".


 * Sodapop** is the second oldest brother of Ponyboy. He is very handsome and Ponyboy envies Sodapop's good looks and charm. Sodapop plans to marry Sandy, a greaser girl.


 * Johnny** is 16 years old. He does not succeed in school. He is a child of alcoholic and abusive parents; he is very nervous and sensative. Since his parents don't care for him Johnny sees the Greasers as his true family. All the boys are very protective of him.

**Plot: ** Ponyboy is a kid from the wrong side of the tracks (a greaser) whose parents were killed in car accident. He, his friends, Johnny, Dally, Two-Bit, and Steve, and brothers, Darry and Soda, are always getting beaten up by a gang called the socs. One night, he and his nervous best friend Johnny, are attacked by socs. The socs almost drown Ponyboy, and Johnny, defending Ponyboy, stabs bob, one of the socs to death. Their aggressive, troubled friend Dally gives them money and a gun loaded, and tells them to hide in an abandoned church on Jay Mountain    . Ponyboy and Johnny fin the church, and set up camp. Johnny, cuts and bleaches Ponyboy's hair, and cuts his own. Dally comes to the church, and takes Ponyboy and Johnny to get some food. He tells them that a big fight is scheduled for tomorrow, and that Bob's (member of the socs) girlfriend, Cherry, is going to testify that Bob asked for it, since he was drunk, and that the murder was self-defense. They return to the church and see it's on fire. A bunch of little kids are trapped inside, and Pony, Johnny, and Dally save them. Ponyboy gets out ok, Dally burns his arm, but a huge piece of wood falls on Johnny, breaking his back, and burning him badly. Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally are declared heroes, but a juvenile trial is scheduled for Johnny and Ponyboy. Pony is reunited with his brothers, Darry, and Soda. With the fight near, Ponyboy visits Dally, and dying Johnny in the hospital, and Dally declares that they beat the socs for Johnny. The Greasers and Socs fight each other, and the socs lose. The Greasers go and see Johnny to tell him the news.


 * Setting:** Is crucial to this story, for it is through their environment, the inner city, that the main characters are defined: they live on the wrong side of the tracks, and their surroundings force them to grow up quickly and to become tough. Hinton modeled the book's setting on her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, although she never refers to the city by name. The novel is most likely set in the mid-1960s, the time period during which it was written, although, again, Hinton makes few explicit references to external historical events that might fix the book in time.

I do recommend this book. I think that anyone could read this book. Basically teenagers would be into it more I think because they deal with things like this now a days. Also, maybe adults that dealt with gangs in their childhood would like it. Younger kids I don’t really think would understand this book. They don't really know what its like yet.

Written By: Shalon Gallgher