The Outsiders

Ponyboy Curtis is just your average Greaser: slick, cool, and has enough gel in his hair to fill up the Atlantic Ocean, but his whole life was about to be turned around. The Outsiders by S.E Hinton is set in Oklahoma where Ponyboy shows you the rough but true reality of society and how stereotypes can affect people physically and emotionally. The moral in this book still applies to life today, making it timeless.

There are two main social classes in the story. The Greasers are dirty, poor people who are not treated with the same respect as the rich preppy Socs, or Socials. Both social classes are involved in a  huge feud when the story begins just because of the money they  have to their names. Ponyboy’s brother Darry is strict with him, making sure he receives good grades in school and stays out of trouble, while his other brother Sodapop is a more laid back and relaxed. Ponyboy’s best friend is Johnny, a sensitive, sweet boy. Together, they and a couple of their other friends make up the rag-tag gang of Greasers that rule the streets. Everything is great for the gang, going to the movies, and joking around at the house. But one night Ponyboy and Johnny are out on the street when they get jumped by Socs; what would happen that night would change the relationship between Socs and Greasers forever.

The Outsiders truly showed me that it doesn’t matter how much money a person has but what is on the inside. From the action-filled fights to the heartwarming relationships between the boys, the book changed the way I look at life. I know now not to judge somebody by how they look or their culture but I have to get to know them to truly see who they are as a person. S.E Hinton uses a mix of language that plays to the readers emotions the whole way through the story. This book is nonfiction and I would recommend it to young adults or kids who can dig deep into stories. If you have a chance to read this book, I guarantee it will change your life for the better.