I first read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton when I was in 6th or 7th grade, I can’t remember exactly which one. It was required reading back then, and I honestly don’t remember much about the plot. As soon as I cracked open the book, the strangeness of the character’s names all came back to me. Ponyboy. Sodapop. Johnnycake. Who are these people? Why are their names so weird? What does “Stay Gold, Ponyboy” mean? And just what is an Outsider?
The book’s focus is on two gangs of teens in Tulsa, OK, in the 1960’s. The Greasers and The Soc’s. Ponyboy Curtis is the main character. He lives at home with his 2 older brothers, Sodapop (Soda for short) and Darry. Both of their parents have died and they are trying to make ago at life and at the world all by themselves. They are Greasers. Not necessarily by choice, but because they are poor and they grease their hair back. The other gang in town is the Soc’s. They are rich kids who wear preppy clothes and drive nice cars. The gangs hate each other. So what happens when 3 Greaser boys start talking and flirting with 2 Soc girls at a drive in theater? This is the event that sends Ponyboy on a quest to dig for some of life’s most pressing questions. Are we defined by social class? What makes a hero? Can the same person be a hero and a villain? How can we thrive given the fleeting nature of our lives? What is family?
When I read this book as a tween, I thought it was a cool book about teenagers. Now reading this book as a thirty-something mother of 3, it is more a book about family and how that is defined. It is a book about 3 brothers trying to keep their family together, trying to do the best they can do for their little brother. It is a book about a group of friends that are closer than many families are. It is a book about turbulent times and class distinctions. If you want to know what all of this plus Gone With the Wind, fried eggs with jelly, and chocolate cake, has to do with a bunch of boys called Greasers, then you should definitely read The Outsiders. It is an enjoyable read, plus it’s short (under 200 pages) and could be read easily in one sitting. And the meaning of the saying “Stay Gold, Ponyboy. Stay Gold” will break your heart.
Contentment and French Fries 