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The Novel
The Outsiders tells the story of 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis, his brothers and the gang of friends they belong to.
Set in the 1960's in the rough part of an American city, the story is a convincing description of the social and ideological conflicts between East Side Greasers and West Side Socials. -
Period: to
The outsiders
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Chapter 1
The chapter open with Ponyboy coming out of the movie theatre and starting on his long walk home. His thought give reader some insight into the setting and life of the characters. We learn that Ponyboy‘s parents are decreased, having been killed in an automobile accident. We also learn that Darry, the older brother, takes care of Sodapop and Ponyboy. We learn of the relationship between the brothers, and of their standing as Greasers in society. And Socs -
Relationship
Ponyboy: A greasers, narrator of a first-person of view story 14 years old, brother of Darry and Soda, smart, like school.
Darry:older brother of Ponyboy, jock in HS and smart, Trying to be a parent to Soda and Pony.
Johnny: Smallest of the Greasers, parents hit him, sleeps in the park sometimes, Ponyboy's best friend.
Sodapop:dropped out of school, works on cars, best friend is Two-Bit ,happy-go-lucky
Dally; older friend of Pony and Soda, tough guy, HS droput,
helps the boys out. -
Greasers
The witchblade represents strength and power. The Greasers, the lower class, felt safer when carring this defense. It was their choice of weapon against harm that may come from the opposing social group, the Socs -
Socs
The blue Mustang represents the upper class Socs. It stands for money power and authority. -
Chapter 2
The next evening, Dally, Ponyboy, and Johnny sneak into the drive-in where Dally begins to haras two Socs girls-Cherry Valance and Marcia. Cherry throws a Coke at Dally but later invites Ponyboy and Johnny to sit with them. While Ponyboy and Cherry stand in the concession line, he tells the story of how Johnny was attacked by Socs. Cherry is appalled but tells that Socs have plenty of troubles too. -
Chapter 3
The girls allow Two-Bit to drive them home from the movies. On the way to get the car, Ponyboy tells Cherry about Soda'horse and sunsets. He also expresses his feeling that greasers have all the 'rough breaks'. The Socs spot their girls walking with greasers and a confrontation results. Ponyboy suspects that Bob, Cherry's boyfriend, is the one who lead the attack on Johnny. To prevent a fight, she agrees to ride home with the Socs, but before she goes reveals to Ponyboy her attraction for Dally. -
Chapter 4
Ponyboy and Johnny stop at the vacant lot to stargaze and fall asleep. When Ponyboy wakes up. he realizes Darry will be worried and upset that he is not home. Darry is so distraught, he hits Ponyboy who then runs out. Johnny and Ponyboy go to the park. In the park Ponyboy is attacked and almost drowned by a group of Socs. Johnny comes to his rescue with a switchblade and kills Bob. To escape the police the seek help from Dally. Dally gives them a gun and tells them to hop a train to a church. -
Chapter 5
When Ponyboy awakens, he finds a note from Johnny saying he went for supplies. When Johnny returns, the boys cut and dye their hair to keep from being recognized. The boys spend five days of reading, playing poker. and sleeping. They discuss the appeal of Southern gentlemen in Gone with the Wind and the beauty of sunsets. Dally arrives at the hideout and takes the boys to town to eat; he tells them about the rumble with the Socs and the fact Cherry is now a "greaser"
spy. -
Chapter 6
Johnny decides to turn himself in, and Ponyboy agrees to go along. Dally is worried prison will harden Johnny. When they return to the church, they find it is on fire. Ponyboy and Johnny rescue a group of children trapped inside, but Johnny is seriously injured; Ponyboy and Dally are also hurt. At the hospital, Ponyboy is reunited with his brothers who are very happy to see him. -
Chapter 7
At the hospital the Curtis boys are interviewed by the press. Afterwards they learn Dally will recover, but Johnny may die. Ponyboy is taken home. The next day, Steve shows Ponyboy that the rescuers are seen as hcrees. but Ponyboy also finds out the Curtis family may be split up. On their way to the hospital. Two-Bit and Pony run into Randy. He tells them why he won't participate in the rumble between the greasers and Socs. Ponyboy realizes the Socs are people too.
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Chapter 8
At the hospital Johnny realizes the seriousness of his condition and is afraid of dying. Johnny's mothcr arrives. but he refuses to see her. Dally, for Johnny's sake, wants to seek revenge on the Socs; he borrows Two-Bit's switchblade. Ponyboy is sick but doesn 't want anyone to know; he is worried about the rumble. Ponyboy runs into Cherry and becomes angry when she says she can not visit Johnny. Ponyboy apologizes by reminding her they share the sunset. -
Chapter 9
At home, Ponyboy-still feeling ill and his brothers
prepare for the rumble. Pony persuades Darry that the greasers need him to fight. At the vacant lot the gang meets up with their allies, the Shepard gang and the Brumly boys.
Darry represents the greasers and challenges the Socs lead by an old high school friend. Paul. to a fight. Caught off guard by Dally's arrival. Darry is hit by Paul. The rumble begins. During the greuling nght Pony is kicked in the head. but the Socs are eventuallv chased -
Chapter 10
Dally rushes Ponyboy to the hospital to see Johnny.
Johnny tells Pony to 'stay golden” and then dies. Dally loses control because of Johnny's death and runs out of the hospital. Walking home dazed. Pony is taken home by a concerned stranger Dally calls the Curtis house to tell them he is runnmg from the police because he robbed a liquor store. They were to meet him at the lot. At the lot, Dally pulls the unloaded gun on the police and is shot and killed.Pony coIlapses from his injury and remain -
Chapter 11
At home still recovering, Ponyboy chances upon a picture of Bob Sheldon and tries to imagine what he was like. Randy stops by to see how Ponyboy was doing and to discuss the hearing. Ponyboy expresses his fear thatthe Curtis brothers will be split up. Randy says that Pony was not to blame for Bob's
death. Pony insists that he killed Bob and that Johnny was not dead. Darry explains to Randy that Ponyboy is mentally unstable. At the hearing the judge questions those
connected with Bob's murder. -
Conflicts
1.Man vs. Man (physical)- Ponyboy and the other boys fight against the Socs with fists and knives, but they have guns and the most might. 2.Man vs. Circumstances（classic）-Ponyboy struggles with the fact that he wasn't born with money and priviledge. 3. Man vs. Society(social) -Ponyboy and the Greasers struggle against the wealth and the elevated social position of the Socs. 4.Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological)-Ponyboy struggles with the trouble he feels he has caused and whether to turn him -
Chapter 12
Pony is having difficulty at school.His English teacher
says he can still pass if he writes a good theme based on
his life experiences. At home Pony and Darry begin to argue, and Soda gets upset and runs out. They run after him. Soda confesses that their arguing is tearing him apart. Pony and Darry agree not to fight, and they all race home. That night Pony finds a note from Johnny in the book. Gone with the Wind. Johnny considers his live meaningful because he saved the children. -
Chapter 12
He urges Pony to remain "Gold and appreciate the
beauty and goodness in the world. He decides to share his story and begins his semester-theme 'The Outsiders'. -
My reflection
This story is classic. Although the degrees of it may vary, I think that most people have experienced the situations depicted in the storyline. Our world revolves around money, social class, family and fitting in. This is a story that constantly repeats itself time and time again thoughout history. From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to West Side Story, the idea is still the same. It found me to take a step back and realize that there is always a bigger picture to life.
