Book Facts
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Author: S.E. Hinton
Published in 1967
Setting-Tulsa, Oklahoma
Main characters
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The main character is Ponyboy
Curtis, and he is fourteen years
old. Ponyboy is intelligent. He
likes school and does very well.
Darrell (Darry), the oldest
brother of Ponyboy is only
twenty but he works two jobs to
keep the brothers together.
Sodapop is the middle brother of
Ponyboy. He is the mediator
between the brothers and is very
fun to be around. He is also very
handsome.
Rival Gangs
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Greasers-long, greasy hair, low
income
Socs-Socials, wealthy teens from the
West side of town
Other greasers
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Two-Bit is the oldest of the
greasers and the funniest.
Steve is Sodapop’s best friend
who works with Sodapop at the
gas station.
Dallas (Dally) is from New York
and used to be a part of the
gangs there. He is dangerous
because he is so violent but he is
also very protective, especially of
Johnny.
Johnny is sixteen years old. He
does not have a good home life so
the greasers are family to him.
Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold. ~Johnny
Plot
Ponyboy and Johnny are at a park
one night and some Socs jump them.
Ponyboy is knocked unconscious but when
he comes to he realizes that Johnny has
killed a Soc. Ponyboy and Johnny flee with
a little money and a gun to escape any
punishment. They go to an abandoned
church where they stay for a week.
Meanwhile tensions are very high between
the Greasers and Socs.
Dally comes to check on the boys
and Johnny says he is going to turn himself
in. As they are leaving, they realize that the
church where they had been staying has
caught fire and some children are inside.
They get the children out but Johnny’s back
was broken when the roof caved in. At the
hospital the next day, Johnny and Ponyboy
are declared heroes. They also find out that
Johnny is charged with manslaughter for
killing the Soc and Johnny and Ponyboy
both have to go in front of a judge to see if
they need to go to a boys’ home.
That night there is a rumble
between the Greasers and Socs. The
Greasers win but after the fight, the
greasers go to see Johnny and find out he is
dying. When Johnny dies, Dally being
emotionally overwhelmed robs a grocery
store and then shoots at the police so they
gun him down.
Several days later Ponyboy wakes up
from a concussion from a kick at the
rumble. He then goes to court and the
judge is nice to him and lets him stay living
with his brothers. Ponyboy is depressed
after this and his grades suffer. Ponyboy
and Darry continue to fight until Sodapop
tells them to stop fighting because he is
angry and frustrated with them. They agree
to stop fighting. Ponyboy feels like he
needs to tell Johnny and Dally’s story so he
starts writing a paper for English class that
is really the book you just read.
Official Book and Movie Website:
http://www.theoutsidersbookandmovie.com/
Review Questions:
1. What is the climax of the book?
2. How are the rival gangs similar?
3. What causes the Greasers and
the Socs to dislike each other so
much?
4. How does Sodapop act as a
mediator between his brothers?
5. Where do Johnny and Ponyboy
go to escape the world?
Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold. ~Johnny