The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton | Teen Ink

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton MAG

By Anonymous

     Though I usually prefer science fiction and fantasy, reading The Outsiders was a phenomenal experience. The story line is good, but what sparked my interest is how S. E. Hinton, who was 16 at the time she created this, writes. Everything flows smoothly, and with so much detail. You get to know the characters so well it’s hard to believe the story just covers one week of their lives. This book is extremely hard to put down.

The Outsiders is about a gang of “greasers,” or underprivileged teenagers, living on the east side of Tulsa, Oklahoma. They are constantly under attack from the rich west-side Socs, and have parties and rumbles all the time. The narrator, the orphan Ponyboy Curtis, pretty much knows what to expect from his day - school, track, homework, football at the lot - until one of his friends takes the greaser-Soc battle too far.

From that point, Ponyboy can barely keep track of what is happening. He goes from hopping a train to escape a crime scene to being in the newspaper as a juvenile delinquent hero. Everything seems to move too fast to handle. To find out the whole story, read the book!

If you like symbolism, this novel has plenty, but the main one is to “stay gold.” The book has a strong message of staying young and innocent. It teaches us not to create a shell to block emotions and the importance of friendship. This is one book you definitely will not want to skip.



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This article has 80 comments.


on Jan. 11 2012 at 8:22 pm
holyblondecheerleaderbatman BRONZE, Wasilla, Alaska
1 article 2 photos 42 comments

Favorite Quote:
Who said I want to fit in ?

i love this book i watched the movie and loved it even more so.... ya i was bored one day and me and my friends made an outsiders movie... it sucked O.o lol

on Dec. 14 2011 at 5:23 pm
poetrykid702 BRONZE, Lumberton, North Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 5 comments
I looooved that book, I'm naming my kid Dallas.

on Nov. 22 2011 at 7:48 pm
camohunter19 GOLD, Sedro-Woolley, Washington
14 articles 13 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say No when they mean Yes, and drive a man out of his wits for the fun of it." "Violence is never the answer! It is a question, and the answer is yes."

the "stay gold" poem that Ponyboy recite is actually really dark. it explains that no matter how hard you try everything will die. very good book and good writing on your part too.

Mac Miller said...
on Oct. 31 2011 at 12:48 pm

i like this book

 


on Oct. 24 2011 at 2:33 pm
I read this book for battle of the books. Now I've watched the movie hundreds of times and become obsessed with The Outsiders

on Oct. 24 2011 at 2:28 pm
MickeysMinnie BRONZE, Klawock, Alaska
1 article 0 photos 11 comments
S.E Hinton was 16.

on Oct. 24 2011 at 2:27 pm
MickeysMinnie BRONZE, Klawock, Alaska
1 article 0 photos 11 comments

Nature's first green is gold, 
Her hardest hue to hold. 
Her early leaf's a flower; 
But only so an hour. 
Then leaf subsides to leaf. 
So Eden sank to grief, 
So dawn goes down to day. 
Nothing gold can stay.

-Robert Frost 


Cheeseburger said...
on Oct. 14 2011 at 10:57 am
I liked this book when I read it. Nice review.

hbp1994 said...
on Oct. 3 2011 at 8:44 am
hbp1994, Pell City, Alabama
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments

i agree young writers inspired me to become a writer myself i do editorial journalism...

 


hbp1994 said...
on Oct. 3 2011 at 8:43 am
hbp1994, Pell City, Alabama
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments
best book in the world! 

jessica said...
on May. 12 2011 at 9:46 am
haha this book is cool

Becca17 GOLD said...
on Mar. 25 2011 at 6:57 pm
Becca17 GOLD, Belleville Ontario, Other
10 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Seven Deadly Sins:
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Science without humanity
Knowledge without character
Politics without principle
Commerce without morality
Worship without sacrifice.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Great book! Amazing how the author was only 16 years old. It just gives all of us young writers great motivation today. 

. said...
on Mar. 3 2011 at 6:24 pm
I loved this book and also found it devastating, i really like Johnny, good reveiw, i would suggest reading That was Then This is Now, another one her wonderful books

shelbyyyyyy said...
on Jan. 14 2011 at 1:16 pm
this was exatctly what i thought

bibo-bobbos said...
on Jan. 14 2011 at 4:01 am
this is a very good review it helped me a lot in my book review and the story is very nice but with the most dramatic and tragically ending 

on Dec. 12 2010 at 1:53 pm
Quinney-Bear SILVER, Porter, Indiana
5 articles 0 photos 3 comments
i had to read this book for school some people thought it was boring but i thought it was a nice cyhange from the other pooks we had to read in class

lollypops GOLD said...
on Dec. 5 2010 at 6:55 am
lollypops GOLD, Pilot, Virginia
16 articles 5 photos 218 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live

i loved this book i could not believe a girl wrote it she is an amazing author i hope she writes more

Kaylee said...
on Nov. 28 2010 at 8:43 pm
10 years of jail beats what really happened to him... lol.

lszyman96 said...
on Oct. 25 2010 at 7:58 pm
lszyman96, Romeoville, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
" stay golden ponyboy"
-the outsiders

this book was just absolutely amazing

on Oct. 23 2010 at 6:41 pm
TIMLUVER03 SILVER, Valdosta, Georgia
6 articles 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
We can't all be hereos because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.- Will Rodgers

yeah i agree with carmel94. This is one of my fav's.I was shocked a teenage  girl wrote it too,amazing.