The Outsiders

by: S. E. Hinton

First published: 1967

Click Here to Download the Printable Notes

Click Here to Download the App

SETTING

The Outsiders is set in a large, unnamed town in the United States. It is about a gang of teenage boys who are called the Greasers. They live on the east side of the town, also known as the wrong side of town; the eastside neighborhood is described in graphic detail. The story is set in the 1960’s and relates the incidents that take place over a few days. After killing Bob, Pony and Johnny take shelter in an abandoned church in Windrixville. After it catches fire and burns down, they return to their hometown, where Johnny dies in a hospital.

CHARACTER LIST

Major Characters

Pony Curtis The narrator and protagonist of the story. His elder brother, Darry, brings him up after the death of his parents in a car accident. Though Pony resents him, he is also in awe of him. He also idolizes his middle brother, Soda. All three brothers belong to a gang of poor teenagers called the Greasers, named for their long, oily hair. Their bitter rivals are the Socs, the rich kids living on the west side of town. Pony is involved in the murder of a Soc named Bob. After the killing, he runs away with his friend Johnny to Windrixville. There they hide in an abandoned church. When the church catches on fire, they bravely rescue some children trapped in it. Johnny is badly injured and has to be hospitalized. When he dies, Pony is completely shattered. He cannot reconcile himself to his friend’s death until he reads a letter Johnny has left for him telling him to ‘stay gold’ and to continue appreciating sunsets. He finally understands that with hard work he can overcome his circumstances and not remain an outsider all his life. Pony then adopts a mission for himself -- to tell the rest of the world about the odds that under-privileged children have to face. He also realizes and appreciates how much Darry loves and cares for him.

Johnny Cade A member of the Greasers whom the other gang members try to protect. His father constantly beats him up, and his mother either ignores his presence or screams at him. He becomes a nervous wreck after he is terribly beaten up by the Socs. He starts carrying a switchblade in his pocket; when he and Pony are attacked by the Socs, he uses the knife to kill Bob in self-defense. He hides with Pony in an abandoned church in Windrixville and heroically rescues children who are trapped in the church after it catches fire. During the rescue, a burning beam falls on his back, and he later dies in a hospital. Before dying, he tells Dally that ‘fighting’s no good’ and asks Pony to ‘stay gold.’ Even after death, his spirit reaches out to Pony in the form of a letter which he leaves for him, exhorting him to remain pure and rise above being an outsider. The letter motivates Pony to tell the rest of the world that it is wrong to judge children by the amount of hair oil they wear.

Dallas Winston (Dally) The toughest, coldest, and meanest of the Greasers. He has been in and out of jail since the age of ten. He gives Pony and Johnny a gun and some money when they come to him after Bob’s death. He also tells them where to hide. During the rescue, Dally plunges into the burning church to rescue Johnny, who is trapped under a beam. Upset by Johnny’s death, he threatens the police with an unloaded gun after robbing a store. He dies without the world knowing about his qualities or the reasons for his delinquency.

Minor Characters

Darrel Curtis (Darry) Pony’s oldest brother. After the death of his parents, he takes care of Soda and Pony, his younger brothers. Darry is twenty years old, over six feet tall, and broad-shouldered and muscular. His pale blue-green eyes have a determined set to them. He longs for
his brothers and him to rise above being a Greaser; therefore, he encourages Pony to study and get good grades. Pony misunderstands his motives and is hostile towards him through much of the book. At the end, Pony understands and appreciates Darry’s love and concern.

Sodapop Curtis (Soda) Pony’s middle brother. He truly loves life even though he is a school dropout who works at a gas station. Pony idolizes him and considers him to be the most handsome man alive. Soda tries to support Pony when Darry is after him.

Steve Randle Soda’s best friend and a member of the Greasers. He works at the same gas station as Soda.

Two-Bit Mathews (Keith) A member of the Greasers who always has to state his opinion (or get his two bits in). He is well known for being a shoplifter and carrying a black-handled switchblade. He likes fights, blondes, and school, even though he is still a junior at age eighteen and a half.

Sherri Valence (Cherry) A girl who is friends with the Socs. She meets Pony, Johnny, and Two-Bit at a drive-in. She and Pony have a lot in common, but the friendship is not allowed to develop because of their different social status. She is supposedly in love with Bob even though she knows that he drinks too much and has beaten Johnny up. After Bob’s death, she acts as a spy for the Greasers and truthfully tells the judge and the reporters about the circumstances leading to his murder.

Marcia Cherry’s friend, who is at the drive-in with her.

Robert Sheldon (Bob) A member of the Socs, who drinks too much. Wearing large rings, he beats Johnny up. When he finds his girlfriend, Cherry, mixing with the Greasers, he and his companions attack Pony and Johnny in a lonely park. Johnny kills Bob in self-defense.

Randy Adderson Bob’s friend and a member of the Socs. He helps Bob to jump Pony and Johnny in the park. He holds Pony’s head under water and almost drowns him. His deposition at the hearing is honest.

Tim Shepard The leader of a third gang. He brings his boys and also the Brumly gang to fight on the Greaser’s side during the rumble between the Socs and the Greasers.

Paul Molden A member of the Socs who starts the fight with the Greasers. He was on Darry’s football team in high school, and the two of them used to be buddies. Now he has only contempt and pity for the Greasers.

Mrs. Cade Johnny’s mother. She either shouts at Johnny or ignores his presence. When she finally goes to visit him in the hospital, Johnny refuses to see her. She is furious and starts screaming about his ingratitude and the trouble that he has caused her.

Jerry Wood A schoolteacher, who was with the children when the church caught fire.

Mrs. O’Briant Another teacher accompanying the children.

CHAPTER 1

Summary

Ponyboy Curtis steps out from a movie theater into the bright sunlight, thinking about Paul Newman and catching a ride home. He never likes to walk alone in town, for he is fearful of being jumped by a rival gang member. Pony is a Greaser, a gang member from the poor, east side of town; his bitter enemies are the Socs, the rich gang of teens from the west side of town. The two groups are constantly picking fights with each other.

Pony notices a red Corvair trailing him. It finally pulls up beside him, and five Socs emerge and surround him. One of them pulls out a knife, flips open the blade, and holds it against his throat, while the others pin him down on the ground. Afraid of being killed, Pony starts screaming for his brothers or anybody else who might be around to help. When the Socs hear shouts and the sound of pounding feet, they run away. Some of the Greasers, including Steve Randle, Two-Bit Matthews, Dally Winston, and Johnny Cade, chase after the fleeing Socs and chunk rocks in their direction.

Darry, Pony’s oldest brother, is in the group who has come to his aid. He pulls Pony to his feet and asks him if he is seriously injured. He then berates Pony for going out unaccompanied. Darry, who is twenty years old, is Pony’s guardian, for their parents have been killed in an automobile accident. He dropped out of school in order to work and provide for his brothers. Now he pins all of his hopes on Pony, knowing he is bright and a good student. The middle brother, Sodapop, seems to be much kinder than Darry. He notices that Pony is bleeding from a cut on his face and is genuinely concerned. Soda is also a high school dropout and works at a gas station.

In bed that night, Pony wonders why the Socs hate the Greasers so much. He resents that they call him a hood and pick on him constantly. His latest encounter earlier in the evening has really shaken him, and he cannot go to sleep. Soda thinks he is upset because Darry is always hollering at him. He tells him that Darry is really proud of him because he is intelligent, but Pony is skeptical about his oldest brother’s affection. To cheer Pony up, Soda lets him in on a secret; he tells him that he intends to marry Sandy after she finishes school.

CHAPTER 2

Summary

The following night Dally, Johnny, and Pony go to the drive-in movie. They sneak in over the back fence, because Dally does not like to do things the legal way. They seat themselves behind two girls who are friends of the Socs. Dally, tries to provoke them by speaking in an abusive manner and putting his feet up on the back of one of their chairs. The girl threatens to call the police if they are not left alone.

When Dally goes to buy cokes, Pony talks to one of the girls, whose name is Cherry Valance. When Dally returns with the cokes and gives Cherry one, she throws it in his face. When he tries to put his arm around her, Johnny stops him. Dally stalks off in anger. Pony and Johnny then go and sit next to the girls and learn that they had come to the movies with some boys from the Socs, but had left them because they had sneaked alcohol in with them. As they are all watching the movie, someone places a hand on the shoulders of Johnny and Pony and says, “Okay, Greasers, you’ve had it.” Thinking that it is a Soc, Pony is terrified and Johnny goes white with fear. To their relief, they discover that it is Two-Bit, a fellow Greaser who is playing a joke. Two-Bit informs them that Dally, in his anger, has slashed Timothy Shepard’s car tires.

When Cherry and Pony go to buy some popcorn, he tells her about how four members of the Socs had jumped Johnny and severely beaten him. He explains that ever since then, Johnny has been very nervous. Cherry tries to convince Pony that not all Socs are alike and that they have a lot of problems. Pony cannot understand why they have any concerns since they have “good grades, good cars, good girls, madras, Mustangs, and Corvairs.”

CHAPTER 3

Summary

After the movie, Cherry and Marcia worriedly and reluctantly accept Two-Bit’s offer to drive them home. As they are walking to Two-Bit’s house to pick up his car, Cherry and Pony talk; Pony realizes that he is telling things to Cherry that he has not told to anybody else. The two of them also discover that they both enjoy watching sunsets and have other things in common.

On the way to Two-Bit’s house, a blue Mustang passes by, turns around, and stops. Two Socs get out, and Pony notices that one of them is wearing three heavy rings on his fingers. He also notices that Johnny is terrified. A handsome dark-haired boy tells Marcia and Cherry that they have no business walking the streets with “bums.” Two-Bit is offended by the comments; with anger, he takes out his switchblade and breaks the end of an empty bottle and gives it to Pony. Hoping to prevent a fight between the boys, Cherry gets into the Mustang and calls to the Socs. She also tells Pony that he should not take offense if she ignores him in school or elsewhere because her parents would not like her being friendly to a Greaser. She closes by saying that she hopes that she never meets Pony again, because she is afraid that if she does, she is going to fall in love with him.

After the girls leave with the Socs, Two-Bit tears up a piece of paper on which he has written Marcia’s phone number and departs from Pony and Johnny. The two of them go into a parking lot, where they lie down and talk. Before long, they are both asleep. When Pony awakes, he is concerned because it is very late. Leaving Johnny in the parking lot, he rushes home, hoping that everyone will be asleep. Unfortunately, Darry is up and reading the paper. He points out that it is two o’clock in the morning and shouts at Pony for worrying him; he reminds his younger brother that if he gets into trouble with the law, he will be taken away from Darry and sent to a boy’s home. He also scolds Pony for not wearing a coat.

Darry’s shouts awaken Soda; he tries to stop his older brother from scolding Pony, which only makes Darry more angry. He then tuns on Pony and slaps him. Pony runs out of the house, goes to the parking lot, and wakes up Johnny. He tells him that he is running away because Darry slapped him and obviously hates him. Johnny tells him that he prefers it when his father hits him, for at least it shows that he is aware of his son’s existence; usually, neither his mother nor his father cares whether he is home or not. Johnny also reminds Pony that he is lucky, for Soda really cares for him. Johnny’s words comfort Pony. After calming down, he decides he will not run away; but before returning him, he and Johnny go to the park for a walk.

CHAPTER 4

Summary

The Socs in the blue Mustang spy Pony and Johnny and follow them to the park. Pony is apprehensive because he knows the boys are drunk, and there is no way for him and Johnny to escape. As Johnny reaches for his switchblade, the unarmed Pony wishes he had the broken bottle with him. When the Socs, including Bob and Randy, emerge from the car, they try to provoke the Greasers, calling them “dirt” and “white trash with long hair.” Pony is enraged and shouts back at them. In turn, they catch him and shove his face in the fountain; he almost chokes to death before falling on the pavement.

Suddenly all the Socs disappear. It is because Johnny, in self-defense, has killed Bob. Pony and Johnny are both confused and frightened over what has happened. They decide to go and find Dally to seek his help. When they explain everything to him, Dally gives Pony some dry clothes, a loaded gun, and fifty dollars. He instructs his two friends to hop on the three-fifteen freight train to Windrixville, where they can hide in the old abandoned church on the top of Jay Mountain. He also tells them to buy a week’s supply of food before going to the hide-out.

Pony and Johnny follow Dally’s orders and hop the freight train. As they are traveling, Pony dozes off. Johnny wakes him just before they have to jump off. When they inquire, a farmer directs them to Jay Mountain. On reaching the church, they discover that it is a small, kind of spooky, and filled with spider webs. Pony reminisces about the times when he used to go to the church with his parents; he remembers attending for awhile even after their death. He thinks about the last time he was in church; he had persuaded Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit to accompany him and Johnny to church. The behavior of his friends had embarrassed him so much that he has not gone to the church since then.Once the boys are settled into the church, they immediately fall asleep on the floor, for they are absolutely exhausted.

CHAPTER 5

Summary

When Pony wakes up in the church the next morning, he finds that Johnny has left him a message scrawled in the dusty floor. He says he went to get supplies and will return soon. Pony thinks about the events of the previous night, and he starts trembling and sweating. Johnny soon returns with soap, peroxide, and enough food for a week, just as Dally had suggested. Johnny also brings a paperback of Gone with the Wind; he remembered that Pony had wanted his own copy of the book. Johnny suggests that Pony read the book aloud, helping to pass the time for both of them. The next four days are spent in reading, playing poker, and smoking heavily, but they cannot hide the fact that they are lonely, miserable, frightened, and homesick. In an attempt to disguise themselves, they change their appearance. Even though they hate to do it, they both cut off their long hair, and Pony bleaches his.

On the fifth day, Dally comes to visit Pony and Johnny. He gives Pony a letter from Soda, who says that Darry is sorry for hitting him and is worried about where he is. Dally is also full of news. He tells his friends that their photographs have appeared in the newspaper, but he has lied and told the police that the two of them headed for Texas; Dally was trying to keep the law out of Windrixville. He also tells them about the all-out war the Socs have declared against the Greasers. Two-Bit had been attacked, but Darry and Dally arrived in time to save him. Supposedly on the next night, there is to be a huge rumble to settle the score between the two gangs. He finally adds that Cherry is now spying on the Socs for the Greasers.

CHAPTER 6

Summary

Johnny informs his friends that he intends to turn himself in to the police. Dally is taken aback by the news; but Pony is not surprised. Johnny feels he will get a light sentence since Bob was killed in self-defense and because he does not have a police record. Additionally, he is tired of staying in the church, feels guilty about having Pony with him, and does not want to be on the run for the rest of his life. When Dally points out that he should have turned himself in five days ago if that is his plan, Johnny admits that he was too scared.

Suddenly, Johnny and Pony see that the church is on fire and notice that a group of children are present. They dash to help and learn that some of the children are trapped inside. Hoping to rescue them, both the boys enter through a window. Pony saves several children and jumps out the window. He then hears Johnny screaming inside and is about to go in after him. Dally stops him by hitting him across his back, causing him to lose consciousness. Dally then goes inside to rescue Johnny. When Pony comes to, he finds that he is in an ambulance with Jerry Wood, one of the teachers who had been with the children. When Pony asks about his friends, Jerry informs him that Dally would recover, for only his arm was burned. Johnny, on the other hand, has suffered severe burns; additionally, a piece of timber fell on him and hurt his back.

At the hospital Pony sits in the waiting room to hear something about Johnny and Dally. Finally, he sees his friends on stretchers. Dally is awake and tells Pony that he will beat him up if he ever tries something stupid like that again. Pony then looks at Johnny, who is still unconscious; tears come to his eyes to see his friend like that. Soda and Darry arrive, filled with concern. Pony now realizes that both his brothers really care for him. He accepts that Darry has been critical and strict because he loves him and wants him to make something out of his life. There is a total reconciliation between the two. Pony is ready to go home permanently.

CHAPTER 7

Summary

The reporters and the police interview Pony in the hospital while he, Darry, and Soda wait for news of Dally and Johnny. Finally, the doctor tells them that Dally’s arm is badly burned and will remain scarred for life. Johnny, on the other hand, is in a critical condition; he is in severe shock, suffers from third degree burns, and has a broken back. If he lives, he will be crippled for life. Since there is nothing that they can do, Pony, Darry, and Soda return home.

The next morning Two-Bit and Steve show Pony the newspaper. There are articles on what had happened the night Johnny killed Bob and on how Johnny and Pony had rescued the children from the burning church. One of the parents has stated that the children would have been killed if it had not been for Johnny and Pony. Cherry, in an interview, confirmed that Bob was drunk on the night of his murder; Randy Adderson added that the Socs caused the fight and that Pony and Johnny had fought back in self-defense. As a result of these confessions, Johnny was only being charged with manslaughter.

The newspaper also featured a story about Pony and his two brothers, mentioning that Pony was a very good student and explaining how Darry worked two jobs to support his brothers. The article ended with the comment that the three of them should not be separated. The article makes Pony realize that he is in danger of being taken away from Darry and sent to a boy’s home.

Two-Bit and Pony go out for a walk. They notice that a blue Mustang is following them; it is the same one that followed Pony and Johnny. When the boys stop to buy cokes, the car comes to a halt near them, and several Socs emerge. Randy Adderson takes Pony aside and tells him that he admires him for saving the children and that he did not know that a Greaser could be so heroic. He admits that he might not have been as brave if he had been in the same situation. Randy adds that he is tired of the violence, but knows that he will be “marked chicken” if he does not take part in the rumble, still planned for later in the evening. After the conversation, Pony decides that “Socs were just guys.”

CHAPTER 8

Summary

Pony and Two-Bit walk to the hospital to see Johnny. Conscious again, Johnny asks for some hair oil and a copy of Gone with the Wind, which Two-Bit goes out to purchase. Pony is left to visit with his friend, whom he senses is close to death. He tells Johnny about the rumble, which is to take place later that night. He also tells him that he and Darry have reconciled and that Dally is going to completely recover with only a few scars. The nurse interrupts to tell Johnny that his mother has come to see him. Johnny refuses to see her and then gets so agitated that he faints.

Pony and Two-Bit go to see Dally, who is his “usual mean, ornery self.” He tells Pony that he is happy to see him alive, because he thought that he had killed him when he hit him at the church. When he hears that Johnny is in critical condition, Dally asks Two-Bit to loan him his switchblade. Pony notices a dangerous look in Dally’s eyes and refrains from asking any questions.

While waiting for a bus to go home, Two-Bit realizes that Pony has a fever. Pony tells him not to tell Darry anything about it, for he will be all right after taking a few aspirins. He does not want anything to interfere with his being at the rumble later in the evening. The boys see Cherry, who tells them that the Socs are going to play by the rules at the fight; they will bring no weapons. Pony is a bit brusque with her, which hurts Cherry’s feelings. When he sees that she is almost in tears, Pony is repentant because he does not like to see girls cry. In order to cheer her up, Pony asks her if the sunset is as beautiful on the west side of town as on the east.

CHAPTER 9

Summary

Pony, Soda, Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit prepare for the rumble. Darry does not want Pony to participate, for he thinks he has not fully recovered and is too tense; however, he gives in when Soda supports Pony. The Greasers are joined by Tim Shepard and his boys and Brumly’s gang. To everyone’s surprise, Dally also arrives to join the fight.

When the Socs arrive at the vacant lot, Darry and Paul, a Soc, begin the fighting. Before long everyone is entangled. Pony and several others fighting with the Greasers are badly beaten up, but the Socs suffer even greater damage. Before long, the Socs run away.

Dally tells Pony that they have to go to the hospital to see Johnny, for his condition has deteriorated and he has asked for Pony. On the way, Dally drives extremely fast and is stopped by a policeman for speeding. On being questioned, he tells the policeman that Pony has to be rushed to the hospital because he has had an accident. The policeman escorts them to the hospital.

As Pony and Dally approach Johnny’s room, the doctor stops them from entering because Johnny is worse. Dally takes out Two-Bits’ switchblade and forces his way into the room, with Pony following. When they reach Johnny’s side, Dally tells him that they won the rumble. Johnny’s response is, “Useless...fighting’s no good.” He next tells Pony, “Stay gold Ponyboy. Stay gold.” Johnny then dies. Dally is devastated about losing his best friend. He slams one fist against the wall, begging Johnny not to be dead. Then all of a sudden he bolts through the door and down the hall.

CHAPTER 10

Summary

After Johnny’s death, Pony wanders aimlessly for hours. He is eventually dropped home by a stranger and breaks the news of Johnny’s death to the gang. When they hear that Dally has run off in anger, everyone realizes that he too has a breaking point. Before long, Dally phones Pony. He tells him that the police are after him for robbing a store and that he will be at the vacant lot in a minute. Everyone rushes to meet him. Dally has already arrived with the police close on his heels. He stands under a street light, takes out his unloaded gun, and raises it towards the police. They open fire, and Dally crumples to the ground. Pony faints.

When he regains consciousness, Pony finds that he is at home in bed. Darry is protectively sleeping in an armchair beside the bed. Pony soon learns that he has been unconscious and delirious for over three days. He is overwhelmed by why lies ahead for him. He must make up all the schoolwork he has missed; he has to go to court about Bob’s death; and he may be put in a boy’s home.

Soda gives Pony a copy of Gone with the Wind; it is the one that Johnny had in the hospital. He says that the nurse told him that Johnny had wanted Pony to have it. Pony, however, feels that he cannot continue reading it, for it would be a constant and painful reminder of the deaths of Johnny and Dally.

CHAPTER 11

Summary

Pony has to stay in bed a whole week to recuperate. To pass the time, he goes through Soda’s yearbooks, where he comes across a picture of Bob. He is reminded that he will soon have a hearing about Bob’s death. Randy also comes to see him and talks about the hearing. Feeling he has let down his father by getting mixed up in gang rivalry, Randy has promised to set the record straight and speak the truth at the hearing. He tells Pony not to worry, for Johnny was the one who had the knife and killed Bob. Pony, however, in his confused state, insists that he had the knife, that he killed Bob, and that Johnny is not dead. Hearing that Pony is upset, Darry comes in and asks Randy to leave. When they are outside, Pony hears Darry telling Randy not to speak to Pony about Johnny, as he is still mentally and emotionally unstable. When Darry returns to the room, he scolds Pony for smoking in bed. He also tells him to clean his room, for it is a mess. In talking, Darry refers to Pony as “little buddy,” a term of endearment usually reserved for Soda. Pony is happy that Darry now seems to care about him; he promises to be more careful.

CHAPTER 12

Summary

The hearing is rather ordinary, with no heroics or dramatics. Randy and the other Socs are truthful about what happened on the night of Bob’s murder, but Pony thinks they are lying when they maintain that Johnny killed Bob. In the end, the judge acquits Pony, but he is not quite able to put his life back in order. He stops eating and seems to forget everything. His grades suffer terribly. Eventually his English teacher gives him an ultimatum. He tells Pony that he will pass him with a grade of C only if he writes a good end of the semester theme.

The Socs still do not leave Pony and the Greasers alone. While waiting for Two-Bit and Steve to come out of the neighborhood grocery store, three Socs arrive and challenge Pony for killing Bob. Pony breaks the end of a bottle and threatens them. The Socs back off and depart. Two-Bit, who has been watching from inside the store, tells Pony that he must not become hardened, but it is a struggle for him.

At home, Pony has trouble concentrating on his school work and writing his theme for English. When Darry scolds him, they get into an argument. Soda, already upset over the loss of his girlfriend, cannot stand the shouting and runs out of the house. Pony and Darry go after him. When they catch up, Soda tells them that he can no longer be “the middleman in a tug o’ war” between the two of them. Darry and Pony make their peace, and they all go home.

Still struggling with writing his English assignment, Pony picks up Johnny’s copy of Gone with the Wind. A slip of paper falls from the book; it is a letter from Johnny in which he states that it is worth dying to save the kids from the burning church. He again tells Pony to enjoy sunsets and remain “gold” forever. The letter closes with Johnny’s reminder that there is still a lot of good in the world.

After reading the letter, Pony finally accepts that Johnny is dead. He acknowledges that he has been denying his death as a defense mechanism against the hurt that he feels. He will always remember Johnny as a good friend who really listened to people and cared about their problems.

Inspired by Johnny’s words to him, Pony decides that he will adopt a mission for his life; he will tell everyone he can about the problems that underprivileged young people, like himself, must face everyday. He hopes that his explanations will bring about action and improvement for the poor children. When he makes this commitment, Pony feels more optimistic about his life than ever before; he no longer has a grudge against the world. As a result, the novel ends on a positive, optimistic note.