Customer Reviews
The Outsiders 
2008-02-14
Have you ever wanted to be in a gang? Well don't join a gang because one day, you might be dead! You never know when someone might shoot you. The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, is a good book about gangs. It made me realize that being in a gang is not fun and that you can die really quickly. When I was eight years old I used to read lots of books from S.E. Hinton, but when I read The Outsiders, it changed my life.
This book is about a boy named Ponyboy. Ponyboy is in a gang called the Greasers. They also have their rival gang, the Socs. The Greasers don't like the Soc and the Socs don't like the Greasers. The Soc are a gang of rich people and they can have whatever they want. Socs are also always provoking the Greasers so they can fight. The Socs and the Greasers fight each other very often, which is the part I don't like. When gangs fight, it means that they have lots of differences between each other, like the Socs and the Greasers. Ponyboy lives with his brothers, who love Ponyboy and if anything happened to him they would go crazy. Ponyboy has a friend named Johnny, who is Ponyboy's best friend because they are in the same gang. Johnny's parents don't care if Johnny comes home, so he just hangs out with Ponyboy until he wants to go home. Ponyboy is about 15 or 16 years old and he is always getting into trouble. Ponyboy and his brothers know how to get out of trouble, but there is one day when someone takes things too far.
The genre of this book is realistic fiction, and its level is 4.9. The Outsiders has about 180 pages. While I was reading the book, I was thinking to myself, I wonder what would happen if all of the gangs got together for a big fight, what would happen to them? Would they die? I really liked The Outsiders because it taught me how dangerous some gangs can be. I learned a lot of things from this book. For example, I learned not to do or say anything that might make a gang want to jump you. Another thing I learned is that you should not try to join a gang if you can't take what they will do to you. If I had not read this book, I would not have known how much pain they go through when they are in gangs.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is or wants to be in a gang because when you read this book, you will not want to be in a gang anymore. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes violence because there is a lot of violence in this book will really make you think what they are going through.
So glad my teacher made me read it! 
2008-02-13
I think out of all of the books I have ever read. The Outsiders was definitely one of the best. It is set in the 1960's. The popular Socs and the rough Greasers have always been enemies, but they take it to the next level at a rumble. Ponyboy and Johnny have to go through a lot together throughout the book. Ponyboy's parents have died and he lives with his friends and brothers. Johnny has parents, but they could not care less about him. Ponyboy, Johnny, and some more friends are the Greasers and they have to learn to fight back strongly in the rumble or risk losing their reputation.
You also learn that the Greasers aren't as strong as they look when it comes to losing "family." There are lots of deaths in the book. Each death teaches the boys to be closer together and lose their tough demeanors. This reminds me of the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," because people can change and grow.
Middle school and high school students would enjoy The Outsiders the most. The only thing is that they are many deaths, but overall it is great. Once you finish The Outsiders, there is a movie too. I think the movie is just as good as the book. There are some parts of the movie that are different though. This one of the best novels I have ever read. We read it as a class, and most of our grade loved it.
-Madison Broussard
Great book - even though it's required school reading 2008-02-08
My daughter was required to read this book for school. Despite her dislike for being told what to read, she found that she really enjoyed the book and actually ASKED for more by the same author! We have since purchased 3 more, all of which were well received.
Its a great story line, keeps the reader interested, and pulls a child into the story so they are rooting for characters and understanding different points of view that they might have never been exposed to in their own lives.
A true classic!
The Outsiders 2008-02-07
"When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home." This is how S.E. Hinton begins her heroic story with a theme of friendship and belonging entitled The Outsiders.
This fiction book is about a fourteen year old kid named Ponyboy Curtis. He is in a gang called the greasers with his two older brothers. They are called greasers because they use a lot of hair grease. His older brother, Darry, takes care of him and his other brother, Sodapop, because their parents are dead. They live in a beat-up house in the middle of the city and get into fights with other gangs for fun. But in one fight a kid in Ponyboy's gang, named Johnny, kills another kid in self-defense. He and Ponyboy run away and hide in an old rundown church. Do they get caught? You might just have to read the book to find out. As the story goes on Ponyboy isn't as afraid of the other gangs and learns to stand up for himself.
I would recommend this book to people who like action and suspense. Here is an example of the drama from page 5 of the text. "They walked around slowly, silently, smiling. 'Need a haircut, greaser?' The medium-sized blonde pulled a knife out of his back pocket and flipped the blade open. I was backing up, away from that knife. Of course I backed right into one of them. They had me down in a second. I faught to get loose but they tightened their grip on me and slugged me a couple of times." If books were rated like movies, I would give The Outsiders four out of four stars!
Classic movie! 2007-12-29
Om my son's wish list for Christmas. I loved it when I first saw it- and my son loves this movie- wanted in his collection of classics.
Pony will always be gold. 2008-05-02
I have no idea why this book resonated so deeply with me. I was not raised in Oklahoma, I was not a teenage boy when I read it. My parents were alive and well and I didn't run with a gang...I liked the Beatles, and didn't care about Elvis, but I identified so much with Ponyboy that it might have been me telling the story. I've read this book at least a dozen times, and enjoyed it just as much each time as I did the first time. Maybe it's because this book taps into the angst of our teenage years. Even if you aren't in a gang, aren't a greaser or a soc, most teenagers go through a period where they feel like they just don't belong. Like they are on the outside looking in. Like they are different from the crowd. I think the book appeals to the masses for that reason alone. Although Ponyboy is unique, he's sensitive, he's smart, he is acutely aware of his differences...he is still the 'everyteen', easy to relate to. I recommend it to young readers, ages 12-17.
- C.A.Wulff, author of Born Without a Tail
THE BEST BOOK EVER!!! 2008-04-08
I LUV THE OUTSIDERS I MEAN WHO COULDNT?! PONYBOY IS AWESOME BUT NO-ONE BEATS MY DARRY. DARRY RUNS THE FAMILY AND IS TOTALLY AWESOME! SODAPOP IS THE BOMB ALONG WITH STEVE! THERE ALL AMAZING I MEAN IT! TIM SHEPARD AND CO. ROCK THEY CAN FIGHT AND SO CAN BUMBLY BOYS! WHEN THEY WON THE RUMBLE I NEARLY FELL OUT MY SEAT! AND POOR JOHNNY AND DALLY TWO OF THE BEST PEOPLE TO WALK THE DARK STREETS. MAN IF I WAS IN THAT STORY ID BE LIKE WORD AND GO DARRY ITS YA B-DAY WE GONNA PARTY LIKE ITS YA B-DAY GET SHAWTY OH OH! BUT SERIOUSLY IF YOUR LOOKIN FOR SOMETHIN TO PUMP YA UP THIS IS IT! SADNESS HAPPINESS AND A GANG OF COOL GOOD LOOKIN TUFF FIGHTIN BAD TO THE BONE HOODS WHO ARE LOOKIN FOR A WAY OUT HEAR YA GO! AND I ALMOST FORGOT- GO STEVE ROCK ON TWO-BIT AND RANDY DONT SWEAT IT! BOB IS FINE! STAY GOLD YALL STAY GOLD!
The Outsiders 2008-04-05
This was an awesome book.....my son read it for school, and my two beagle's really enjoyed the school's copy, so I had to buy another one! :)
Awesome Book! 2008-04-05
Unlike most of the books we have to read in Language Arts, I actually LOVED this one. The Outsiders is actually one of the best books I have ever read, and I usually hate to read! Buy the bok now, and read it. You won't be sorry!
9th grade book review 2008-03-31
The Outsiders was a great literary experience. Unlike other class assigned novels, this one was very interesting. How so? Well, teens these days aren't so interested in reading novels that take place during the American Revolution, or any other historical themes they can't relate to. The Outsiders takes place in a time period that may not be the time period they live in, but is very close. The novel contains many modern day themes and situations that kids of this time period will understand. There are fights, guns, fires, drugs, romance, and murder. Teens tend to enjoy something if it is close to real life, or something they have experienced. The Outsiders is that something.
Set in a small neighborhood, live 2 social groups: The Greasers and The Socs. The Greasers are the lower class guys in town, while the Socs are upper class. These two groups have been at it for years, and showed no signs of stopping. That is, until the main character, Ponyboy Curtis, encounters a tragedy that will change the groups' lives forever, as well as his own. Ponyboy is a high school student who lives with his 2 brothers on the "rough side of town". Ponyboy is a straight A student, a track star, and a well-mannered kid. But not all is perfect in Ponyboy's life.
His parents died in a car accident, and he is a member of the Greasers along with his brothers Darry and Sodapop. Darry Curtis is the oldest of the brothers who could have made it big in college. After his parents' deaths, he is forced to cut college and support his brothers. Darry can be described as buff, big, responsible, and very strict. He yells at Ponyboy constantly, just to keep him in line so he can live the life Darry could have had.
Ponyboy believes otherwise. Sodapop is the family mascot, as he is funny, and always happy. Or so his brothers think. It seems that Sodapop can make the sad man happy, and can wash the frown off of anybody's face. Sodapop is Ponyboy's hero, just like how today young kids look up to siblings and worship them. The Curtis brothers are greasers, as stated before. Not only are the brothers Greasers, but their closest friends are too.
This includes the brutal Dallas, the peaceful Johnny, the wise crack Two Bit, and Steve.
This novel is mashed together by 3 themes: Loyalty, Leadership, and Social Differences.
There is much mention of loyalty in the novel, because of the gang members stick together and never turn their backs on each other. When Dallas is mentioned to have been jailed several times in the story, the gang never turns their backs on him, and are not ashamed of giving him the title of "friend", even though Dallas is the most feared guy in town. Friends come before reputation in the outsiders, and that is true loyalty.
Leadership was another major theme in The Outsiders. The Greasers are nothing without their leader, and they fear that they would fall apart without one. There are two debatable leaders in the outsiders: Darry Curtis and Johnny Cadge. Darry is a leader on the outside, while Johnny is a leader on the inside. Darry is a leader, because he is the most responsible man in the gang. The Greasers also see Darry as the toughest of them all, which clearly states their beliefs for a strong leader. Johnny on the other hand, shows none of these characteristics. He is not very smart, brave, or strong, but everyone in the Greasers has a place in their heart for Johnny. Johnny's parents are abusive drunks who honestly wouldn't care if Johnny died. Johnny has never experienced a real family, and the Greasers ARE that family. Everybody in the gang respects him, and listens to his request. Even Dallas will listen to Johnny's requests, and he doesn't listen to anybody but himself. The gang believes that the only reason why the gang hasn't broken up is because of Johnny. Without him, they fear that the Greasers will just be some other destroyed gang. This is proof that Johnny might possibly be 2nd in command of the Greasers. The last theme is a big one that basically IS the book's plot.
This theme is called "Dispute between social classes". As stated, Greasers are lower class, Socs are high class. Socs drive mustangs, Greasers drive their feet. Socs drink alcohol, Greasers drink soda. Greasers have long, greasy hair, Socs have short, clean hair. These two groups are the exact opposites, and continue to fight over their differences. Fights burn on, just so the groups can prove who is better than the other.
The book is almost entirely involved on the never ending disputes of the two groups.
That is what makes this theme, the most important.
This book is a classic, and I'd recommend it to just about anyone. Although this review makes the novel sound like a violent bloodbath, it really isn't. There's plenty of drama, romance, crime, and even humor. I'd give this book a four out of five. I don't give it a five because some events are a bit too old, and a bit unbelievable. Now I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it up to the readers to understand what it is I'm saying.
"The Outsiders" is a great novel that is intended for today's youth, who will get a better understanding of the events. You do not want to miss out on "The Outsiders".
