The Outsiders is a book that was written by S.E. Hinton and published on April 24, 1967. It was also a movie that was released into theaters on March 25, 1983. C. Thomas Howell played the main character, Ponyboy Curtis. The director was Francis Ford Coppola. Some of the cast members of this movie are in the “Hollywood Brat Pack.” The Hollywood Brat Pack is a name for a group of actors who often acted together in films from the 1980s. The author, S.E. Hinton, was sixteen when she wrote the book. She made a cameo appearance as Dally’s nurse in the movie.
This movie is set in the 1960s and is told from the point of view of Ponyboy Curtis, who is also the protagonist. He and his brothers, Darry (Darrel) and Sodapop, live together. Ever since their parents died, Darry was the adult at home. They were all members of a gang. This gang included Johnny (sometime called Johnnycakes), Dally (Dallas), and Two-Bit (Keith).
The story is about Johnny and Ponyboy. They did something illegal and they had to run away. The author used a lot of irony and some foreshadowing. The ending of this book was kind of sad but it ended with Ponyboy returning home safely.
My favorite character was Cherry Valance, Ponyboy’s soc friend. I am not sure if I could relate to any of the characters in the story, even though they seem relatable. I particularly disliked Darry because he was really hard on Ponyboy. I liked how the author told the story in the first person because the perspective never changes.
Overall, I liked this book and the movie. I would recommend the movie, but watch the complete novel version because the original version leaves some scenes out. I think that kids over twelve would enjoy and understand this book best, and it suits both boys and girls. This book is kind of sad, so people who do not like sad books probably would not like this book very much. You should definitely read the book before watching the movie, but do both, because the book and the movie were both great.
Have you read or seen The Outsiders? What did you think of it?
By Adele Wells
