Review: The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Release Date: September 1st, 1988

Publisher: Speak

Pgs: 192, paperback, purchased

Rating: ★★★★★

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Synopsis:
According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

Review:

I was introduced to The Outsiders when I was a freshman in high school. We watched the movie version in class and had to examine its themes. It wasn't long before I discovered that the movie was based off this book that had been written by a sixteen year old. That fact amazed me. I was fifteen at the time and for someone my age to have written such a captivating story... Well, it was something that stuck with me.

So I bought the book and read it just in time for Banned Book Week when I was seventeen.

The story follows the life of fourteen year old Ponyboy Curtis. He belongs to a gang of kids called greasers. They're poor kids who grew up on the streets. Their arch enemy are the Socs, who are basically just mean, preppy, rich kids. The whole book focuses on the rivalry between these two. And things go waaaaaay downhill when Ponyboy's friend Johnny gets into some rough stuff.

Overall, the book has a very important message. Don't fall prey to stereotyping. Don't judge people by what you think is true about them. Actually get to know them first.

The message of this story hit close to home with me. In some ways, its impact was long-lasting and it definitely wove itself into my very character. My senior project was a research paper on bullying and I ended up co-founding my high school's anti-bullying club when I was a junior.

I just loved this book. It was so real and heartfelt. It words will stay with me.

Don't forget to 'stay gold', people. And celebrate Banned Book Week 2015.