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The Outsiders

S.E. Hinton

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Jul 06, 2007 Lisa Lap rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-books-read, classics

My daughter is currently reading this book in her seventh grade Language Arts class, so I thought I'd give it a re-read as I hadn't read it since I was in seventh grade. Okay, eighth grade but only because the all girl school I attended in seventh grade wouldn't add it to the curriculem. Anyway, I've seen the movie at least a dozen times over the years and never realized how well they translated the book to the movie. So much of it was almost verbatim, which in hollywood is extremely rare. I thi My daughter is currently reading this book in her seventh grade Language Arts class, so I thought I'd give it a re-read as I hadn't read it since I was in seventh grade. Okay, eighth grade but only because the all girl school I attended in seventh grade wouldn't add it to the curriculem. Anyway, I've seen the movie at least a dozen times over the years and never realized how well they translated the book to the movie. So much of it was almost verbatim, which in hollywood is extremely rare. I think that really speaks of how what a great book this is, and how well it speaks of the teenage mindset. Even today kids can relate to Ponyboy's feelings and situations throughout this story. There are always "cliques" and divergent groups that we encounter throughout our lives, but I really think middle school is where we feel it the strongest. It's at that age that we really are trying to discover who we are and where we fit in, and yet there's so many outside voices trying to influence that from our parents, to our teachers, to our friends, and even to the people that aren't our friends.

Ponyboy's narration throughout this book is often heartbreaking as the tale he tells us is riddled with experiences that someone of his age shouldn't have to endure. It's also heartwarming as the familial connection to his "gang" of friends and family rolls off the page in its sincerity. His almost idolizing affection for his brother Soda and fierce love for his best friend Johnny is well balanced with his confusing feelings for his oldest brother Darry who he associates with his father and yet doesn't get the affection his father provided.

Overall, I'm glad I re-read this book with my daughter. I'd forgotten about the court appearance, and the mental instability of Ponyboy after the sustained concussion, death of Johnny from the fire, and witnessed death by cop of Dallas. The court appearance and the mental instability and radical personality change in Pony in the last chapter of the book were not included in the movie version and I was glad for the reminder that it took a while for things to be okay for Ponyboy again - but that he did begin to find his way.

A timeless tale. ...more

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