The Outsiders

The eccentricity of Ponyboy's name reflects the differences between him and the rest of the ‘Greasers' gang to which he belongs. Rather than becoming hardened or jaded about his poverty, parents' death, and the intense conflict between the Greasers and their uptown rivals, the ‘Socs,' Ponyboy remains sensitive and more-or-less non-delinquent. Everything changes when he and his best friend, Johnny, are jumped by a group of Socs and the Soc leader is killed by Johnny in self-defense. In the drama that ensues, Ponyboy's older brothers Sodapop and Darry can't continue to shield him from the vagaries of life, and he ultimately has to choose whether to retreat into an emotionless shell of self-defense (read: delinquency) or to be strong and ‘stay gold.'

Overall, I thought that this was an excellent book with a very relatable main character in Ponyboy. While at times he came across as a little too clearsighted and ‘wise' for his age, I think that had I read this book as a teen I would have seen much of myself in Ponyboy. The rivalry between the Greasers and the Socs is replicated to some degree among groups of teens everywhere, which also helps to explain this novel's continued relevance for teens throughout the years.