The outsiders
Ponyboy and his two brothers — Darrel (Darry), who is 20, and Sodapop, who is 16 — have recently
lost their parents in an automobile accident. Pony and Soda are allowed to stay under Darry's
guardianship if they all behave themselves. The boys are greasers, a class term that refers to the
young men on the East Side, the poor side of town. The greasers' rivals are the Socs, short for Socials,
who are the "West-side rich kids."
The story opens with Pony walking home alone from a movie; he is stopped by a gang of Socs who
proceed to beat him up. The Socs badly injure and threaten to kill Ponyboy; however, some of his
gang happen upon the scene and run the Socs off. This incident sets the tone for the rest of the story,
because the event tells the reader that a fight between these two groups needs no provocation.
The next night Pony and two other gang members, Dallas Winston (Dally) and Johnny Cade, go to a
drive-in movie. There they meet Sherri (Cherry) Valance and her friend Marcia, who have left their
Soc boyfriends at the drive-in because the boys were drinking. Dally leaves after giving the girls a
hard time, but another greaser, Two-Bit Mathews, joins Pony and Johnny. The boys offer to walk the
girls’ home after the movie, but along the way, the girls' boyfriends reappear and threaten to fight
the greasers. Cherry stops the fight from happening, and the girls leave with their boyfriends.
Pony and Johnny go to a vacant lot to hang out before heading home. They fall asleep, and when
Johnny wakes Pony up it is 2 a.m. Pony runs home, because the time is way past his curfew, and
Darry is waiting up. Darry is furious with Pony, and, in the heat of the moment, he hits him. Pony runs
out of the house and returns to the lot to find Johnny. Pony wants to run away, but instead they go
to the park to cool off before heading back home.
At the park, Cherry's and Marcia's boyfriends reappear. Pony and Johnny are outnumbered, and the
Socs grab Ponyboy and shove him face first into the fountain, holding his head under the water.
Realizing that Ponyboy is drowning, Johnny panics, pulls his switchblade, and kills the Soc, he is name
is Bob, the boyfriend of Cherry.
Ponyboy and Johnny seek out Dally for help in running away to avoid being arrested for Bob's
murder. He gives them $50 and directions to a hideout outside of town. The boys hop a freight train
and find the hideout where they are to wait until Dally comes for them. Hiding in an abandoned,
rural church, they feel like real outsiders, with their greased, long hair and general hoody
appearance. They both cut their hair, and Pony colours his for a disguise. They pass the time in the
church playing cards and reading aloud from Gone with the Wind.
Dally shows up after a week and takes them to the Dairy Queen in Windrixville. Thanks to Dally, the
police think that the boys are headed for Texas. Dally also brings them the news that Cherry Valance
Ponyboy and his two brothers — Darrel (Darry), who is 20, and Sodapop, who is 16 — have recently
lost their parents in an automobile accident. Pony and Soda are allowed to stay under Darry's
guardianship if they all behave themselves. The boys are greasers, a class term that refers to the
young men on the East Side, the poor side of town. The greasers' rivals are the Socs, short for Socials,
who are the "West-side rich kids."
The story opens with Pony walking home alone from a movie; he is stopped by a gang of Socs who
proceed to beat him up. The Socs badly injure and threaten to kill Ponyboy; however, some of his
gang happen upon the scene and run the Socs off. This incident sets the tone for the rest of the story,
because the event tells the reader that a fight between these two groups needs no provocation.
The next night Pony and two other gang members, Dallas Winston (Dally) and Johnny Cade, go to a
drive-in movie. There they meet Sherri (Cherry) Valance and her friend Marcia, who have left their
Soc boyfriends at the drive-in because the boys were drinking. Dally leaves after giving the girls a
hard time, but another greaser, Two-Bit Mathews, joins Pony and Johnny. The boys offer to walk the
girls’ home after the movie, but along the way, the girls' boyfriends reappear and threaten to fight
the greasers. Cherry stops the fight from happening, and the girls leave with their boyfriends.
Pony and Johnny go to a vacant lot to hang out before heading home. They fall asleep, and when
Johnny wakes Pony up it is 2 a.m. Pony runs home, because the time is way past his curfew, and
Darry is waiting up. Darry is furious with Pony, and, in the heat of the moment, he hits him. Pony runs
out of the house and returns to the lot to find Johnny. Pony wants to run away, but instead they go
to the park to cool off before heading back home.
At the park, Cherry's and Marcia's boyfriends reappear. Pony and Johnny are outnumbered, and the
Socs grab Ponyboy and shove him face first into the fountain, holding his head under the water.
Realizing that Ponyboy is drowning, Johnny panics, pulls his switchblade, and kills the Soc, he is name
is Bob, the boyfriend of Cherry.
Ponyboy and Johnny seek out Dally for help in running away to avoid being arrested for Bob's
murder. He gives them $50 and directions to a hideout outside of town. The boys hop a freight train
and find the hideout where they are to wait until Dally comes for them. Hiding in an abandoned,
rural church, they feel like real outsiders, with their greased, long hair and general hoody
appearance. They both cut their hair, and Pony colours his for a disguise. They pass the time in the
church playing cards and reading aloud from Gone with the Wind.
Dally shows up after a week and takes them to the Dairy Queen in Windrixville. Thanks to Dally, the
police think that the boys are headed for Texas. Dally also brings them the news that Cherry Valance
