The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.

Ponyboy's world is shaken when in the middle of a rumble his friend kills a rival gang member and he joins his friend in hiding. Ponyboy realizes that death, sadness are universal irregardless of the gang membership and this realization threatens his identity. Themes of violence, love, hate, tension, identity, friendship, solidarity and rivalry.

Whenever I think of The Outsiders, I see Ralph Macchio and hear his recitation of Robert Frost's poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay". Rereading the book did not change this - darn Hollywood!

Hinton, S.E. (1997). The outsiders. New York, NY: Puffin Books.
ISBN: 014038572X
180 pages