reframing reads // the outsiders

Withstanding 50 years and still relating to thousands of lives is no small feat, but The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton has beautifully achieved just that. Published in 1967, the classic has also been made into a major motion picture (produced in the 80s), has been quoted on hundreds of tattoos, single handedly created the Young Adult genre, and was written when Hinton was only 15. If that doesn’t inspire you to create, I don’t know what will.

The Outsiders wrestles with struggles that many people relate to in their normal lives: family struggles, pressure to conform to society’s groupings, uncovering your own identity, and overall feeling like an outsider.

“Things are rough all over”

Ponyboy, a 14 year-old Greaser, and his gang of tough-looking friends are constantly in conflict with their rivals-- a group of preppy jocks-- the Soc’s. Heading home from a drive in movie, Ponyboy, along with the gang’s “pet”, fragile sixteen year-old Johnny, hear the slam of car doors-- a group of drunken Soc’s looking to cause some trouble. When things get terribly out of hand, Johnny and Ponyboy escape in a whirl of panic, fear, and physical trauma… but that doesn’t mean they escaped the emotional kind.

Once in solitude, Ponyboy finds himself full of questions, leaving him restless for answers. Funny thing is, no one has dared to think deep enough to uncover them. Ultimately, The Outsiders questions if what society says is truly right.

"Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset.”

Overall, I would rate this book PG-13, and the movie as well, due to mature themes, such as murder, smoking, fights, underage drinking, and overall delinquent behavior. This rating is obviously just my opinion, so please consult your parents before checking it out.

For me, what made this book so intriguing was how real it felt. Sure, it’s very unlikely that the train of events that take place could’ve happened within two weeks, but there is a presence of raw human emotion that lingers in between every line of Ponyboy’s thoughts. You uncover every secret of society with him, and I promise that at least once you’ll raise your eyes from the pages in wonder. They might get a little teary as well.

"Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold."

I also enjoyed the Greasers’ bond, and how they made up such a tight family, even through their stark differences. Ponyboy and his brothers trying so hard to stay together will always pull on my heartstrings. I think we could all use friends who, no matter how odd, will stick with us until the very end.

“They grew up on the outside of society. They weren't looking for a fight. They were looking to belong.”

For obvious reasons, my overall rating is 5 stars (really… this book is THAT good!).

I truly hope you pick up this book. It has honestly changed my perspective of life in so many ways, and has inspired me to start living differently, knowing that, in the words of Robert Frost, “nothing gold can stay”.