Svetlana Siloyan

Book Review

The Outsiders has been one of my favorite novels since middle school. It is a coming of age story of "greaser" teenagers who deal with bullying and physical attacks from the "socs", parental neglect, abuse, and poverty. The novel deals with characters drinking, smoking, using foul language, fighting, committing murder, and even dealing with class stratification. Although most characters are involved with bad behavior, it shows that they are human and have dealt with a lot of trauma in their life. 

Analysis

The Outsiders is a great book to read around 11 years old. Although it does contain foul language, fighting, drinking, smoking, etc.. it is educational for students or parents who want to teach their children about social class division. There are two classes "greasers" and "socs". Teenagers who are greasers come from low income families, are troubled, known to steal, fight, and rob gas stations. Socs, live on the west side, are rich, drive expensive cars, buy expensive clothes, drink and beat up greasers. The story is told in first person by Ponyboy Curtis, a 14-year old greaser who lives with his two older brothers, Darrel and Sodapop. They all are friends with Johnny Cade, Dallas Winston, Steve Randle, and Two-Bit. The story explores class conflict and brotherly love from not only the three siblings but with the friends they have around them, making them family and have love for each other. Each character loves one another and act as authority figures, to teach what is right and what is wrong. The main message the author is addressing in The Outsiders, is that friends are important but family is forever. The main theme would be that it doesn't matter if you are classified into two different classes, you can still share certain things that you have in common and the author helps us realize this by explaining that we as individuals think we are all different, when in fact deep down we are all the same. Another reason why this book is important is that it teaches the readers to never change for others, no matter if society changes , you should always be you and keep your values and be who you want to be. The Outsiders taught me that it doesn't matter where you come from or what you have, it matters who is by your side and how you will be the change that you want to see in the world.