The Outsiders

"The book that helps you the most is the one that makes you think the most, and expands your knowledge of life and human nature." I am in total agreement with this statement. I believe that that the best books are the ones that expand your mind and teach you about the facts of life. The quote portrays that books are only significant if they have made you think. The book I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton supports this statement in many aspects. The book depicts a society where two dominant, opposing gangs prevail in a town that just isn't big enough for the both of them. The main character, Ponyboy, his brothers, and friends are part of a gang known as the "greasers", due to their poor appearance and their greasy hair. The antagonist gang is known as the "socs", a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up greasers like Ponyboy. The town dislikes both gangs, but in particular the greasers. The greasers are disliked much more than the socs because they are poor and dirty. Even though the socs are in fact even more ruthless than the greasers, they are "socially acceptable" due to their appearance and money. One night the socs make a surprise attack on Ponyboy and his Johnny, and in self-defense Johnny kills a soc. They run to a close friends (Dallas) house. Dallas gives them some money and tells them to go to an abandoned church out of town. So they spend a couple nights there. One day after going out to buy groceries they return to the church to see that it is on fire. Ponyboy and Johnny went in to save the children from the burning church. Johnny is trapped inside. Dallas goes into save him. Then, the church collapses. They are rushed to the hospital. Ponyboy and Dallas are okay, but Johnny is severely injured. Ponyboy talks with one of the Socs and they both discuss about how they are tired of fighting. Everyone should be equal . Later, the Greasers and Socs get into an enormous brawl , but in the end the Greasers win.