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The Outsiders Audiobook
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(4.03) - 949 listener ratings
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Plot Summary
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton was first published in 1967 and tells a coming-of-age story. It became the foundation from which young adult fiction has since built from. The narrative is a snapshot of the life of a 14-year-old boy named Ponyboy Curtis and follows his struggles with the many moral layers of society, from which he believes he is an outsider. One such struggle is Ponyboy and his brothers’ rivalry with the wealthy young men of the West-side, known as the Socs.
The story’s theme explores what it is like to be an outsider, something that many teenagers throughout history have likely experienced. The author suggests that believing one is being treated as an outsider is simply a perspective. Teenagers enter this transitional period in a society that expects them to act like adults but treats them still as children. Their lives are still heavily controlled by adults, parents and teachers, who tell them what to do and how to live, often leading them to believe their lives are unfair. This perception of unfairness informs many of Ponyboy’s attitudes towards his life, such as knowing he is not safe walking in the streets of his own neighborhood. He feels powerless and vulnerable.
Another theme The Outsiders heavily explores is the gap between the rich and poor. It tells the story of two rival teenager groups, who come from different social classes. However, Hinton explores the idea of bridging the gap between the rich and the poor by showing the commonalities between the two groups, including when Pony has a discussion with a member of the Soc and learns about their mutual interest in literature and popular music. Pony’s character develops through his lessons in the pattern of the shared experiences between the two groups. He earns that the Socs, too, experience challenges, even the same challenges as he does. But they are presented in different practical ways. Love, fear, grief are universal human experiences.
The author reminds the audience that social class differences are merely societal constructs, and that, perhaps, we are all not so different from one another, no matter the status.
"Well of course I was introduced to The Outsiders through school for required reading. In the beginning of the book I didn't really know what to expect. When Ponyboy got jumped I felt sorry for him and instantly hated the Socs. I think that the outsiders was a very touching and interesting book. You never really knew what was going to happen. Like, I didn't expect Dally to die. I men I was crying half of the time while reading the book. I think it's awesome that S.E. Hinton wrote the Outsiders when she was only like 15/16. I guess my favorite character was Ponyboy because he was different than all the other greasers. He was smarter, deeper and more sensitive. Although he did cry a lot, I was kinda expecting him to be a bit tougher. The outsiders was very accurate to what teens might have gone through 40 years ago and I found it very interesting. The theme of the book was basically that no matter who you are everyone has problems. I wish Dally and Johnny didn't die but I guess that's what made the book better. This was definitely an amazing books for teenagers to read. It's not just about hoodlums beating up preps, it's much deeper. The outsiders has all the ideas of family, friendship and real life issues while still managing to be funny and entertaining yet sad."
— Alice (5 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
50 years of an iconic classic! This international bestseller and inspiration for a beloved movie is a heroic story of friendship and belonging. No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends—true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up on “greasers” like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect—until the night someone takes things too far. The Outsiders is a dramatic and enduring work of fiction that laid the groundwork for the YA genre. S. E. Hinton's classic story of a boy who finds himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today as it was the day it was first published. "The Outsiders transformed young-adult fiction from a genre mostly about prom queens, football players and high school crushes to one that portrayed a darker, truer world." —The New York Times
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Quotes
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“The Outsiders transformed young adult fiction from a genre mostly about prom queens, football players, and high school crushes to one that portrayed a darker, truer world.”
— New York Times -
“Taut with tension, filled with drama.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“[A] classic coming-of-age book.”
— Philadelphia Daily News -
“What it’s like to live lonely and unwanted and cornered by circumstance…There is rawness and violence here, but honest hope, too.”
— National Observer
Awards
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An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
The Outsiders Listener Reviews
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" The audio book of "The Outsiders" was just what my class of special education students needed. It kept them on task, interested and motivated to finish the book. We use audio books for all of the reading in the classroom. "
— Barry, 2/11/2023 -
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Maeve Quinn, 8/26/2022
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Virgetta Cromwell, 1/19/2019
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Teresa Bahr, 4/21/2018
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" I loved this book! We read it in 8th grade, two years ago! I loved it! "
— Allison, 2/18/2014 -
" I think that this book was a very descriptive. It is a good story. I recommend it to everybody. "
— Ryan, 2/16/2014 -
" i think that this is a really good read. it really shows how the narrator really feels. to my knolege i feel like the narrator was describing him self in the book. its about a young boy that grew in in the ghetto. and how he was put in a gang. the book describe the events that he enduered wial he was in the gang "
— victorAC3, 2/12/2014 -
" okay book i would recommend this book to people who are having problems in school. but it was an okay book. "
— Samantha, 2/8/2014 -
" Read this in high school, never forgot it. "
— Kimberly, 2/5/2014 -
" The outsiders is a book about a group of people that don't fit in. Also known as Greasers. Them and the Soc's always get into big fights and rumbles. The main character, PonyBoy, lost his parents in a car accident and lives with his older brothers. The gang is his family and they all protect each other. His oldest brother, Darry, gets on Pony's nerves all the time because Pony thinks Darry hates him. During the story, Pony and his best friend, Johnny, get jumped and Johnny is forced to kill one of the Soc's to be able to live. They leave town and get their things together. While they are with Dally one day, their church that they were staying at is on fire. Many kids were stuck inside, but Johnny, Dally, and PonyBoy work together to get them out. At the last moment Johnny get hit and they have to go to the hospital. Eventually Johnny died and told him to stay gold. Dally can't handle it and wants to be with Johnny so he makes the cops kill him. Later they have the rumble and win. But PonyBoy learns about the Soc's more. He learns that under their nice clothes and hidden weapons, they are people. "
— Aolani, 1/23/2014 -
" i think there was to much drama. "
— Jjbrod, 12/24/2013 -
" The Outsiders was a very emotionally story, much like the Walking Dead. Except for the fact that there are no zombies. Now wouldn't that make an interesting plot twist? Johnny, Dally, and Bob, coming back from there fateful deaths to eat away at the living. "
— Max, 12/16/2013 -
" one of the best books I read in school. true classic. "
— Natasha, 12/11/2013 -
" I loved this book and movie when I was a teenager. "
— Tammy, 12/9/2013 -
" One of the few books I have read twice. "
— Deanna, 11/24/2013 -
" LOVED this book. I just really liked the whole greasers vs. preps thing. The characters are amazing. "
— Allison, 10/17/2013 -
" More than just a book written by a teen about teens... An inside look at societal stereotypes internalized and the causes/ effects of playing or not playing the part. What you choose, matters! Especially when you choose not to play! Choose to be! ~STAINism "
— Kristi, 9/17/2013 -
" Didn't think I would like it. Finished it in 2 days. Loved It <3 "
— Rebekah, 7/2/2013 -
" Grateful I discovered S.E. Hinton before Hollywood did. I created a visual for each of these characters purely from her descriptions and characterizations. I wasn't completely shocked with the movie's picks, but nothing replaced the boys in my head. My Outsiders are still personal. "
— Lori, 5/31/2013 -
" Outstanding children's literature. It's simplistic style reflects the age S E Hinton was when she wrote it. It shouldn't work as well as it does, but for years it was my "go to" book. Every young person should read this book. "
— Jon, 4/9/2013 -
" This was a Great book! I loved it! I recommed this book, to every one! I read this book in 5th grade! I enjoyed reading this book again!(: "
— Emily, 2/1/2013 -
" i read this book in 8th grade and i just fell in love with ponyboy. it made me understand boys more... boys from the 60's! "
— Uchelk, 8/3/2012 -
" i started reading this book because of required summer reading, and I loved it! I laughed, I cried, the whole routine. "
— Chloë, 5/22/2012 -
" Engaging, suspenseful, tear-jerking. "
— Kady, 4/20/2012 -
" The most incredible book i have read in a while. I read it in a few hours and loved every minute of it. "
— Ashley, 3/11/2012 -
" This was AMAZING! I love the greasers, and the Socs. The characters are AWESOME! "
— Morgan, 9/13/2011 -
" Nostalgia! Read this in school. "
— Fdp, 9/9/2011 -
" i loved this book sadly i cried in more than one spot in this book....i loved everything about couldnt really find a thing i didnt like about it...LOVED IT!!!! "
— Emma, 6/14/2011 -
" One of my favorite books of all times!! "
— Leah, 5/23/2011 -
" this book was far out amazing, i couldnt stop reading once i started.. its just good throughout the whole book Great work! "
— Ivan, 5/23/2011 -
" I loved this book as a child! I was lucky enough to be picked by our library system to meet S.E. Hinton at a book signing! "
— Tiffany, 5/22/2011 -
" Another all time favorite that I used to read every year. I first read it in high school. Another book I think everyone should read as it represents many people's attitudes about people based on outside appearances & how misleading this can be. "
— Crystal, 5/22/2011 -
" Favourite book of all time!! "
— *Rayne, 5/22/2011 -
" I read this for year 8 English and it helped me fall in love with picking apart and dissecting books. "
— Larissa, 5/22/2011 -
" Wow. This was an amazing story. The whole time it felt I was the main character...it was captivating. It's truly inspirational and has a great message: "Things are rough all over" Loved it! "
— Alisyn, 5/21/2011 -
" it was really good. no really it really was good. "
— Alyssa, 5/21/2011 -
" Decided to re-read this after reading the Rob Lowe interview in Vanity Fair - it really stands up to time. Still amazing to think she wrote this as a 16 year old "
— Ritarose, 5/21/2011 -
" "The Outsiders" was a good book. The author of this book is S.E. Hinton. The Genre of this book is suspense. This book is worth 7 points, and this book is probably intended for people 12 and above. <br/> <br/> "
— Lakyn, 5/19/2011 -
" A book from my childhood - it brings back many happy memories of reading it at school in my English Lit class! "
— Clare, 5/17/2011 -
" so far its good and the main character likes to explain himself. "
— Nick.707, 5/16/2011
About S. E. Hinton
S. E. Hinton is one of the most popular and best-known writers of young adult fiction. Her first book, The Outsiders, was published in 1967. She has since written several books, including That Was Then, This Is Now; Rumble Fish; Big David, Little David; and The Puppy Sister. She was the first person to win the YASD/SLJ Author Achievement Award from the American Library Association.
About S. E. Hinton
Jim Fyfe was born as James Michael Fyfe. He is an actor and writer, known for The Frighteners, Moonlight Mile, and Earth to Kids: A Guide to Products for a Healthy Planet. He was previously married to Leslie Klein.