Johnny In The Outsiders

In the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hilton there are many characters. The Greasers which are poor, and somewhat hoodlums live on the East Side of town. Socs are cocky, rich kids who live on the West Side of town. The group of characters that engaged me the most were the Greasers. My favorite of the Greasers was Johnny because of his difficult background and his shy personality.

In the novel The Outsiders the main character and protagonist is Ponyboy Curtis (which is his real name it says it on his birth certificate). Ponyboy narrates the whole book because it is his theme project for English class. Pony has long, brown, tuff hair, green- greyish eyes and, he is fourteen but big for his age. He is an exceptional student, especially in English

at least before he fell behind. Pony is also a high school track star. He lives with his two brothers Darry and Sodapop because his parents died eight months ago. He likes Sodapop better because he is friendlier than Darry. However, throughout the book he learns that Darry was just strict because he wanted Ponyboy to be good in school and safe.
Throughout the book Ponyboy changes a bunch from the beginning of the novel. Pony knew he wasn’t like all of the other Greasers he enjoyed sunsets and liked school. At the rumble when he got the concussion he missed school, started forgetting things and, just wasn’t the same. Ponyboy was tougher and he started failing in school, that’s when you could tell he changed. With all that went on during his recent life, his parents died, Johnny died and, Dally died, he was having a hard time but, who wouldn’t. Ponyboy is fully developed and changes throughout the story.
Sodapop is another member of the gang and is Ponyboy’s favorite brother. Soda is seventeen and is movie star handsome, all the girls love him. He is outgoing and can get ”drunk on life,” everyone likes Soda. Unlike Ponyboy Soda isn't as smart as him, he dropped out of high school and got a job to support the family. He had a girlfriend that he wanted to marry named Sandy. However, she moved to Florida with her grandma because, she didn’t trust Soda enough to raise a kid with him. Soda didn’t really change though the story, but he is fully developed
Darry is another member of the gang and Ponyboy’s other brother. Darry is twenty years old, “6,2”, looks like his dad, and has blue-green eyes. He is really muscular and strong that’s why some of the gang members call him “Superman.” Darry is very strict to Ponyboy but, he just wants him to have a successful life. In school he was popular and the football captain however, he had to drop out because his parents died. He works two jobs, one is roofing and he can carry two bundles of roofing at a time. The only thing that keeps Darry from being a Socs is Ponyboy and Soda. Darry is really good at making chocolate cake he lets Soda and Ponyboy eat it for breakfast sometimes.
In the beginning of the book Darry was strict to Ponyboy but, he just wanted him to be successful in life. The night Johnny killed Bob Darry yelled at Ponyboy and that was one of the reasons the event at the park happened. However, after that was over and Darry saw Ponyboy in the hospital and Pony learned how Darry really felt which was that he loved Ponyboy and he couldn’t imagine losing him. At Darry’s parents’ funeral Darry didn’t cry, but at the thought of losing another person he loved (Ponyboy) made him cry. Darry changes a little through the story and is fully developed.
Johnny Cade is another member of the gang and another protagonist. He has black eyes , black hair and he is smaller, He is scared and shy because, his dad beats him and his mom is mean. Johnny is the gang's pet nobody scares Johnny and nobody rough houses with him. When Johnny got beat up by the Socs he started carrying a switchblade with him. Johnny didn’t kill Bob on purpose he would've hurt a fly if he didn’t have to. He saw Dally as a gallant hero unlike anyone else would, Johnny and Dally had a special connection. Johnny is a fully developed character and he changes throughout the story.
Dally is another member of the gang his real name is Dallas Winston.

He has icy blue eyes and light blond hair which he does not put grease in like the other Greasers. He is harder, ruder, and meaner than the others. Dally is the closest in the gang to a hoodlum, he grew up in New York on the streets with violent gangs. He takes pride in his criminal record and he’s not afraid of getting arrested. However Dally has a soft side for Johnny, he really cares about him it might be the only thing Dally really did care about. Dally did change, though the story and is fully developed. When Johnny died it drove Dally to do so really dumb

things.
Two-Bit Mathews is another member of the gang.

He “6.” Stocky, Rusty colored sideburns and, a wide grin, Two-Bit is the funniest and oldest member of the gang and is very talkative. He is famous for shoplifting. Sometimes he ruffs houses which we learned when Ponyboy got back from the hospital and Two-Bit was ruff housing with him. We don’t known that much about Two-Bit he’s a flat character and doesn’t change throughout the story.

Steve Randle is another member of the gang. We didn’t learn that much about Steve throughout the book. What we do know is he is seventeen, tall and lean, and has thick greasy hair like any other basic Greaser. He is a bit cocky and smart and is Soda’s best friend but, he doesn't like Ponyboy. He’s just like Soda, though he attracts girls like flies to honey. One of Steve’s specialties is cars he likes fixing them and, can lift a hubcap faster than anyone else in the gang. Steve is a flat character and doesn’t change that much throughout the book.

In conclusion all the characters are well written S.E. Hilton did a excellent job writing this novel. During the book you can really feel the emotions the characters are experiencing because of the well written dialogue. I learned from this book that to not judge a book by it’s cover because it doesn’t matter where you come from or how you look everyone's the same. I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to watching the

movie.