The Outsiders discussion

Johnny! Something about his innocent, shy character that just broke my heart when he (spoiler alert!) died. He is the character that I remember most in the book, despite the fact that it was told from Ponyboys point of view.

Johnny, I liked him the best because of his background.

Michaela wrote: "Probably Johnny. I liked them all though."

Seeing the movie screwed the pooch on Johnny's character. Couldn't stand Ralphs interpretation and now thats all I think of when I think of the character.

I liked PonyBoy the best.
He was smart and tough enough to not only live in that world but rise above the expectations and limitations of others.

PonyBoy was my favorite, he was smart and very loyal!

I loved both Johnny and Ponyboy, but I would probably say Ponyboy was my favorite. I was so excited that he came back in That Was Then, This Is Now.

Loved Soda!!

I honestly have no idea... I liked Sodapop because he was supposed to be beautiful which he was in the movie (young Rob Lowe) and I liked Ponyboy because he was sweet and loyal, I loved Dally because he had a kind and sensitive side when it came to Johnny... I think maybe johnny just because the book made him seem very cute and shy and the movie just made me like him more :s Is that an okay answer? lol.

Dallas. Who doesn't love a bad boy with a good heart?

Regan ♥ wrote: "Dally."

I thought Sodapop was played by Emilio Estevez

John wrote: "Regan ♥ wrote: "Dally."

I thought Sodapop was played by Emilio Estevez"

Sodapop was played by Rob Lowe. Emilio Estevez played Two-Bit.

I wish there would be some Outsiders erotic novel. Fifty Shades of Pony Boy! Hahah. I'm bad. I'm told my novel is Outsidersish. It's free on Amazon tomorrow. I'd be honored if you would check it out. I'm trying to "Stay Gold". Go look at my blog for links! henrycircle.blogspot.com

Pony Boy.

Cece wrote: "Johnny! Something about his innocent, shy character that just broke my heart when he (spoiler alert!) died. He is the character that I remember most in the book, despite the fact that it was told f..."

yeh me too, there is just that haunted innocence about him.

Regan ♥ wrote: "John wrote: "Regan ♥ wrote: "Dally."

I thought Sodapop was played by Emilio Estevez"

Wait what why were you replying to me?"

sodapop was played by emilio estevez, johnny was played by the boy of karate kid

Licha wrote: "Dallas. Who doesn't love a bad boy with a good heart?"

hahah lol

Mikaela wrote: "Regan ♥ wrote: "John wrote: "Regan ♥ wrote: "Dally."

I thought Sodapop was played by Emilio Estevez"

Wait what why were you replying to me?"

sodapop was played by emilio estevez, johnny was play..."

Sodapop was played by Rob Lowe. I was obsessed with the book and movie. And I love Matt Dillon as Dallas. He was my favorite, both in the book and the movie.

Mary wrote: "I wish there would be some Outsiders erotic novel. Fifty Shades of Pony Boy! Hahah. I'm bad. I'm told my novel is Outsidersish. It's free on Amazon tomorrow. I'd be honored if you would check it ou..."

Lol. I would buy that in a heartbeat. But I would pick Dallas as my main guy. Ponyboy would be too soft. Lol.

Dallas! Wait, Johnny... but Ponyboy.... i love them all so much.

Probably Soda and Ponyboy:) Mainly Soda:)

Pony Boy for sure. I agree with the previous review that I loved Johnny when I read the book the first time, but when I saw the movie and Ralph's acting (which was horrible!), the second time I read the book it's all I could think of. Loved Soda too:)

Mikaela wrote: "Licha wrote: "Dallas. Who doesn't love a bad boy with a good heart?"

hahah lol"

love the name,Dallas

But Seriously, your fav chacte r should be the one who grows the most.That would be ponyboy or johnny.
well. johnny' dead so he does nt count and besides, eveythig he learned gets passed on to ponyboy. Ponyboyt learns about brothers, friendship, gangs. Hopefully all the characters learned valuable life lessons but I think they'll live on ponyboy...

In the movie, it was Two Bit Matthews. Remember when he sit down in front of the t.v to watch Mickey Mouse w/ breakfast -- beer and chocolate cake.

Ponyboy. I wanted a boyfriend just like him.

I love Two Bit!!!!!!

Dally all the way!

JOHNNY!

Dally, not because he was your a-typical badboy but because even though the story in no way focused on him there is still so much to his personality. He's the "bad-boy" but he is also the strong one that Ponyboy and Johnny depend on. And while he is crude and big and strong, he is real. That was not the ONLY dimension to his character he was caring and tender and hurting at the same time and both sides always showed through for me.

pony boy and johnny

Two-Bit, he's so funny!

Haley wrote: "I loved both Johnny and Ponyboy, but I would probably say Ponyboy was my favorite. I was so excited that he came back in That Was Then, This Is Now."

I loved Ponyboy too. I need to read the other books in the series though. I'm psyched that you said that he will be in one of the sequels though.

Sodapop!! Soda's like gorgeous, funny, and cool! Johnny!! Johnny is cute, I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM! I'd take Johnny under my wing!

I know!! Johnny was way to young to die!! I'd make, plan, and go to his funeral! Johnny is MY LIL PUPPY!! GOD BLESS HIM!! I felt so BAD for Dally too! POOR POOR BRAVE(/sometimes cowardly) HOODLUM (Dally)!!

DALLYDALLYDALLY!!!!!!! DALLY! :3
<3<3<3<3<3<3

I understand, obviously, why Dally wanted to die (to be with Johnny) but i wish we or someone could've helped him! I wish Dally had more to live for!! Along with the rest of the greasers!

johnny, cherry, or soda.

Dally!!! Dallas Winston all the way! <3

Johnny:) he broke my heart when he died... Stay Gold PonyBoy!!;)

I love Dally and Johnny I mean I was so close to crying when I read that they died.

Dallas, raw emotion, complex character and brilliant scenes.

Darry, he is a mature Dad to Ponyboy, he is strong and brolic, and he a buff grown up.

Darry or Dally

Kristine wrote: "Darry or Dally"

Finally a few people chiming in for Darry. So many great characters, but I always identified with Darry even when I was younger. He was the glue that held the family together, even though he was too young to be thrust into that role.

Johnny, Soda, and Darry! Duh! All the rest were morons in my opion.

Also mabey two-bit. I'm not even sure anymore. All I know is I HATED ponyboy and dally/dallas

It has to be the narrator, Ponyboy. He's heroic at the youngest age (he went into the fire to rescue the kids.) He's brave but sensible by not looking for trouble. He's respectful of girls and people's property. He's the one who's most aware of the bigger picture of everything affecting his gang and what his gang represents in the larger scheme of life. Here's a quote from page 179 illustrating the point:

[Johnny's note] "...There's still lots of good in the world. Tell Dally. I don't think he knows."

[Ponyboy] "Tell Dally. It was too late to tell Dally. Would he have listened? I doubted it. Suddenly it wasn't only a personal thing to me. I could picture hundreds and hundreds of boys living on the wrong sides of cities, boys with black eyes who jumped at their own shadows. Hundreds of boys who maybe watched sunsets and looked at stars and ached for something better. I could see boys going down under street lights because they were mean and tough and hated the world, and it was too late to tell them that there was still good in it, and they wouldn't believe you if you did. It was too vast a problem to be just a personal thing. There should be some help, someone should tell them before it was too late. Someone should tell their side of the story, and maybe people would understand then and wouldn't be so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wore. It was important to me."

My favorite character is Johnnycake. He is so sweet and sensitive and that sets him apart from the gang. While I was reading it, I just wanted to launch myself into the book and comfort him. I was distraught when he died (I still am every time I read the Outsiders) and all I could think of for a week is that he didn’t want to die and that he was scared. When I picked up the book again with the thought of at least I still have Dallas (he was my 2nd favorite) I was hopeful that everything would be all right. When Dallas died, I was so sad and cried for Johnnycake and Dally for an hour. But when I finished the book I felt like my eyes had been opened for the first time. The characters S.E. Hinton creates are so realistic and now, whenever I read the Outsiders it feels like all the greasers are my brothers and i love them like brothers even I prefer Johnnycake.

Monty, reading that passage makes me want to read the book again.

I would have to say Dally. And not because he was a bad boy or he was good looking. But something else. I don't know, but I just like him more than the others.

Haze ~Life is like a sad song~ wrote: "I would have to say Dally. And not because he was a bad boy or he was good looking. But something else. I don't know, but I just like him more than the others."

Yeah, it's hard to choose between Ponyboy and Dally. Dally is a tragic figure. He reminds me of Nomilk, a boy who I grew up with in my orphanage. Dally's an archetype for the badly damaged boy growing up unloved and abused by his parents and craving attention, especially female attention, where the promise of real love is always just out of reach. We don't know what it looks or feels like because we've never experienced it; so we idealize it in every pretty girl reckless enough to give us a second look.

Darry, Dally, Ponyboy, and Soda.