Susan Eloise HINTON The Outsiders

By María Pérez González, 1º Bachillerato EFL

Ponyboy lives in a slum with his brothers, Sodapop and Darry. They belong to the lower class and always are faced with the upper class. Darry does not like his brothers to get involved in fights because they are orphans and they could be sent back the orphanage. His best friend is Johnny whose parents do not worry about him. Ponyboy and Johnny have a fight against the members of other gangs and Johnny kills one of them to protect Ponyboy. They escape to avoid jail and ask Sally for help. The boys cut their hair so that they are not recognized. Suddenly they see a fire in a church where there are children and feel guilty for leaving behind some of their cigarettes, so they decide to save them with serious consequences for themselves.

I recommend this book because it tells a very interesting story about a very appealing topic for young people. When you start to read it you have to continue because you want to know more about the story. The language is easy to understand because the writer uses a colloquial register, and the story is a current issue in contemporary days.

I think it is especially suitable for young readers, although everybody may like it.

To find out more about the writer &her books: http://www.sehinton.com,

and for The Outsiders: http://www.theoutsidersbookandmovie.com/