Summary

Chapter 1

The narrator of the story and the youngest Curtis brother, Ponyboy, walks out of a movie theater in Tulsa and realizes that he might be safer if he had his gang members, Greasers, with him. Although he enjoys watching movies alone, he understands that he needs to give this up because he is an easy target for their rivals, the Socs. He familiarizes the readers with the Greasers, who hail from the east and are poorer than the west-side Socs. He says that Greasers can be identified by their jeans and jackets and usually keep long hair. He mentions that some of them even indulge in robbery and petty thievery; he, however, stays away from such activities because he is afraid of his eldest brother, Darry. He is also aware that Darry would yell at him for venturing out alone.

Ponyboy suspects that the Socs are following him in a red Corvair. He is troubled by his recollection of his friend Johnny being badly beaten by the Socs recently. The car pulls up near him and five Socs get out of it and start taunting Ponyboy and pinning him down to the ground while threatening to cut his long hair. He attempts to fight them off but is unsuccessful. On hearing his cries for help, his brothers and other Greasers come to his rescue. The Socs flee the scene.

Ponyboy introduces each of the Greasers. He says that Steve Randle treats him like a child and is very fond of cars. Two-Bit Mathews is witty and is always ready with a joke, but often gets into trouble with the police. Dallas Winston is very tough and was first arrested when he was ten. Johnny Cade, his closest friend amongst them, is younger than the others and comes from a difficult home and is cared for specially by the gang. Darry scolds Ponyboy for walking home alone without a weapon while his middle brother Sodapop defends Ponyboy.

Dally invites everyone to the double feature at the drive-in the next night and informs them that he has broken up with his girlfriend. Ponyboy wonders about what it might be like to date non-Greaser girls. When they are back home, Sodapop tells Ponyboy that Darry’s harsh words come from his responsibilities and protective instinct. He also tells Ponyboy that he plans to marry his sweetheart Sandy. Ponyboy also meditates on the sacrifices that Darry had to make to raise him and Sodapop.

Chapter 2

Next night, Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally are on their way to the drive-in. At a drugstore, Dally shoplifts some cigarettes and the boys rush into one of the drive-ins frequented by the Greasers. There are some Soc girls in the drive-in and the boys sit down next to them. Dally begins to tease them even as Cherry Valance, one of the Soc girls, calmly asks Dally to stop doing that. Johnny leaves to get coke, and Ponyboy is uncomfortable with Dally’s behavior. As Dally leaves for the concession booth, Ponyboy and Cherry start talking to each other. Cherry compliments Ponyboy’s name and he shares that he has skipped a grade. Cherry enquires after Sodapop, whom she refers to as a “doll.” Embarrassed, Ponyboy tells her that Sodapop has quit school to work at a gas station. Cherry smiles at Johnny when he returns, but throws the coke at Dally’s face and calls him a Greaser. Dally continues to harass Cherry till Johnny asks Dally to stop.

Dally storms off and Ponyboy explains the bond between Dally and Johnny. Dally is Johnny’s hero; Dally, too, is extremely fond of Johnny and takes good care of him. Johnny asks Cherry why she is amicable with him and Ponyboy, but hostile toward Dally. She responds that, unlike Dally, they do not act or talk in a threatening manner, which prompted her to befriend them. Cherry and the other Soc girls also reveal that they abandoned their boyfriends because they brought alcohol to the drive-in. While they continue with their conversations, Two-Bit startles them by pretending to be a Soc. He is looking for Dally who has gotten into trouble by slashing the car tires of a local named Tim Shepard. They discuss how Greasers understand the formulations of fair fight while the Socs don’t always follow them. Cherry and Ponyboy get up to buy popcorn, and Cherry enquires about Johnny’s background. Ponyboy tells Cherry that Johnny was jumped by a Soc in a blue Mustang for no real reason. The Greasers found a motionless Johnny in the park and were shaken by his aggravated wounds.

Cherry is shocked after learning about this incident and tries to assure a hesitant Ponyboy that not all Socs are the same. She tries to validate her argument by suggesting that this is similar to the fact that not all Greasers are like Dally. Ponyboy seems to understand that. Cherry vaguely mentions that Socs are also working through their difficulties.

Chapter 3

Cherry and Marcia realize that they do not have a ride home and are convinced by Two-Bit to ride with him. The Soc girls, Johnny, Ponyboy, and Two-Bit walk toward Two-Bit’s home. Cherry shares with Ponyboy that it’s not easy for Socs to appear cool and unemotional all the time. She also mentions that they struggle to find fulfillment beyond the material sources. The two of them observe that, unlike the Socs who are unemotional, the Greasers are extremely emotional. As the conversation progresses, Ponyboy and Cherry discover that they both enjoy sunsets and reading. It occurs to Ponyboy that despite the difference in their social class, both of them witness the same sunsets.

At that moment, everyone gets tensed on noticing a blue Mustang, especially Johnny. But the car keeps moving along.

Cherry then enquires about Darry, and Ponyboy tells her that Darry doesn’t like him. The others are surprised to hear this because they assumed that all the Curtis brothers got along well. Ponyboy is disturbed by this response and calls out the dysfunctionality in Johnny’s family. Later, he apologizes after he is reprimanded by Two-Bit.

The Mustang returns and the Soc boys apologize to the girls for drinking. Johnny looks scared and realizes that Bob, who is Cherry’s boyfriend, is one of the people who attacked him four months ago. The tension between the Greasers and the Socs increases as they draw up their weapons and hurl insults at each other. Cherry diffuses the tension by agreeing to leave with Bob. Cherry confides in Ponyboy that she might fall in love with Dally if she were to see him again.

They then head toward a vacant plot where the Greasers often hang out. Ponyboy laments and complains about the unfair privileges that the Socs enjoy. As they smoke, Johnny says that he does not want to be involved in more conflict and is contemplating suicide. However, he immediately changed his statement and said he wanted to spend his time in the countryside, where he could live peacefully. Ponyboy falls asleep dreaming about them living together and Dally being treated with care by his own mother. Johnny wakes him up and he hurries home. Darry is angry at Ponyboy for being late. In the heat of the moment, Darry slaps Ponyboy but is immediately apologetic for doing that. However, his apology is not completely heard by Ponyboy who leaves the house for the plot.

He meets Johnny there and declares that he wants to run away. Johnny promises to accompany him since he, too, wants to get away from the situation at home. Ponyboy understands that his situation at home is not grave when compared to Johnny’s misfortune.

Chapter 4

As Johnny and Ponyboy walk and contemplate their next steps, the blue Mustang appears out of nowhere, and Bob, Randy, and three more drunk Soc boys step out of the car. The two boys are scared; Johnny takes out his switchblade and Ponyboy wishes he had the broken bottle from earlier. Bob insults Greasers by calling them white trash with long hair. In response, Ponyboy calls Socs white trash with expensive cars and madras shirts. The Socs are provoked and attack the Greaser boys. One of the Soc boys submerges Ponyboy’s head in a fountain and he passes out. When Ponyboy regains consciousness, he realizes that the Socs have left and hears Johnny say that he killed Bob. He sees that Johnny’s switchblade is covered in blood now. Johnny, Ponyboy, and Bob’s dead body are on the pavement.

Johnny is calm and suggests that they meet Dally. When they meet Dally at a friend’s house, Dally gives them fifty dollars, warm clothes, a loaded gun, and directions to an abandoned church in Windrixville, which he instructs them to use as a hideout. Dally enquires if Darry and Sodapop know about what has happened, and Ponyboy asks Dally to not tell Darry about the incident.

The boys hide in a boxcar on a train to Windrixville. Johnny notes that he will never be able to use the loaded gun that Dally gave him. Ponyboy finds the whole situation unbelievable and feels disoriented. After arriving at Windrixville, they realize that they look like a couple of hoods. It is ironic that Ponyboy’s dream of moving to the countryside has come true amidst such a crisis. They find the abandoned church and fall asleep at once.

Analysis of Chapter 1 to Chapter 4

The opening chapters of the novel, which highlight Ponyboy’s inner thoughts, mark the central theme of the novel as the rivalry between the Socs and the Greasers. The author introduces us to Ponyboy when he is alone, which clarifies that his point of view will be integral to the story. The first few incidents involving Ponyboy make him come across as careless and afraid. Soon, the Socs appear on the scene and rough Ponyboy up. His fear for his own life demonstrates the intensity of the rivalry between the two groups.

The scene after the attack on Ponyboy tells us about the relationship between the Curtis brothers. The tension between Ponyboy and Darry is evident, and it’s clear that Sodapop is the peacemaker of the group. It is only later that night that we understand that protectiveness directs Darry’s action. Ponyboy is sensitive and understands the sacrifices that Darry has had to make to ensure a decent life for him and Sodapop. In the first chapter, Hinton is able to lay out the demographic of the gang rivalry as well as the uniqueness of the relationship between the Greasers. In addition to this, she is also successful in familiarizing readers with each of the Curtis brothers and the bond that they share.

The incident around robbery in the drugstore makes us aware that Dally is the biggest troublemaker in the lot. It also shows that the Greasers have had to make some difficult decisions to keep themselves safe from the prejudices of the society. The fact that Greasers usually occupied drive-ins speaks of the segregation of spaces that was prevalent.

At the drive-in, we are able to understand that Ponyboy is a young man who wants to carve his own identity and form his own opinions. His willingness to look beyond the labels assigned to each gang and have an open conversation with Cherry is indicative of his maturity. Cherry’s kind and friendly behavior toward Johnny leads to him picking up a fight with Dally. This creates an interesting dynamic wherein Johnny, who is younger to Dally, reprimands Dally for his behavior. This transformation could be a result of Cherry’s behavior, which is unlike that of other Soc members toward Greasers. Cherry is able to see boys as humans and not just as Greasers. Further, she clarifies that she does not abhor all ‘Greasers’, but finds Dally’s attitude unacceptable. She is shocked to hear about the violence meted out to Johnny by the Socs, but says that not all of them are violent bullies like Johnny’s attackers.

Ponyboy and Cherry discover that they have common interests such as reading and watching sunsets. This serves to show that commonness exists between individuals who might seem vastly different from one another. When they are able to set aside the differences of the two gangs, they realize that just like unregulated emotions harms Greasers, the pressure to remain stoic and aloof harms the Socs.

Through the book, the blue Mustang is a symbol of wealth and possible danger. The sight of the blue Mustang always means trouble from the Socs. Later in the novel, most tragic accidents follow the arrival of the blue Mustang.Johnny’s fear after witnessing the fight between the two groups is reflective of the trauma he has been through in the past. He finally admits that he was so overwhelmed with the attack on him that he contemplated suicide. As both Johnny and Ponyboy talk, it becomes clear that all that they desire is peace and freedom.

Ponyboy’s late arrival home angers Darry and he slaps Ponyboy. Ponyboy feels a sense of betrayal goes back to the vacant plot and to speak to Johnny. While they decide on the next steps, they encounter the Socs. The two gangs hurl verbal insults at each other, which eventually leads to the murder.

Johnny’s utterance of “I killed him” is a pivotal one. This transformational moment captures the angst and fear he has lived with since the violent attack on him by the Socs. This moment also captures the loss of innocence in one of the youngest Greasers.

It is ironic that Johnny and Ponyboy have to move to Windrixville after having committed a crime. Their lonely journey reminds the reader that these young boys have turned into murderers because of the system of hatred and biases.