At our local junior high school a right of passage is reading “The Outsiders”. It’s actually a really good book. (Even though it’s sad and as a rule I don’t do sad.)
The movie is also great. There’s young Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macho, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, and Diane Lane.
Quick plot summary (no spoilers). There are two main groups of kids. The affluent socs (so-shhh like social) and the greasers (the kids from the “wrong side” of the tracks.) Think of it like Richie Cunningham vs The Fonz in Happy Days or Sandy vs The Pink Ladies in Grease.
Ponyboy Curtis is a sweet young man who lives with his two older brothers. The oldest brother is hard on him, afraid of the system taking Ponyboy away from his oldest brother’s care. One night Ponyboy hides in the park with his best friend, Johnny, and they get into an altercation with the rival gang. The boys flee in terror and have some wild adventures on their own.
That’s all I’ll say without giving away too much. There are moments of sorrow and moments of joy. The line, “Stay golden, Ponyboy” is going to stay with me for as long as I live.
If you haven’t read the book I would definitely recommend. If you haven’t seen the movie I would also recommend. Especially if you want to have a good cry. Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe are *chef’s kiss* perfection. I also love the sense of family you get from these wayward youths. None of them have reliable parents, all they have are one another.
I was glad when I arrived at the school to fill in for 8th grade language arts and this was their assignment. This is one thing that public education as done right.
Redheaded Jill 
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