First published in 1967, is credited with being the original young adult novel. wrote the book–her first of several bestsellers–when she was just 17 years old. The Outsiders is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and told from the point of view of 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy and his brothers, Darry and Sodapop, are working-class kids known as greasers. The greasers are from the east side of Tulsa and often fight with the Socs, rich kids from the west side. The Outsiders tells the story of Ponyboy and fellow greaser Johnny Cade as the rivalry between the two gangs is pushed to new heights–and their bond of friendship is put to the test.
Social class, identity, family, and friendship are among the themes at the heart of this outstanding novel, which inspired a 1983 film and a 2024 Broadway musical. Below are 30+ quotes that capture what makes The Outsiders so powerful and relatable to young people even today.
The best quotes from The Outsiders on comfort and love
"I could fall in love with Dallas Winston. I hope I never see him again or I will."
"I know I'm too young to be in love and all that, but Bob was something special. He wasn't just any boy."
"I liked my books and clouds and sunsets."
"A guy that'll really listen to you, listen and care about what you're saying, is something rare."
"He don't mean nothin' ... he's just got more worries than somebody his age ought to. He's really a sweet kid."
The best quotes from The Outsiders on friendship and loyalty
"I'd never liked Dally–but then, for the first time, I felt like he was my buddy. And all because he was glad he hadn't killed me."
"Johnny worshiped the ground you walked on."
"We're all we got left. We ought to be able to stick together against anything. If we don't have each other, we don't have anything."
"We couldn't get along without him. We needed Johnny as much as he needed the gang. And for the same reason."
"You know, the only thing that keeps Darry from being a Soc is us."
"Soda fought for fun, Steve for hatred, Darry for pride, and Two-Bit for conformity. Why do I fight? I thought, and couldn't think of any real good reason."
"There isn't any real good reason for fighting except self-defense."
"Let's do it for Johnny."
