đ Why The Outsiders Resonates With Anyone Who Has Ever Grown Up
Why The Outsiders hits so hard: a personal reflection on lost innocence and the truth that we never stop coming of age. From navigating change to accepting consequences, and honing empathy.
Hi Friday night readers,
This month, as we read classic books for our Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge, Iâm featuring the coming-of-age novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, which Lorelai refers to when Rory is pledging to be one of the Puffs (2.07), as well as in 3.21. Dean and Rory also discuss the iconic movie adaptation on the way to Roryâs Dance (1.09).
The Outsiders Packs a Really Emotional Punch
(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Throughout the six years Iâve run this reading challenge, The Outsiders has been the top choice with readers. Iâve tended to think itâs because itâs one classic that feels short and easy to pick up, or even that itâs pretty ubiquitous in pop culture, but a reader poll I took proved me wrong.
Our readers love The Outsiders because it packs an emotional punch.
In this 1967 novel by a teen girl (!!)1, Ponyboy Curtis, a member of the working-class Greasers, becomes caught in violent conflict with the wealthier Socs. After a tragic incident forces him into hiding, he begins to see beyond social divisions and gains a deeper understanding of life.
Nothing shakes you quite like your first experience of âlost innocence.â
What defines coming-of-age novels like this one is a pivotal moment that feels like a line in the sandâa before-and-after in the life of a young person.
The big coming-of-age lessons for the teens in The Outsiders include everything from embracing change to accepting consequences to empathizing with people who are different from you.
But the truth is that lessons this substantial donât just happen once in your life. And they certainly donât stop when you reach adulthood.
Ultimately, I think thatâs why the emotional plot of The Outsiders continues to resonate so much with adult readers. While coming-of-age moments in adulthood arenât âour first rodeo,â they are no less impactful.
The stakes are that much higher, from marriage and child-rearing to careers, health, finances, and world events. One little twist of fate in any of these areas can forever alter life as you know it.
So, here, Iâm sharing both my own âlost innocenceâ moment (which isnât unlike The Outsiders) and how I continue to manage those same lessons from the beloved novel, well into adulthood.