"The Outsiders" - My thoughts, and what happened to the remaining characters.

So when I'd finished reading this classic book, I about threw it at the wall. Actually, I do recall throwing it, then going and picking it up and beginning to read it over again. I read this book 3 times. I can't just read something once, then conclude how I feel about it. I mean what if I missed something, or didn't comprehend everything the first time? So after putting it down the last time tonight, my thoughts have changed a lot.

The first and second time I read this, I hated it. I mean; I loved the book and all, it was amazing. But I couldn't stand Dallas's death. I was angry that he died, angry that he didn't even get to see the note Johnny wrote before it was too late. I was also angry that Johnny died, I felt he should of been the one to live over Ponyboy, because he had it the worst. He didn't even get to start living a good life, before he ultimatley died. This annoyed me for days.

But after tonight I came to a different conclusion. The saying, "only the good die young," applies here. Dally DID die gallant, and Johnny died a hero. In my mind, Dally will always be my hero too. I came to accept Dally's death better than Johnny's. Dally had been through a lot, and he was tough and hard and would probably always be unhappy. But he died by choice, and he would of died one day anyway. Whether it be in a fight gone wrong or murdered in New York, or drugs. His life wouldn't of gotten better, just worse. So: I think Dally got exactly what he wanted. But it still saddens me to see him have to go through the pain he did, especially losing Johnny. The only thing he loved. But that's what made the book good. Johnny, came to accept that he was dying, and he didn't mind it much because he'd done the right thing by helping the children. He died happy, atleast. Knowing Dally was proud of him, and having his two best buddies next to him. So it makes it all worth the while.

But now I'm wondering what became of Two-Bit, Ponyboy, Darry, Sodapop, and Steve. So here's my own personal opinion on how I'd like to think they ended up.

Ponyboy - Ended up getting an "A" because his composition was so good, and it even got turned into a book. He got a full scholarship to college, and became a writer and a track coach when he was older. Johnny and Dally got buried beside eachother, and Ponyboy visited their graves every so often. He never forgot about them. He and Darry kept their promise to Soda, and got along. He'd started dating someone when he was sixteen, and they'd been together since. Most likely going to get married. She was a Soc girl, not Cherry; but still a nice, pretty girl with a bright future. Ponyboy moved out into the country, like he dreamed but always kept in touch with his brothers and Two-Bit.

Darry - After the editorials in the paper, explaining how hard he worked and what a good guardian he was, Paul's parents and Paul donated to the Curtis family, with enough money to put Darry through college. He got a great job that paid enough, and lived comfortably. He never married, but took another course on acrobatics (being as athletic as he was) and he and Paul became friends again. The boys of his gang were always still bumming around his house and he remained close to everyone. He lived happily.

Steve and Soda - These two are together because they are practically the same. Steve had had his last straw during an argument with his father, and bought a two bedroom house with Soda in the same neighborhood the gang had grew up in. He eventually got promoted and owned the gas station, and Soda kept working there, too. Soda and Steve were both having fun with girls, not getting into anything serious, yet.

Two-Bit - Got a job at the Dingo as a stand-up comedian. He always stayed his same, lazy self and was ultimatley the one that kept the gang together even though they went their own seperate ways, he called for nights when they'd all go see movies or just bum around Darry's house. Just like old times. He married Marcia :D but not until the very distant future, when everyone grew up enough to stop classifying eachother as a grease, or soc.

All their lives, the gang remained friends. Maybe they weren't together as often as they were their teenage years, but they all stayed as close as brothers. I know that in real life, this is highly unlikely to happen, but I'd like to believe that for them, it did.