The Outsiders begins with the protagonist, Ponyboy, walking home from the movie theatre at night. He then gets attacked by the Socs until his brothers save him.
Dally, Jhonny, and Ponyboy go to the theatre together and encounters two Soc girls, Cherry and Marcia. Dally flirts them obnoxiously before leaving the seats. Both girls speak to the remaining boys but much friendlier this time.
Ponyboy and Jhonny run away from home after Ponyboy's horrible argument with Darry. They both run into a group of Socs where they are forced to fight. Bob, a soc, dies because of Johnny.
After the incident, the boys search for Dally where he gives them a gun. Dally then agrees and prepares to drive them home until they notice that the abandoned church was on fire with kids inside. Johnny breaks his back and Ponyboy recovers in a ambulance.
Darry and Sodapop come to retrieve where they apologies Johnny and Ponyboy end up in the papers and referred to as "heroes". Johnny is charged with murder and Ponyboy will be sent to juvenile court with him.
Cherry is counted as a traitor because of Johnny killing Bob. The Greasers defeat the Socs and Johnny dies leaving Dally to run out and confront a police for a robbery at a grocery store. Ponyboy passes out when the police guns Dally down. He wakes up and uses this story for school.