The Outsiders: Comparison Analysis of the Film and the Book

In The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, a significant difference between the book and film version during Dally’s last moments is when Dally robs a book store and calls the greasers. In the book, the book shows Ponyboy’s perspective, him being driven by a man whereas the film shows the crime Dally commits, in which he robs a bookstore. An example of this is when the author writes, “And I suddenly remembered Dally. . . . Dally pounding on the wall . . . ‘Dallas is gone,’ I said. ‘He ran out like the devil was after him. He’s gonna blow up. He couldn’t take it’” (Hinton, 152). This shows the perspective of Ponyboy describing to the greasers what had just happened. His arriving and addressing the events that had transpired shows that the book is focused on Ponyboy’s perspective and life rather than what Dally had been doing. In the movie, however, Dally appears to be reading a book in a bookstore. The owner then asks if Dally wants to buy that book.

Dally rips the book apart and the owner demands he pay it back. Dally lays his feint heater to the man’s head, demanding all the money. The owner then does so but pulls out his gun. Dally escapes fast enough before the police are alerted and attempt to chase him. Dally then hides near a phone booth and then proceeds to call the greasers about what happened. In the book, Darry accepts Dally’s call. The author writes, “The phone rang, and after a moment’s hesitation, Darry turned from me to it. He said ‘Hello’ and then listened. He hung up quickly. ‘It was Dally. He phoned from a booth.

He’s just robbed a grocery store and the cops are after him. We gotta hide him. He’ll be at the lot in a minute’” (Hinton, 153). The book shows Darry accepting Dally’s call from the house, and describing what happened on the phone to the greasers. This shows that the Ponyboy’s perspective is centered on the book. In conclusion, the movie portrays Dally’s final moments from his perspective, whereas in the book Ponyboy and the gang’s perspective are conveyed. The book portrayed Ponboy’s perspective because the author chose to focus on Ponyboy’s experiences and perspectives throughout the book and how the events that transpired caused a change in him.

In the movie, however, the director made the decision to show Dally’s final moments, wherein he robs a store. This change of scene influences the audience’s understanding of what happened because the movie showing Dally robbing a store zooms in more and explains more on how Dally was severely affected by Johnny’s death, which caused him to run away and rob a store because he couldn’t take Johnny’s death.