Steve Randle, a real-life Greaser and friend of author S.E. Hinton, served as the inspiration for Ponyboy Curtis, the insightful and sensitive protagonist of “The Outsiders.” Randle’s struggle with identity and his search for a place to belong resonated deeply with Hinton, shaping the character of Ponyboy and the themes of societal conflict, class struggle, and the complexities of growing up in a divided world.
