Darrel Curtis

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Darrel "Darry" Shaynne Curtis, Jr. is a character in the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. He is the oldest of three brothers and the unofficial leader of a gang of greasers, including his two younger brothers. He was very popular in high school and could have been a Soc had it not been for his family's financial situation. He doesn't smoke and is skilled in gymnastics and football. After their parents died he was left to raise his two younger brothers, Sodapop Patrick Curtis and Ponyboy Michael Curtis alone.

He is at least six foot two, with a very muscular build from playing football and roofing houses, which he does to support himself and his younger brothers. He also has a second job, although it's never mentioned what it is. He bears an uncanny physical resemblance to his father, but acts like his mother.

He takes his parenting responsibilities very seriously, foregoing college to support his brothers. He is one of the few who refers to Sodapop by his nickname "Pepsi-Cola." He is considered overbearing by his youngest brother, Ponyboy, the protagonist and narrator of the novel. He is first introduced when he leads the gang to rescue Ponyboy from a Soc ambush at the beginning of the novel, and admonishes him to either travel in groups or carry a blade.

Throughout the novel he constantly berates Ponyboy, and later in the book unintentionally hits him in an argument over coming home too late. Ponyboy flees the house in fear despite Darrel's pleas that he hadn't meant to hurt him. Later when Ponyboy and Johnny run away after Johnny kills a Soc, Darrel is grief-stricken even further and hardly sleeps for a week until their tearful reunion at the hospital. Afterwards, Ponyboy begins to realize that Darrel's browbeating is due to concern and affection, and that he does it so that Ponyboy may have a chance in life. Later he concedes that Ponyboy may participate in the rumble, even though he doesn't look too good. He also admonishes his brothers to avoid getting arrested if the cops show up so that they won't be sent to a boy's home and the family separated.

He is asked by the other gang leaders to begin the rumble by issuing the challenge that he "will fight anyone." At this, Paul, a Soc and former friend from football, steps forward and takes the challenge. At the rumble he looks out for Ponyboy and decks at least one Soc in his defense while fighting two Socs by himself at the same time. The greasers win the rumble, even though outnumbered. After the rumble, he rushes back to the park with the gang to try to help Dallas Winston who has turned suicidal by the death of Johnny, another member of the gang, but arrives just in time to see Dallas die in a shootout with the police.

In the movie adaptation of Outsiders he is played by Patrick Swayze.

[edit] References

S.E. Hinton Website [1]