The Outsiders Wiki
"Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs. Sometimes I think it's the ones in the middle that are really the lucky stiffs."
— Randy to Ponyboy about Socs and greasers in The Outsiders, page 117



Randy Adderson is a Soc in The Outsiders, and a minor antagonist turned supporting tritagonist. His girlfriend is Marcia, and his best friend was Bob Sheldon, whom he met in grade school.

Appearance

Randy is tall and is said to have a semi-Beatle haircut.[2]

Personality

At first, Randy is shown to be like the other Socs and Bob, who beats up greasers for fun. However, later in the book, Randy has a change of heart after being affected by Bob's death, and he wants to stop all the fighting.

History

Randy makes his first appearance with Bob while driving his blue Mustang looking for their girlfriends, Cherry and Marcia. They end up driving past the girls and the greasers, but come back later, and find them together.

He starts off talking sweetly to Marcia, but once he notices her facial expression, he toughens up. His reference to Ponyboy, Johnny, and Two-Bit being bums causes Two-Bit to react, almost stirring up a physical fight between both groups. Cherry stops the argument, and she and Marcia rode home with them.

Later that night, Bob, Randy and the other Socs are all drunk, and they confront Ponyboy and Johnny. Randy and the other Socs try to drown Ponyboy in a nearby fountain, but Bob is stabbed to death by Johnny, causing him and the other Socs to flee.

After Ponyboy returns home, Randy and the four others spot him and Two-Bit walking down the road. He pulls over and talks to Ponyboy privately, telling him that he has finally seen how pointless fighting is.

True to his words, Randy does not show up at the rumble.

Quotes

Cherry: "A little? You call reeling and passing out in the streets a little? Bob, I told you, I'm never going out with you when you're drinking again and I mean it!"
Randy: "Look, that doesn't mean you can go walkin' the streets with these bums."
Two-Bit: "Who you callin' bums, pal?"
Randy: "You! We got four more of us in the backseat."
Two-Bit: "Then pity the back seat."
Randy: "If you're looking for a fight...""
Two-Bit: "You mean if I'm looking for a good jumping, you outnumber us, so you'll give it to us? Well...Try it, pal."
Cherry: "No! Stop it! We'll ride home with you. Just wait a minute."
—Randy and Two-Bit The Outsiders, pages 44 - 45


Two-Bit: "No jazz before the rumble; you know the rules, Ape Face."
Randy: "We know. (to Ponyboy) I wanna talk to you."
Two-Bit: "Go ahead, I'll keep my eye on him."
—Randy and Two-Bit The Outsiders, page 116


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Film Portrayal

Darren Dalton portrayed Randy Adderson in the 1983 production of The Outsiders.

Trivia

  • In the credits of The Outsiders, his last name is listed as 'Anderson.'

References and Citations

  1. Revealed by SE Hinton
  2. Revealed in The Outsiders, page 44