Which two groups are primarily in conflict in the story?

• A. The Jocks and the Nerds.
• B. The Socs and the Jocks.
• C. The Greasers and the Nerds.
• D. The Greasers and the Socs.

Answer: (D)

The main clash in The Outsiders is between the Greasers and the Socs. The story centers on class and neighborhood tensions in a small town, with Greasers coming from a poorer, working-class background and Socs representing the wealthier, more socially privileged side. Their opposing lifestyles, values, and frequent encounters drive much of the conflict, shaping the characters’ choices and the plot’s turning points. The other pairings—Jocks vs Nerds, Greasers vs Nerds, or Socs vs Jocks—don’t reflect the book’s central tension, which is this/class-based feud between Greasers and Socs.