Main events in the Outsiders mainly involve the narrator and protagonist Ponyboy. One key event is when Ponyboy meets Cherry at the drive-in movies. They strike up a conversation after Dally taunts her and Johnny has to step in and tell him to stop. After the movie Ponyboy, Johnny, and Two-Bit are walking with the two girls and their boyfriends pull up in their Mustang. They get out and argue with the girls and criticise them for walking with "bums". This sets up the confrontation that happens later in the park with the same Socs and Ponyboy and Johnny. This is the main event that changes the course of the story. When Ponyboy and Johnny get jumped, Johnny ends up killing one of the Socs. The two boys go to Dally for help and he tells them exactly what to do. They follow his directions and leave town to hide out. 

Other main events would be the fire where Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally save the kids but at the expense of Johnny's life. Then Dally falls as he is not able to exist without his counterpart. He is gunned down by police.