What are some examples of imagery in The Outsiders?

This novel contains great imagery, from the people and places involved in the conflicts to the outcomes of all that Ponyboy faces.

Darry is Pony's oldest brother, and the way Pony describes him is one example of incredible imagery:

Darry is six-feet-two, and broad-shouldered and muscular. He has dark-brown hair that kicks out in front and a slight cowlick in the back—just like Dad's—but Darry's eyes are his own. He's got eyes that are like two pieces of pale blue-green ice. They've got a determined set to them, like the rest of him. He looks older than twenty—tough, cool, and smart. He would be real handsome if his eyes weren't so cold.

Darry's character is brought to life here. From his athletic and tough build to the way his eyes show his fierce determination, Pony captures both his oldest brother's physical appearance and his personality. It's easy to see how this imposing figure could create some apprehension for Pony when the two argue; though Darry loves Pony, the brothers have lots of work to accomplish before they build a trusting relationship. It's clear that Pony considers Darry as emotionally cold as his eyes based on this description.

Also consider the imagery of the church when Pony and Johnny first arrive:

We climbed in a back window. It was a small church, real old and spooky and spiderwebby. It gave me the creeps.

This imagery is actually quite unexpected. Traditionally, churches in literature are sanctuaries, providing peace and a sense of calm. However, this one seems ominous from the beginning. That is important because this is the place where the boys will both become heroes and where Johnny will suffer fatal injuries.

Much of the novel centers on the physical conflicts between the wealthy Socs and the economically struggling Greasers, and their fights are often a source of painful imagery:

Somebody kicked me hard in the ribs and I yelped in spite of myself. Some Soc had knocked out one of our bunch and was kicking me as hard as he could. But I had both arms wrapped around the other Soc's neck and refused to let go. Dally was slugging him, and I hung on desperately, although that other Soc was kicking me and you'd better believe it hurt. Finally he kicked me in the head so hard it stunned me, and I lay limp, trying to clear my mind and keep from blacking out. I could hear the racket, but only dimly through the buzzing in my ears. Numerous bruises along my back and on my face were throbbing, but I felt detached from the pain, as if it wasn't really me feeling it.

In the end, Pony realizes that all the fighting is pointless and that everyone struggles—just in different ways. Through these descriptions of the fighting, readers are able to understand just how desperate and brutal the fighting between the groups can be, which makes Pony's eventual realizations all the more meaningful.

One of the most poignant images is the description of Johnny's death:

The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died. You read about people looking peacefully asleep when they're dead, but they don't. Johnny just looked dead. Like a candle with the flame gone. I tried to say something, but I couldn't make a sound.

It's easy to visualize this scene that Pony witnessed—the loss of his best friend. Johnny's death isn't grand or a moment of high action; instead, he just slips quietly away from life, and the feeling of isolation this creates in Pony is reflected through the imagery of this quiet death.

There's a great example of imagery in chapter 1 of The Outsiders when Ponyboy vividly describes Sodapop's dark brown eyes as:

lively, dancing, recklessly laughing eyes that can be gentle and sympathetic one moment and blazing with anger the next.

What's particularly effective about this striking image is that it gives us an insight into Sodapop's character. This is a young man who's impetuous and has a bit of a temper but is also incredibly kind and gentle. For good measure, Sodapop is also described as "movie star handsome," which immediately conjures up the image of some heartthrob matinee idol. When put together, these images give us a good idea of what Sodapop looks like and additionally reveal a good deal about his complex, multi-faceted personality.

Imagery in literature refers to an author's ability to use particular words to appeal to the reader's senses. In The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton uses imagery numerous times to create visual representations in the reader's mind that allow the reader to accurately perceive the events, characters, and settings of the story.

In chapter 5, Ponyboy and Johnny are hiding out in the abandoned church on Jay Mountain, and Pony wakes up early in the morning to have a cigarette. As Ponyboy is standing on the back steps of the church looking out onto the valley below, the sun begins to rise, and he sees the beautiful image of a golden band of light over the horizon. S.E. Hinton utilizes visual imagery by writing,

The dawn was coming then. All the lower valley was covered with mist, and sometimes little pieces of it broke off and floated away in small clouds. The sky was lighter in the east, and the horizon was a thin golden line. The clouds changed from gray to pink, and the mist was touched with gold. There was a silent moment when everything held its breath, and then the sun rose. It was beautiful (66).

By using imagery, Hinton creates a visual representation of the environment Ponyboy sees as he is looking out onto the valley below during the sunrise. In order to create the visual imagery, Hinton uses descriptive words that vividly portray the tranquil setting. The reader can image what the clouds, mist, and thin golden line across the horizon look like from where Ponyboy is standing.

Imagery is the use of visually descriptive, figurative language.  It's not always using words to get images to come to the reader's mind; it could be descriptive words that are trying to stimulate other senses as well.  

One way that Hinton uses imagery in the novel is in chapter one when she is describing the looks of the Greasers.  For examlpe, Darry's eyes are compared to "pale blue-green ice."  I don't think I have ever met anybody with eyes that color, but I can definitely picture what it would look like.  One of my favorite sections of imagery from the book is Hinton's description of Darry.  

If I had to pick the real character of the gang, it would be Dallas Winston--- Dally. I used to like to draw his picture when he was in a dangerous mood, for then I could get his personality down in a few lines. He had an elfish face, with high cheekbones and a pointed chin, small, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. His hair was almost white it was so blond, and he didn't like haircuts, or hair oil either, so it fell over his forehead in wisps and kicked out in the back in tufts and curled behind his ears and along the nape of his neck. His eyes were blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world.

That's just awesome.  He's related to fantasy elves and animals (lynx) all in the same sentence.  I can just picture Dally moving with catlike grace and barely contained, dangerous energy.  

Which passages in The Outsiders effectively utilize imagery?

Imagery is defined as the use of sensory details (descriptions that appeal to the five senses) in order to create a picture in the reader’s mind.

In S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, imagery is not a hallmark of the author’s character-driven style, but through the narrator Ponyboy Curtis, Hinton does use simplistic imagery.

The first example of imagery is found in the first line of the novel, in which Ponyboy describes stepping “out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house.” This example is used to show the contrast between Ponyboy’s inner and outer life. While he is rather unassuming on the outside (his Greaser style notwithstanding), Ponyboy has a rich inner life as a keen observer.

A stronger, more poetic example of imagery is used when the church catches fire. As Ponyboy observes the fire from within the church that he believes he is partially responsible for, he notes, “The cinders and embers began falling on us, stinging and smarting like ants.” This example shows that Ponyboy is somewhat in awe of the beauty of something so deadly. The twinge of pain that he feels also mirrors the slight guilt he feels.

A final example comes in the last few pages of the book after Johnny has died. Ponyboy discusses how he finally decided to stop fighting so much with Darry. He describes the night on which he and Darry had this conversation:

The moon wasn't out but the stars lit up everything. It was quiet except for the sound of our feet on the cement and the dry, scraping sound of leaves blowing across the street.

This example of imagery portrays a peacefulness that Ponyboy finally feels, even if just for a moment. All of the turmoil, hurt, and loss has wounded him, but this serene description shows that he still has hope that things will be all right.