To properly identify the rising action of The Outsiders, it's important to first identify the climax, as that is where the rising action will end.
The climax of a story is when the protagonist arrives at the turning point of the action, typically a moment of intense action, and is able to begin resolving the conflict. The climax of The Outsiders is when Johnny dies in the hospital and encourages Pony to stay gold. This advice begins to reshape Pony's perspective and helps him to eventually mend relationships, both with the Socs and with Darry.
The rising action, then, will cover everything until this point:
- Pony finds that he and Cherry Valance have some things in common and aren't as different as he might have thought.
- Pony and Johnny stay out too late one evening, dreaming of a better life, and fall asleep. When Pony finally gets...
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- home, he finds that Darry has been worried sick.
- Darry slaps Pony; Pony runs away.
- Johnny and Pony head to the park and are spotted by the Socs.
- Bob tries to drown Pony in a fountain, and Johnny kills Bob to save Pony.
- With some help from Dally, the two boys flee town and take refuge in an abandoned church.
- The boys entertain themselves with literature; the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" becomes central to the themes of the book.
- After a few days, Dally comes to check on them and takes them out to eat.
- When they return, they realize that the church is on fire, likely because of their own carelessness, and there are kids trapped inside.
- The three boys run into the flames to rescue the kids.
- All of the kids emerge safely, but Johnny is badly injured as he tries to exit the building himself.
- The boys are taken to the hospital and proclaimed heroes.
- The Greasers meet the Socs for a rumble and win.
- Dally and Pony go back to the hospital to tell Johnny about their victory. Johnny is much worse and tells Pony to "stay gold." And then he dies.
That takes you to the climax, and then falling action will follow. I hope this better helps you analyze the plot structure of the novel. Good luck!