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Rumble Fish, written by S.E. Hinton, takes place in a gang society where the main character, Rusty James, is a reckless juvenile delinquent who is constantly picking fights and getting into many violent troubles. He’s often saved by his brother, Motorcycle Boy, the infamous former leader of the Packers gang, whom he looks up to and admires. Due to his reckless and violent nature, he’s disliked by the police and even gets suspended and expelled from school. Abandoned by his mother and alcoholic father, James turns to violence to survive and get respect. Rusty James strives to be the toughest gang member and be like his brother, Motorcycle Boy. 

One of the most meaningful and valuable events of the novel was the revelation of Rusty James' true feelings and emotions. A great example of this was after Motorcycle Boy’s trip to California. While talking, Motorcycle Boy explains that he met their mother, who abandoned them years ago. Rusty James quickly realized that he had never been mentioned to his mother and had no idea if she even knew he existed. James was hurt and disappointed, revealing how Rusty James was tough on the outside but was still a fragile, sad kid on the inside. It showed how Rusty James resorted to violence to cope with and survive the abandonment of his parents. Though Rusty James had many people in his life whom he loved and cared for, he was always truly lonely. 

Furthermore, Rusty James' shame and regret was powerful and moving. A while after leaving the reformatory, Rusty James encounters his former best friend, Steve. James and Steve converse about old times, and Rusty James becomes clearly uncomfortable and ashamed. Steve mentions Rusty James' scar, and this only brings back bad memories. This proves that Rusty James is not proud of his past and has moved on from his violent lifestyle. 

Though there were many great aspects to the novel, there was one huge downside. Due to the shortness of the book, it lacked many exciting, action-packed events. Throughout the novel, there weren’t many meaningful and impactful events, and it felt mostly bland and boring. The novel felt abruptly ended, and most actions felt meaningless. The plot felt unorganized, and there wasn’t a great storyline. This novel would have benefited greatly if the author wrote more in-depth about events that contributed more to the main story.

 Overall, Rumble Fish was a short book that was able to be somewhat thorough and descriptive while also being extremely short. Despite the downside that it had very few impactful events, the novel still managed to be entertaining and enjoyable. Additionally, this book would be recommended to fans of The Outsiders or any other novels written by S.E. Hinton. This novel would also be recommended to those who enjoy short, fast-paced novels that are not too descriptive. In conclusion, I would give Rumble Fish a 3/5. It was a quick-paced, exciting, and entertaining novel but lacked many meaningful and relevant events.