What is the narrative hook in The Outsiders?

In The Outsiders, the narrative hook is the tension and conflict between two rival teenage gangs - the Greasers and the Socs, and how the protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, and his friends cope with social class prejudice and violence. At the start of the novel, Johnny Cade, Ponyboy's best friend, stabs to death a Soc named Bob Sheldon to save Pony's life during a violent attack from a group of Socs. This pivotal incident puts Johnny and Ponyboy on the run as wanted suspects from the law and becomes the focus of the central plot, shaping the subsequent events and decisions, driving character actions, and creating a suspenseful build-up. The initial stabbing and its ramifications provide the narrative hook that immediately grabs the reader's attention and draws them into the story.