The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton A book about growing up and how complicated it can be to be on the “outside.”

Susan Eloise Hinton Hinton wrote the first draft of The Outsiders, her first book when she was only 15; she got it published when she was 17 with the author as S. E. Hinton because people would assume it was a male author that way. All of her stories are set in Tulsa, OK. Her books deal with teenage problems: poverty, rejection, violence, and alcohol and drug abuse. Although her youthful characters often reject authority, they always have a sense of hope in her novels.

The Outsiders

“I was wishing I looked like Paul Newman-he looks tough and I don’t- but I guess my own looks aren’t so bad.” “We’re poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we’re wilder, too.” “And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do.” “I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.” “I used to make A’s in English.” “I’ve always been kind of absent minded.” “I never noticed clouds and colors and stuff until you kept reminding me about them.” - Johnny “You’re a nice kid, Ponyboy.” - Cherry

Darrell (Darry) Sodapop Cherry Dallas Winston (Dally) Johnny Older Brother of Ponyboy Jock in HS and smart Trying to be a parent to Sodapop and Ponyboy Smallest of the Greasers Parents hit him Sleeps in the park sometimes Ponyboy’s best friend Middle brother Dropped out of school Works on cars Best friend is Two-Bit Happy-go-lucky A Soc Falls for Dally Helps out the Greasers Becomes friends with Ponyboy Older friend of Ponyboy and Johnny Tough guy HS dropout Helps the boys out

The SocsThe Greasers  Wealthy  Fancy clothes  Jocks and Cheerleaders  Popular kids at school  Spoiled  Didn’t have much money  Jeans and worn clothes  Parents weren’t around  Didn’t make great grades  Got into fights

Drive In The Park The Church

Styles of the 60s

Madras Shirts

Symbols Bob’s rings – wealth, status Two-Bit’s switchblade – strength, power Cars – wealth Greaser Hair – toughness, identity

Red Chevy Corvair

1964 Blue Ford Mustang

1.Man vs. Man (physical) – Ponyboy and the other boys fight against the Socs with fists and knives, but they have guns and the most might. 2.Man vs. Circumstances (classical) – Ponyboy struggles with the fact that he wasn’t born with money and privilege. 3.Man vs. Society (social) – Ponyboy and the Greasers struggle against the wealth and the elevated social position of the Socs. 4.Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) - Ponyboy struggles with the trouble he feels he has caused and whether to turn himself in or not.

Loyalty: to people/principles/self Identity/Acceptance Boundaries: personal/societal Perspective Choices/Sacrifices Family Values/Structures Loss of Innocence Maturity

fuzz heater Watch out! The fuzz is after us! When did you start carrying a heater? tuff A 1967 Mustang is one tuff car. hood The hoods cause trouble at night.

make tracksthe cooler Hurry, we gotta make tracks. When did you get out of the cooler? rumble pickled He got really pickled! (under the influence) There was a big rumble at the park.

Nothing Gold Can Stay Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower, But only so an hour. As leaf subsides to leaf, So Eden sank to grief. So dawn goes down today, Nothing gold can stay.

Written by Hinton as a 16 year old, so sometimes themes are oversimplistic. The world is black or white, Greaser or Soc, nothing in between. Very accessible to young readers. It was essentially the first young adult novel that gave a realistic look at what it was like to be a teenager. Hinton criticized for her overly macho male characters and her rather flat and stereotypical female characters.