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

The Socs The 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

Main character-Ponyboy “You’re a nice kid, Ponyboy.” -Cherry “I never noticed clouds and colors and stuff until you kept reminding me about them.” -Johnny “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.” “I used to make A’s in English.” “We’re poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we’re wilder, too.” “I’ve always been kind of absent minded.” “I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.” “And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do.”

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

Setting Tulsa, OK Early 1960s Drive In The Park The Church

Conflicts 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 priviledge 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

Theme It doesn’t feel good to be on the ‘outside’ Life Isn’t Fair Family relationships change and evolve Nothing Gold Can Stay

Symbol-Colors 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.

Connections to……… Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson That was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Critique 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. Hinton criticized for her overly macho male characters and her rather flat and stereotypical female characters. 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.

Scenes from The Outsiders