The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton Presentation by Ms. Ciaccio

Table of Contents Author’s Biography Setting Main Characters Problem and Solution Theme Recommendation

Author’s Biography S.E. Hinton S.E. stands for Susan Elizabeth Wrote The Outsiders while in high school Pressure of success led to a three year long battle with writer’s block Loves horseback riding Is extremely private and does not like talking about herself or her family. Facts found at www.SEHinton.com Picture from Google Images

Setting Late 1960s Tulsa, Oklahoma The setting plays an important part to the story because it depicts a place with two very distinct sides: one that is poor and working class and one that is comfortable and wealthy.

Main Characters The Greasers Ponyboy Curtis: 14 years old, good student, orphan and youngest of the Curtis brother, youngest Greaser. Novel revolves around Pony and is told from his point of view. Johnny Cade: 16 years, very jumpy and nervous, comes from an abusive home, jumped and beaten by the Socs. Carries a switchblade for protection. Kills a Soc which becomes the focus of the novel. Dallas Winston: Greaser who helps Pony & Johnny. Dally is rough, violent, delights in being a criminal.

Main Characters The Socs Cherry Valance: Soc who goes to high school with Pony and Bob’s girlfriend. Becomes friends with Pony which leads to trouble. Later tries to broker peace between the Socs and the Greasers. Bob Sheldon: Soc who also goes to school with Pony. He likes to drink. Bob is the one who beat Johnny…Johnny later kills him.

Problem Problem: The Greasers and the Socs hate each other and fight with each other for superiority. Socs jump Johnny & Ponyboy one night after hanging out with a couple of Soc girls at the movies. Johnny stabs and kills a Soc who tries to drown Pony in a fountain. Johnny & Ponyboy runaway with the help of Dally. Johnny later dies after saving a group of kids from a burning church. Socs want revenge for Bob’s death.

Solution Solution: Socs & Greasers rumble; Greasers win. A tentative peace is reached between the two groups.

Theme Rich…poor…we’re all the same. S.E. Hinton shows us through Pony’s experiences that both Socs and Greasers face hardships such as pain, loss, unhappiness. “But, then, maybe they understood, like Cherry Valance. I looked at Bob’s picture and I could begin to see the person we had killed. A reckless, hot-tempered boy, cocky and scared stiff at the same time (page 162).”

Recommendation Favorite book of mine since I first read it at the age of 13. Recommend this book to teens because even though the story may place take in the 1960s it remains a relatable story to this day.