1. Objectives The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton
Understand the background and context
for the book and the 1960s 1.
Author information 2.
1960s information 3.
Themes and basics of the book

2. S.E. Hinton
Published The Outsiders in 1967 at the age of 17 (Began writing it at 15).
The story was inspired by a real-life event at Hinton’s high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
During that same semester, she was failing creative writing.
The Outsiders is widely considered the first realistic young-adult novel.
Because of the violence and gang-related themes, the book was and is very controversial.
Was #47 in a recent list of the top 100 most often challenged books.
Other Hinton books include Rumble Fish, Tex, and That Was Then, This is Now.
Susan Eloise Hinton

3. 1967 in the U.S.A. #1 Television Show. The Beatles Popular movie
Lyndon Baines Johnson is president.
#1 Television Show.
The Beatles
A first-class stamp cost 5 cents.
U.S. Population: 198 million
Popular movie
World population: 3.5 billion

4. Do you know…
your 1960s…
slang???
Find a partner!!!

5. fuzz
heater
Watch out, the fuzz is after us!
When did you start carrying a heater?
broad
rank
That Kim is one knock-out broad!
That band you like is rank!

6. tuff
hood
A 1967 Mustang is one tuff car.
The hoods cause trouble at night.
heat
cancer stick
The heat chased us for four city blocks.
Pass me a cancer stick, Johnny.

7. jumped
hacked off
I was hacked off at my parents.
He got jumped by three guys.
rumble
pickled
There was a big rumble at the park.
He got really pickled!

8. make tracks
the cooler
When did you get out of the cooler?
Hurry, we gotta make tracks. JD
weed
The JD got five months in jail.
I could really use a weed right now.

9. More slang terms related to violence

10. More slang terms related to drinking/smoking
Some words have gained additional meaning over the years or else have changed their meaning.
For example, the word weed would nowadays mean marihuana rather than cigarette. Also, the word stoned now refers more often to drugs than to alcohol, as in the book.

11. More slang terms related to gangster life

12. The fight between rich and poor.
Major themes developed in The Outsiders
The fight between rich and poor. 1. 2.
The power of friendship.
What does it mean to be a hero? 3.
The journey from youth to adulthood. 4.
Look for these themes to develop as we read the book!

13. The two major groups of characters in The Outsiders
(Pronounced “soshes”)
Greasers
Socs
madras – clothes with a plaid design
jeans, leather jackets, T-shirts

14. Introducing the Greasers!

15. Introducing the Socs!

16. Two-Bit’s Switchblade, Cars, Bob’s Rings, Greaser Hair
Symbols symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract concepts or ideas
Symbols to watch for:
Two-Bit’s Switchblade, Cars, Bob’s Rings, Greaser Hair

17. The Greasers
The switchblade represents strength, power and disregard for authority for which greasers traditionally pride themselves. It also represents a sense of the individual power that comes with the potential to commit violence.

18. Greaser hair
The greasers cannot afford rings, cars, or other physical trappings of power that the Socs enjoy. Consequently, they must resort to more affordable markers of identity. By wearing their hair in a specific style, greasers distinguish themselves from other social groups.

19. The cigarette
Commonly seen in the book as well. Many of the Greasers started smoking at an early age. It made them feel older and helped them fit into their group. Later it became a way of passing time and keeping calm.

20. Cars
Here are two cars that are mentioned in The Outsiders. The Covair is the first car mentioned in the book.
Chevy Corvair
1965 Ford Mustang

21. Socs
The blue Mustang stands for money, power and authority. Cars represent the Socs power and the greasers’ vulnerability. Because their parents can afford to buy them their “tuff” cars, the Socs have increased mobility and protection. The greasers, who move mostly on foot, are physically vulnerable in comparison to the Socs.
The rings are a symbol of wealth. The rings in this story represent the physical power that accompanies wealth. By using his rings as combative weapons, Bob takes advantage of his economic superiority over Ponyboy and the other greasers, using his wealth to injure his opponents.

22. Write
What does the word identity mean to you?

23. Groups
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5