Author S E Hinton Early picture of Hinton

• S. E. Hinton Early picture of Hinton • S. E. stands for

• S. E. Hinton • Created the genderneutral author name • She began

• Background of The Outsiders – Date of Publication – Inspiration – Major

• Background, Cont’d A poster from the hit film • The Outsiders features

Literary Focus – Point of View • First Person – Narrator and Protagonist •

• Literary Focus – Genre – Setting (TIME) – Setting (PLACE) – Tone

• Literary Focus, CONT’D – Themes Although they present a tough exterior, the

• Symbols – Cars • Cars represent the Socs’ power and the Greasers’

• Symbols – Greaser Hair A few famous people have sported the greaser

• Characters – Ponyboy Curtis • Narrator and protagonist • Different from the

• Darrell “Darry” Curtis • Ponyboy’s oldest brother • Raised his brothers after

• Dallas “Dally” Winston • The toughest hood in Ponboy’s group • A

• Sodapop Curtis • Cherry and Marcia • Attractive older brother of Ponyboy

• Randy Adderson • Soc who creates a foil to greasers—offers a new

• Two-Bit Mathews • The “typical” joker of Ponyboy’s group • Offers a

• Steve Randle • Sodapop’s best friend • Talent of stealing hub caps

Slides: 20

Download presentation

Author

• S. E. Hinton Early picture of Hinton • S. E. stands for Susan Eloise • Hinton’s publishers worried her work would not be respected coming from a woman, since it dealt with male characters and violent conflicts

• S. E. Hinton • Created the genderneutral author name • She began The Outsides at the age of fifteen

Background Information

• Background of The Outsiders – Date of Publication – Inspiration – Major Conflicts (person v. society, person v. person, person v. self) • 1967 • Hinton was frustrated with social divisions within her high school and a lack of realistic fiction for high school students • The greasers, a group of low-class youths, battle the Socs (pronounced “soches, ”) a group of privileged rich kids, who live on the West Side

• Background, Cont’d A poster from the hit film • The Outsiders features many references to the 1960 s: Elvis, Beatles, etc. • Examined universal urges to form cliques, compete and unite with similar groups— embrace of a subculture • The greasers are tough and rough, but also vulnerable and full of emotion

Literary Focus – Point of View • First Person – Narrator and Protagonist • Ponyboy – Antagonist • Social Groups

• Literary Focus – Genre – Setting (TIME) – Setting (PLACE) – Tone • Young-Adult Fiction • Mid-1960 s • Tulsa, Oklahoma (though never disclosed in the story, it’s revealed in another story by Hinton, with some of the same characters, titled That Was Then, This is Now) • Youthful, rebellious, simplistic, melodramatic

• Literary Focus, CONT’D – Themes Although they present a tough exterior, the greasers feel emotion and show a great deal of love for their “gang” brothers • Rich vs. Poor • Class Differences • Transcending Social Divisions • Human Struggles and Fears • Honor and Loyalty • One’s Ability to Sacrifice • Male-Female Interactions • Male Bonding • Human embrace and loathing of violence

• Symbols – Cars • Cars represent the Socs’ power and the Greasers’ vulnerability • Greasers are physically vulnerable and must work on the cars of the rich, wealthy Socs The greasers work on the nice cars; the socs drive them

• Symbols – Greaser Hair A few famous people have sported the greaser look • Rebellion against society • Cannot afford physical items to make them stand out (ie cars), must use their hair to stand out • Most men in society during the 1960 s wore their hair short

Characters

• Characters – Ponyboy Curtis • Narrator and protagonist • Different from the rest of the greasers; has interests in literature and school • Reliable and observant—a “wallflower” • Rocky home life and relationship with older brother, Darry

• Darrell “Darry” Curtis • Ponyboy’s oldest brother • Raised his brothers after the death of their parents in a car crash • Works two jobs • Strong, athletic, and intelligent • Nicknamed “Superman” • Embodiment of sacrifice for family

• Dallas “Dally” Winston • The toughest hood in Ponboy’s group • A hardened teen who used to run gangs in New York • Does not put grease in his hair. • A tragic hero? • Tim Shepard • Leader of another group of greasers

• Sodapop Curtis • Cherry and Marcia • Attractive older brother of Ponyboy • Possibly the “deepest” but presents as “surface” character • Soc girls who personify themes for the greasers • Offer a different perspective on society; rep. optimism? Change? Hope?

• Randy Adderson • Soc who creates a foil to greasers—offers a new perspective on upper-class society • The most redeeming soc character? • Johnny Cade • Parents are abusive • Nervous and sensitive • Greasers are his family more than his parents • Protected by the gang

• Two-Bit Mathews • The “typical” joker of Ponyboy’s group • Offers a fatalist nature to the novel—pay attention to not only his jokes, but the subjects that he jokes about…is it surface, or is there something real and human under his jokester façade? . . . Is it a façade?

• Steve Randle • Sodapop’s best friend • Talent of stealing hub caps • Cocky, aware of his placement in society, and smart This guy might look a little familiar