The Outsidersby S. E. Hinton

Mrs. ColeOMMS

About the Author

•Susan Eloise Hinton was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. •She has always enjoyed

reading but wasn't satisfied with the literature that was being written for young adults, which influenced her to write novels like The Outsiders.

About the Author•That book, her first novel, was

published in 1967 by Viking. Hinton was only 17 years old.

•Since her narrator was a boy, Hinton's publishers suggested that she publish under the name of S. E. Hinton; they feared their readers wouldn't respect a "macho" story written by a woman.

•Hinton says today, "I don't mind having two identities; in fact, I like keeping the writer part separate in some ways. And since my alter ego is clearly a 15-year-old boy, having an authorial self (pen name) that doesn't suggest a gender is just fine with me."

•Once published, The Outsiders gave her a lot of publicity and fame, and also a lot of pressure. S.E. Hinton was becoming known as "The Voice of the Youth" among other titles. This kind of pressure and publicity resulted in a 3 year long writer's block.

•Her boyfriend (and now, her husband),who had gotten sick of her being depressed all the time, eventually broke this block. He made her write 2 pages a day if she wanted to go anywhere. This eventually led to publication of That Was Then, This Is Now

in 1971.

•Hinton’s books include: The OutsidersThat was Then, This is NowRumble FishTexTaming The Star Runner

The Outsiders•Setting: Tulsa, Oklahoma

during the 1960s•Point of View:1st person narrativefrom Ponyboy’sperspective

Cast of CharactersThe Greasers vs. The Socs

Greasers•Ponyboy Curtis – 14 yr. old

protagonist & narrator•Darrell Curtis – a.k.a. “Darry;”

Ponyboy’s oldest brother•Sodapop Curtis – the middle

Curtis boy; has good looks & charm

Greasers•Two-Bit Matthews – (Keith)

joker of the group•Steve Randle – Soda’s best

friend•Dally Winston – the toughest

“hood” in the group• Johnny Cade – 16 yrs. old; the

heart of the Greasers

Socs•Cherry Valance – Bob’s girlfriend;

a cheerleader Ponyboy meets at the movies

•Marcia – Cherry’s friend & Randy’s girlfriend

•Randy Adderson – Marcia’s boyfriend and Bob’s best friend

•Bob Sheldon – Cherry’s boyfriend; beats up Johnny b/f book begins

Supporting Characters

•Tim Shepard– leader of another band of greasers

•Curly Shepard – Tim’s brother• Jerry Wood – Adult who helps (in

a way) Ponyboy & Johnny•Paul Holden – Soc who was

Darry’s friend and teammate in high school

•Mr. Syme – Ponyboy’s English Teacher

Themes, Motifs, & Symbols

Themes• Bridging the Gap Between Rich

and Poor• Honor Among the Lawless • The Importance of Friendship•  Appearance vs. Reality

Remember, themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas

explored in a literary work.

Themes, Motifs, & Symbols

Motifs: recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

Motifs in The Outsiders: • Literature• Eye Shape & Color• Ponyboy’s Losses of

Consciousness

Themes, Motifs, & Symbols

Symbols:•Two-Bit’s

Switchblade •Cars •Bob’s Rings •Greaser Hair

• Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.