The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Pre-Reading Information

2. About the author • S.E. Hinton stands for Susan Eloise • Born in the 1950’s in Tulsa, Oklahoma • She started The Outsiders at age 15 • It was published in 1967

3. About the book • Young Adult Fiction • The language and details of the story are rooted in the 1960s • The setting is in the Southwest • Examines the ideas of formingfractions, competing, and survival.

4. Themes • Bridging the gap between rich and poor • Honor among the lawless • Treacherousness of male-female interactions

5. Setting • The book takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the Mid-1960s.

6. Literary terms • 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

7. Literary terms • Motifs: motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes. Some motifs are: literature, eye shape and color, and Ponyboy’s losses of consciousness.

8. Narration • This book is narrated by the protagonist Ponyboy. It is narrated in the first person subjective.

9. While reading the text... • Be aware of the one sided narration • Search for some examples of the themes discussed here • Look for some of the motifs and uncover their importance to the text

10. Animated book http://www.aurealtd.co.uk/animated_book02.gif S.E. Hinton photo http://fuzzyllama.net/mediac/400_0/media/hinton_se.jpg Outsider’s cover http://www.eastchester.k12.ny.us/schools/Ms/teachers/burke/images/outsiders_000.jpg School cafeteria http://www.departments.dsu.edu/dsuarchives/images/Student%20Life/East%20Hall%20Cafeteria%20snack%20bar%201960%20%202%20small.jpg Gold stick figure Power Point clip art Picture Credits