The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton

1. The OutsidersBy S.E. Hinton Presentation by Ms. Ciaccio

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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

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

9. 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).”

10. 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.