Hinton, S.E. (1967). The outsiders. New York: Viking Press. ISBN 014038572X
Plot Summary
Critical Analysis
It cannot be debated that this book was groundbreaking – a novel written for teenagers, by a teenager, the way teenagers talk, at a time when honesty was a truly rare commodity in young adult literature. Almost fifty years after publication, The Outsiders continues to stand the test of time. The characters are flawed and complicated. There are no stock heroes or villains here. As Ponyboy’s eyes are opened more and more to a world he thought he had figured out, the reader sees vulnerable, relatable sides to characters labeled as purely bad early in the novel. Ponyboy’s lesson is the moral of the story: we are all sad and lost in our own way. It is hard all over. This evolution of character is perhaps the most important aspect of The Outsiders. Characters learn lessons the hard way, violently, in life or death situations. This is a true reality for many teenagers, and an important breakthrough in young adult literature at the time. Voice is another important literary element of this novel. Ponyboy speaks in first person, in the vernacular of the greasers. His gritty, imperfect language and the slang terms that characterize his speech bring us into the greaser world more effective than mere descriptions would. Place is very distinct and vivid through Ponyboy’s eyes – the drive-in movie theater, the messy but happy house in which he lives with his brothers, the hollow interior of the church where he and Johnny hide out. We both see and feel these environments through Ponyboy. Sometimes this book is criticized as being overly romantic and sentimental, but what saves it from an overload of sentimentality is Ponyboy himself. Ponyboy is a romantic – his love of Gone With the Wind, and poetry, and nature. This is his story, his experience, and without this endearing and contrasting aspect of his character, The Outsiders would have been a much bleaker, flatter story.
Several of her books have been made into major motion pictures, most notably The Outsiders. She was the first recipient of the Young Adult Services Division / School Library Journal Author Achievement Award. Currently she lives in her hometown of Tulsa, OK with her husband where she reads, writes, audits classes, and shows horses.
Plot Summary Ponyboy Curtis divides the world into two distinct categories: the greasers, of which he is one, and the socs, short for social. Greasers are tough, self-sufficient, and live on the defensive. Socs are rich, spoiled, and senselessly cruel to anyone not like them. The Curtis brothers, orphaned after their parents died in a car accident, and their extended family of greaser friends, all abandoned or outcast in their own ways, look out for each other. When a violent encounter with a group of socs goes terribly wrong, Ponyboy and his best friend Johnny, the youngest and most vulnerable of the group, have to skip town, testing the bonds of family and loyalty. Escape proves impossible, however, after another serious tragedy befalls Johnny and Ponyboy, and they must face everything that has happened. As his life continues to unravel, Ponyboy is forced to confront hard truths about himself, his family, and his narrow perception of the world.
Critical Analysis
It cannot be debated that this book was groundbreaking – a novel written for teenagers, by a teenager, the way teenagers talk, at a time when honesty was a truly rare commodity in young adult literature. Almost fifty years after publication, The Outsiders continues to stand the test of time. The characters are flawed and complicated. There are no stock heroes or villains here. As Ponyboy’s eyes are opened more and more to a world he thought he had figured out, the reader sees vulnerable, relatable sides to characters labeled as purely bad early in the novel. Ponyboy’s lesson is the moral of the story: we are all sad and lost in our own way. It is hard all over. This evolution of character is perhaps the most important aspect of The Outsiders. Characters learn lessons the hard way, violently, in life or death situations. This is a true reality for many teenagers, and an important breakthrough in young adult literature at the time. Voice is another important literary element of this novel. Ponyboy speaks in first person, in the vernacular of the greasers. His gritty, imperfect language and the slang terms that characterize his speech bring us into the greaser world more effective than mere descriptions would. Place is very distinct and vivid through Ponyboy’s eyes – the drive-in movie theater, the messy but happy house in which he lives with his brothers, the hollow interior of the church where he and Johnny hide out. We both see and feel these environments through Ponyboy. Sometimes this book is criticized as being overly romantic and sentimental, but what saves it from an overload of sentimentality is Ponyboy himself. Ponyboy is a romantic – his love of Gone With the Wind, and poetry, and nature. This is his story, his experience, and without this endearing and contrasting aspect of his character, The Outsiders would have been a much bleaker, flatter story.
Reader’s Annotation
Ponyboy Curtis and his fellow greasers are pitted against the world of privileged socs. After a violent tragedy that send Ponyboy and his best friend Johnny on the run, he finds his perceptions about everything he thought he understood changing rapidly.
About the Author
S.E. Hinton wrote The Outsiders at the age of sixteen due to her dissatisfaction with the young adult novels of the time, which she felt were inadequate and unrelated to the reality of her life. The Outsiders was a huge hit, which put the spotlight on Hinton and caused a severe pressure-induced writer’s block. She overcame this with the help of her boyfriend, now her husband, and wrote That Was Then, This Is Now. In her career she has published nine books – seven for young adults, two for children. Several of her books have been made into major motion pictures, most notably The Outsiders. She was the first recipient of the Young Adult Services Division / School Library Journal Author Achievement Award. Currently she lives in her hometown of Tulsa, OK with her husband where she reads, writes, audits classes, and shows horses.
Genre
Contemporary - coming of age
Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues in this book include violence, death, underage drinking and smoking, and profanity. In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book. The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.
Curriculum Ties
English and Writing: voice, character development, plot arc.
Booktalk
This book was written not only for teenagers, but by a teenager. S.E. Hinton did not see the violent world she knew represented in the books that were being written for her age group, so she wrote her own. The characters and life or death situations in this book are truly authentic because they came from her life. This story will suck you in.
Reading Level and Interest Age
Grades 8-12.
Why I Included This Book
The Outsiders was so important to me as an adolescent, and its place in the history of young adult literature make it a no-brainer for any collection.
References
Hinton, S.E. (n.d.). Biography. Retrieved from http://www.sehinton.com/bio.html
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