The Outsiders
by S.E. Hinton
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History of the Outsiders
History of the Outsiders
Viking Press first published The Outsiders in 1967
first tried to sell it to adults as a "drugstore paperback"
“[the publisher] noticed that in one area it was selling very well. Teachers were using it in classes. All of a sudden, they realized that there was a separate market for young adults.”
The Outsiders revolutionized the young adult genre
in 2014, it had sold over 10 million copies
Who is S.E. Hinton?
Who is S.E. Hinton?
Susan Eloise (S.E.) Hinton was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1948. She grew up in rural America during the 1950-1960s. According to S.E. Hinton's website, "She has always enjoyed reading but wasn't satisfied with the literature that was being written for young adults" (Biography). During the time that Hinton was growing up, young adult fiction was written by adults. This young adult fiction embodied the ideals of the adults and did not honestly represent the culture or voice of the youth. As a 15 year-old, high school student, Hinton started writing The Outsiders. The book was then published shortly after she graduated high school. For several years after The Outsiders was published, Hinton was often called "Voice of the Youth" because of the way the book appealed to young adults by being an honest representation of youth culture.
Setting: Tulsa, Ok
Setting: Tulsa, Ok
Next to the Arkansas River
Surrounded by Petroleum and Natural Gas
Most people that live in and around Tulsa work in oil refineries and other oil work
Tulsa is an leading industrial area - wholesale distribution
Most Beautiful City in 1957
There were 330,350 people living in Tulsa in 1970. (Forsyth County has an estimated 236,000 people as of 2019.)
Lifestyle of the 1960's
Lifestyle of the 1960's
Important Historical Events AND Social unrest
Important Historical Events AND Social unrest
America during the 1950s
America during the 1950s
1960s Pop Culture
1960s Pop Culture
Gangs and Greaser Subculture
Gangs and Greaser Subculture
"The United States Justice Department" lists these characteristics for gangs:
"The United States Justice Department" lists these characteristics for gangs:
3 or more members
members share an identity usually linked to a name
adapts a group identity through style or color of clothing and hairstyle
group meets regularly
provide physical protection for its members from others outside the gang
works to control and defend a certain area like a part of a town or city
"National Institute of Justice" says a youth gang has all of the following characteristics:
"National Institute of Justice" says a youth gang has all of the following characteristics:
Members are usually 12-24 years old
Members see themselves as a gang, and others see the group as a gang.
Some permanence and organization
involved in a degree of criminal activity
Being a Teenager
Being a Teenager
1960s Social Guidance Film for Junior High School students. Video shows students the rules and expectations for Middle School during the 1960s.
High School in the 1960s film shows the changes in students and schools between 1960 and 1969. The Outsiders was written in 1964.
Music of the 1960s
Music of the 1960s
The greasers listened to Elvis. This is the song "Return to Sender".
The socs listened to The Beatles. This is the song "Help".
"Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs was the #1 song from 1964.
"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" by Four Tops was the #2 song from 1964.
Themes in THe Outsiders
Themes in THe Outsiders
The theme of a story is the message, lesson, or moral the author wants you to learn.
Ask yourself: What idea stays with you? -AND- How do the characters grow and change?
Conflicts come from misunderstandings of attitudes and values
Understanding and communication can overcome prejudice
People are not usually satisfied with what they have.
Loyalty is a necessary quality in human relationships
Everyone has problems
Importance of friendship
Judging people as a group leads to trouble
Family are the people who give you a sense of belonging, loyalty and love
Despite differences, we have more in common than we think
Stereotypes lead to group conformity and violent rivalries
Search for self
- The End -
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