S.E. Hinton was inspired to write The Outsiders based on her experiences in high school in the 1950s in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She observed social divisions between lower class "Greasers" and wealthy "Socs." The 1967 novel is about class conflict between the Greaser gang and the Socs. It explores themes of violence, prejudice and finding one's place in the world. The story is told in first person by the protagonist Ponyboy Curtis and examines what it means to be an outsider from both sides of the social divide.

2. Notebook Entry Questions
 What does it mean to be an “outsider”?
 Describe a time when you have felt like an
outsider.
 What does it mean to be an “insider”?

3. S. E. Hinton background
 born in the 1950s in Tulsa, Oklahoma
 Inspired by the social divisions at her high school and
the lack of realistic fiction for adolescents
 Published under S.E Hinton to cloak her gender to the
public
 She was 16 years-old when she wrote The Outsiders

4. The Outsiders (1967)
 Groundbreaking young adult novel
 Set in the 1960s Southwest
 Class conflict between the Greasers and the Socs
(socials)
 Low-class youths vs. privileged rich kids
 Violence, class conflict, prejudice
 Bildungsroman
 Allegory
 Circular plot

5. Outsiders Reflection I
After reading the S.E. Hinton interview,please answer
the following questions in your notebook :
1. What are 5 facts about S.E Hinton that are
important?
2. What are 5 of S.E. Hinton influences as she wrote
The Outsiders? Or, how did what was happening
in the world of politics and society influence The
Outsiders?
3. As we read a text that is written as a flashback in
the first person, how could that affect our
perspective of a story?

6. Characters
 As you read chapter 1, briefly
describe each of the main
characters as you read the first few
chapters. Write down which
"group" each belongs to, his/her
age, and some unique things about
each person.

7. The Greasers
 Ponyboy Curtis
 Sodapop Curtis
 Darry Curtis
 Steve Randle
 Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews
 Dallas Winston
 Johnny Cade

8. The Socs
 Cherry
 Marcia
 Bob
 Randy

10. Chapter 1: The Greasers
 Re-read chapter 1: YES! Re-read it! We are
studying, not just reading, this piece of literature!
 Character: Copy down a sentence in quotation
marks (and note the page number) for each member
of the Greasers that either describes his personality
or appearance.
 Conflict: Find one sentence that describes a
difference between the Greasers and the Socs; copy
down the sentence in quotation marks, note the
page number, and explain in your own words what it
means.

11. The Greasers
 Ponyboy Curtis
 Sodapop Curtis
 Darry Curtis
 Steve Randle
 Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews
 Dallas Winston
 Johnny Cade

12.  How are the Greasers like a family?
 How do Darry, SodaPop and Ponyboy operate as a
family?
 What is the problem between Darry and Ponyboy?
Why do you think Darry’s expectations are different
for Ponyboy than for SodaPop?
 What is Johnny’s “position” in the gang? What is
happening to him in his family life and what has
happened to him with the Socs that has contributed
to his position in the gang?

13. Chapter 2: The Conflict
1. Why do the Soc girls--Marcia and Cherry--sit
by the Greasers?
2. Can you name some other differences
between the Socs and the Greasers?
3. Summarize the events that occurred to
Johnny “four months ago” (p. 30). How did
they effect him?
4. Find one important sentence from the
chapter. Copy it down in quotation marks
and tell why you think it’s important.

14. Chapter 3:
The conversation continues…
1. What more do Cherry and PonyBoy say about how the Socs
are similar or different from the Greasers?
2. What is important about the sunset in the story?
3. What more do we learn about the Greasers’ family lives?
4. On p. 40, what does PonyBoy say about how bad the
Greasers have it compared to the Socs?
5. Why does PonyBoy dream about getting away to the country?
6. Why is Darry so upset about PonyBoy coming in late?
7. Why would Johnny rather have his “old man” hitting him
instead of ignoring him?

15. Chapter 4
 1. What does Pony mean when he says the socs
were "reeling pickled" on page 54? 2. What major
event happens in this chapter? 3. How did the
author foreshadow that johnny would use his knife
in chapter 2? 4. What would your advice be to
Johhny and Ponyboy if they'd come to you for help
instead of Dally? Explain.

16. Chapter 5
1. Why does Pony have a problem with Johnny's idea to disguise themselves?
2. Why does Johnny think is a hero? Do you think Dally is a hero based on what he
did?
3. Why does Pony realize he doesn't like Dally? Can you explain what he means by
this?
4. Examine Robert Frost's poem, Nothing Gold can Stay. What do you think the
poem is saying? How might this apply to the characters in the novel?
5. Johnny compares Pony and his brothers to their parents. Which one of your
parents are you most like? What similarities do you share?
6. What's a 'heater'? Why does Dally have one?
7. Why are the socs and the greasers going to fight in the vacant lot?
8. Who's the spy for the greasers? Does this surprise you? Why or why not?

17. Chapter 6 & 7
1. How does Jerry stereotype the Greasers? Why is he so surprised that the
Greasers would save the little kids from the fire?
2. What does PonyBoy realize about his relationship with Darry? What was Darry
afraid of, according to PonyBoy? (p. 87)
3. “I had taken the long way around, but I was finally home. To stay” (p. 88).
What does this quote mean?
4. What condition is Johnny in after the fire?
5. Why would being crippled be worse for Johnny than someone else?
6. What is a juvenile delinquent (p. 93)?
7. Why would Two-Bit think Johnny, Dally, and Pony were heroes all along; before
they saved the kids?
8. What was Bob's 'real' problem, according to Randy (p.102-3)?
9. Why did Pony think it was better to see socs as "just guys" on p. 118? What do
you think he means by this?

18. Chapter 8
1. How does what the doctor first says foreshadow
Johnny's condition?
2. "We needed Johnny as much as he needed the
gang. And for the same reason”. What do you think
Pony means, and what is the reason?
3. What does Pony mean when he says, "we could get
along without anyone but Johnny"?
4. If Darry didn't have Soda and Pony, why would he be a
soc?
5. What does Cherry mean when she says Bob "wasn't just
anyone”?

19. Chapter 9
1. When Pony asks what kind of a world it is, what is
he saying about how society judges people?
2. Why do the boys fight? Why is Pony different?
3. What is the difference between Tim Sheppard's
gang and Ponyboy's? Explain how Pony feels this
difference might give his group the upper hand?
4. What do you think Johnny's last words--“stay
gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold”-- mean?

20. Chapter 10 & 11
1. How does Pony's dreaming, or lying to
himself, finally work in this chapter?
2. Why was Johnny's dying so difficult for Dally
to handle?
3. Why do you think Dally would have wanted
to die?
4. Explain why Pony might rather have
anyone's hate than their pity.

21. Chapter 12
1. Why doesn't Ponyboy feel scared when the socs approach him and
he threatens them with a broken bottle? How has Ponyboy
changed?
2. What does Darry mean when he says, "you don't just stop living
because you lose someone”?
3. How do we know Sandy didn't love Soda as much as he loved her?
4. Explain how Darry and Ponyboy play tug of war with Soda.
5. What was so special about Johnny?
6. What does Ponyboy end up doing for his English assignment?

22. “When you’re a kid everything’s
new, dawn. It’s just when you get used
to everything that it’s day.”
--Chapter 12, Johnny
“There should be some help, someone
should tell their side of the story, and
maybe people would understand then
and wouldn’t be so quick to judge a boy
by the amount of hair oil he wore. It
was important to me.
--Chapter 12, Ponyboy