The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton---Renee Chaffin YA/Classic

The Outsiders was written by a teenager about teenagers.  The author, Susan Eloise Hinton, began writing the story when she was 15-years-old and it was finally published when she was 17-years-old, in 1967.  She was advised to use a pen name, S.E. Hinton, because the publisher did not think that people would believe that a girl wrote this novel! Hinton began writing the story in response to an act of teenage violence that occurred in her hometown. The novel takes place in Oklahoma in the 1960s and is considered a coming-of-age novel. The Outsiders examines many social and teenage issues that were prevalent in the 1960s and are still issues today including violence in the home, gangs, and growing up without parents.

I first read this book when I was student teaching, and all of my assignments for the PACT were focused on the novel. While student teaching my class and I read this in March, and I loved watching unenthusiastic readers and EL’s become instantly hooked to the timeless tale of brotherhood, friendship, and loyalty.

I most recently reread this book with my book club, as it was chosen to be read for the Fall Napa County Reads initiative. The county provided opportunities for the students to create art pieces that were displayed at the Lincoln Theater, where we went as a class to see Francis Ford Coppola and Ralph Macchio discuss the making of the movie of the same name, “The Outsiders.” My book club students didn’t quite have the same enthusiasm that I saw in my student teaching experience, despite not having any assignment related to the text other than a few discussions. The discussion with Coppola and Macchio in my opinion was quite boring, although I think the kids were excited to ask questions to two “celebrities.” The experience was exciting, as the county had advertised the “discussion” for several months and it was hyped up in the local media for several months. Student artwork was displayed throughout the lobby, and I was able to take photos of my students with their art.

I highly recommend this book to readers age 12 and up, as in my experience the story is timeless and connects to a wide range of reading levels and interests. There are so many characters that it is difficult to not find a character to identify or connect with. The stories of friendship and brotherhood are relatable to all audiences, and capture the hearts and imaginations of teens of all backgrounds. The students love the movie too, and teen girls still think that “Rob Lowe is hot heheheheehe.”

The questions I have asked and would ask my students are:

What do you think “The Outsiders” means?  What is an “outsider”?

What do you think a “coming-of-age” novel means?

What do you think were some of the issues teenagers faced in the 1960s?

Do you think these are issues that teenagers still face today?

What kinds of characters do you think you will encounter while reading The Outsiders?

What kinds of themes do you think you will encounter while reading The Outsiders?

What do you think the author wants you to take away from this novel?

Nothing Gold Can Stay

by Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,


Her hardest hue to hold.


Her early leaf's a flower;


But only so an hour.


Then leaf subsides to leaf.


So Eden sank to grief,


So dawn goes down to day.


Nothing gold can stay.

What do you think is the meaning of this poem?  

Book trailer I made a few years ago. Forgive the typo!