The Outsiders Information

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The Outsiders

"When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home..." (from the first line)

Annotation:
Written when the author was still in high school, this is the story of Ponyboy, a teenage orphan who lives with his two older brothers. Members of the lower class known as the "Greasers," Ponyboy and his friends are at constant war with the "Socs," who represent the middle and upper classes. When Ponboy's best friend, Johnny, accidentally kills a member of the Socs, the two teenagers go on the run, hiding out until the heat dies down in their hometown. Tragedy strikes, again, however, and Ponyboy must come to terms with the fact that his life has changed forever. First published in 1967, THE OUTSIDERS brought a new tone of realism into the world of young adult literature. By presenting a story almost completely free of adult characters, Hinton reflects the lives of many contemporary teenagers--who view their friends not only as their companions, but also as their family.

Praise

(unknown)
"This remarkable novel gives a moving, credible view of the outsiders from the inside--their loyalty to each other, their sensitivity under tough crusts, their understanding of self and society."

School Library Journal
"No social scientist can fault this talented teenage author's sympathetic observations of the members of a city gang...The killing pride of the disadvantaged is captured and conveyed in the novel's action and suspense."

Author Bio

S. E. Hinton

Susan Eloise Hinton's first novel was accepted for publication on the same day she graduated from high school. THE OUTSIDERS (1967) is often considered a landmark in young adult literature for its realistic, rather than formulaic, depiction of teenagers. It was the decision of the marketing department of the publishing company to list the author as S. E. Hinton instead of using her full name--they thought the public might have trouble believing that a young woman wrote such a strong novel featuring male protagonists and violence. Using the money she earned from THE OUTSIDERS, Hinton attended the University of Tulsa and earned a degree in education. After writing three more novels, Hinton become involved in translating her books into screenplays. She then returned to writing books in 1988 with TAMING THE STAR RUNNER.