Lesson Plan

Using The Outsiders in the Classroom

    This classic piece of young adult literature could easily be used in the classroom for a variety of age groups. The setting is an urban neighborhood in the early 1960’s, but the story is timeless in what it teaches students about dealing with loss, isolation, family problems, and feeling like an outsider.

    A major theme of the book is the importance of compassion when thinking of others. By the end of the novel Ponyboy, the protagonist, has come to understand the perspective of both his parental figure (his brother Darry) and individuals of a separate social class (through Cherry and Randy). This is an inspiring depiction of empathy that could be used to start a dialogue about social pressure, prejudice, bullying, and a number of other issues students deal with on a daily basis.

    While this book does deal with some issues of violence, it could definitely be used in middle schools with proper guidance from the teachers.

History of Being Challenged in Schools

    The Outsiders has been challenged since its publication, some of the commonly cited reasons being its language, portrayals of gang violence, lack of adult role models in the story, and “glamorizing”: drinking, smoking, stealing, and other crime.

    These are all valid points; the book does deal with many mature themes, but often these issues are discussed in Ponyboy’s narration and presented in a way that is relatable and realistic. These are issues that real adolescents have to cope with, and this novel can open up lines for communication—not only for a dialogue about violence and other controversial issues but also about bullying, socio-economic class divisions, the importance of getting an education, and numerous other valuable discussions.

    While a lot of contestable material can be found in the novel, it will be contextualized in the overarching themes through class discussion and guidance from a knowledgeable teacher. There is a great deal of glamorized violence and underage drinking in the media that teenagers engage with daily, but The Outsiders addresses it in a thoughtful, critical way that is helpful to young adults who want to think through complex themes.

    This book has also been highly praised. This novel also won the New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List (1967), was named one of the ALA Best Young Adult Books (1975), and won the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award (1979). Despite challenges, The Outsiders remains a classic that is not only accessible to young readers but also has a lot to teach them.

Sample Classroom Activities for The Outsiders

Literature Discussion:

     The novel of Gone with the Wind which Ponyboy and Johnny read together at the church is an interesting symbol in the novel; similarly, the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost has a prominent position in the story. Discuss with students, either as a whole class or in small groups, how the Ponyboy and Johnny relate to literature in the book. Some points to bring up might include:

- Why Johnny picks up a copy of Gone with the Wind

- Johnny’s ideas about the Southern gentlemen

- Why Johnny wants Ponyboy to finish Gone with the Wind
- How the Civil War and gallantry related to the gang fights and rumbles in the city
- The meaning of the phrase “stay gold” interpreted by Johnny in the end of the novel
- Why Ponyboy remembers "Nothing Gold Can Stay"

      After a few minutes of discussion, have students write silently for less than ten minutes about a book, poem, short story, or other piece of writing that deeply affected them. Have them consider pieces that they would want to give a friend to help them through a difficult time, one that has taught them an important lesson, one that reflected an experience they were going through, that had characters they strongly identified with, or another topic that will get students thinking about the value of literature. Write along with them on the same topic so that you can start them on the process of sharing their work and understanding what makes a piece of writing powerful. If some students chose the same pieces you can put them into conversation with one another, asking them what they liked especially about the novel, who they would recommend it to, and why.
     This activity would be helpful in prepping students for a paper on The Outsiders that reflects on what other symbols in the novel might be valuable to a reader, the roles of the characters as compared with those in other texts in the course, or an analysis of Ponyboy’s narrative voice and what he chooses to focus on throughout the novel. 

Heroes

    When Two-Bit is talking to Steve in Chapter 7 he comments on the newspaper’s story about the fire: “What I like is the ‘turn’ bit . . . Y’all were heroes from the beginning. You just didn’t ‘turn’ all of a sudden” (107). Ask students to free write for a few minutes about someone they consider a hero(ine) and what qualities make that person heroic.

After the students put their pencils down, have them split into small groups to discuss what they wrote. One group member should act as a scribe and record a list of traits that the group deems “heroic”. Each group will read their list of traits aloud to class while you record them on the board or overhead.

    Each small group will then discuss the characters in The Outsiders and decide who demonstrates the qualities of a hero. Then, individually, each student will write a brief letter to the editor of the Tulsa Times describing an event they witnessed where one of those characters showed real heroism (they man not, of course, use the fire at the church for Ponyboy or Johnny). Over the next couple of weeks, have students work with that free write to develop it into a more polished piece.

    For an extended project, have the students split up into groups and have them edit their drafts to resemble a letter to the editor, an editorial article, a police blotter, or some other newspaper-related writing style. You can then help them organize the articles into a newspaper format that could be published and shared with the whole class or online.

Some Ideas for Student Essays

How are the Socs and Greasers different? Why/how do those differences cause conflict between them?

Choose a scene in the novel when one of the characters seems to feel like “the outsider”.

Write an essay explaining how expectations played a role in the lives of the Socs and the Greasers. How did external and internal expectations influence each group's actions in the novel?

Autobiographical
    Ponyboy's experiences of that week were obviously unforgettable. Write about an unforgettable experience in your own life. It doesn't have to be a bad experience; it could be a happy one, or one where you learn a lesson the hard way. You could also focus on a situation you faced, such as a challenge or a dilemma. Whatever you choose, make sure that the subject is of significance to you, and then show the reader this significance and what you may have learned.

Evaluation 
    The Outsiders is usually one of my students' favorite books. They like it because of the action, suspense, and most of all, the realistic characters. Write an essay in which you evaluate one of the best books you have ever read. Be sure to define what you mean by "good," then offer several reasons that show why your book fits your criteria. Be sure to cite at least one example from the book to illustrate each reason you give. Also be sure to anticipate any arguments your reader might have. ("I know you're going to say...")

Response to Literature 
    So far in the novel, S.E. Hinton has not used the word outsider. Obviously, she wants us to ponder whom the outsiders are. Write an essay in which you explain whom she may have meant by "the outsiders". Be sure to define what you mean by an outsider, and then explain whom you think Ms. Hinton meant. Be sure to use extensive examples from the book to back up what you say.


(prompts from Mr. Coward, Languna Middle School)

Has Ponyboy already lost his chance to stay gold? Explain why or why not.

Can the social barriers be broken down between the Socs and the greasers? Is there any reason to hope that the two rival factions will ever get along? Why or why not? How would life be different if they did?

How would this story have been different if it had been told by Cherry or Randy? Why?

(prompts from Recorded Books Blog)