Born Susan Eloise Hinton, S.E. Hinton began composing “The Outsiders” when she was just 15. When the novel was published in 1967, Hinton was advised by her publishers to use the name S.E. Hinton. The male-centered theme of the novel, the publishers argued, would be given more credibility if the readers thought the author was a man. Hinton was not the first female writer to use a masculine-sounding pen name to appeal to her audience. Writers such as Marian Evans, known as George Eliot; and Charlotte Bronte, who adopted the pen name Currer Bell, used such tactics. Such authors, paired with Hinton’s work, can be part of a project examining the reasons for gender neutrality or deception in literature. Activities should focus on the authors’ lives including social and gender relations during their life and one influential text comparable to Hinton’s novel. Examples of texts for alternate authors can include Eliot’s "Middlemarch" and Bronte’s "Jane Eyre."
Music plays on important role in "The Outsiders" with references to the Beatles, who are connected to the Socs; Elvis Presley and Hank Williams are part of the Greaser subculture. Understanding the importance of the popular music referenced in the novel through a project on the music in the novel lets readers better understand the social culture of the period. Activities include listening to the music, learning about era when the song was released, finding information on the artist and discussing how the songs relate to the two social sets as well as individual characters such as Ponyboy, Johnny and Cherry. Possible songs for these activities include the Beatles "You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away," Elvis Presley’s "Heartbreak Hotel" and Hank Williams' "I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry."
Gangs have been a part of literature for centuries, from William Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet" to William Golding’s "Lord of the Flies." Using "The Outsiders" as a central focus, projects examining the different manifestations of gangs throughout young adult literature allow for the evaluation of group violence including its causes. Activities for this project include close reading of the novels and discussion of the representation of gangs in different time periods. Students can use other texts for comparisons, such as Joyce Carol Oates’ "Foxfire," which portrays an all-female gang.
In addition to "The Outsiders," Hinton wrote eight other novels including "Rumble Fish" and "Tex." A project comparing "The Outsiders" with other Hinton novels provides readers with an understanding of the author’s use of common or varied literary elements. Activities for this project include reading "The Outsiders" and at least two other Hinton novels; then the reader compiles a chart listing literary elements such as setting, theme, plot and characters. Finally, the reader examines the chart for similar and dissimilar elements between each text.