Book Review

____________________________________________________________________________________                                                                  Author:  S.E. Hinton

Realist Fiction

Brittney K. Wells

11/28/2010

S.E. Hinton

"I don't think I have a masterpiece in me, but I do know I'm writing well in the area I choose to write in," she commented to Dave Smith of the Los Angeles Times. S.E. Hinton is credited with writing realist young adult/ adolescent literature and confidently claims to have chosen the right audience. "I understand kids and I really like them. And I have a very good memory. I remember exactly what it was like to be a teenager that nobody listened to or paid attention to or wanted around. I mean, it wasn't like that with my own family, but I knew a lot of kids like that and hung around with them.… Somehow I always understood

                         them. They were my type."

  S.E. Hinton, a talented American author who grew up in Tulsa, OK, took on the pen name in 1967. S.E. is the initials for Susan Eloise.  To eliminate the knowledge of her sex to readers was reason Hinton chose to go by the pen name S.E.  Her career as an author ignited with the publication of her first novel and timeless classic, The Outsiders.  Astonishingly, Hinton was, merely 17 years old.  Not only was she extremely young to gain a publication, but she has even been referred to as the most successful novelist       among the adolescent and teenage audience. The Outsiders was a major success among teenagers, selling more than four million copies in the United States alone. The book's popularity enabled Hinton to attend the University of Tulsa, where in 1970 she earned an education degree and met her future husband, David Inhofe. However, gaining fame and fortune at eighteen was not without problems—Hinton had writer's block for several years.  

  Following college, other literary works of Hinton’s include:   That Was Then, This Is Now (1971), Rumble Fish (1975), Tex  (1979),  and Taming the Star Runner (1986).  She is credited with writing realist young adult literature. In 1988 Hinton received the first Young Adult Services Division/ School Library Journal Author Award from the American Library Association.  Between publication of Tex and Taming the Star Runner, Hinton spent time starting a family and working on set as an advisor for film adaptations  of The Outsiders , Tex, That was Then, This is now, and Rumble Fish.  Moreover, for Rumble, she even took part in writing the screenplay.  These adaptations were a result of demands from young audiences.     

  Hinton published two books for younger readers, Puppy Sister and Big David, Little David, her first

 picture book.  Hinton chooses to keep her life intensely private living in Northern California.     Hinton claims to have been writing since her adolescent years.  It has been said her career started so early due to lack of entertainment in Tulsa.   Furthermore, she began writing her first masterpiece while her father was sick with cancer as a means of escape and the time in which it took to write was about 1.5 years.  She let a friend read it after the fourth draft, who felt Hinton to be extremely talented and the piece of work worth showing an advisor.

  Although Hinton’s works have been few in number, the content and talent exhibited is not reproducible and is worth commending.  Hinton’s website is   http://www.sehinton.com/ . 

Opinion of Book                                    

Although classified as a young adult novel for adolescents, The Outsiders is truly a novel for all age groups. The story, one of enlightenment, set in Small town in the 1960’s, was a critical time for conflict around the world.  While the Vietnam War and the peace loving hippy era was taking place, Malcolm X and the Black Panthers were emerging.  As today, different classes of people existed all leading different types of lives.  Even though conflict was possibly more prevalent during this time frame, conflict is forever occurring and is something in which we must work on and resolve daily.  Prejudices verses acceptance is a way of life.  Naturally, over the course of one’s life, what one encounters may differ from someone else.  This fact does not however change the reality of consequences one must endure.  In life we teach children to follow what is acceptable; however, in this novel, one will find themselves rooting for the underdogs, the greasers, without a doubt. Furthermore, the novel exhibited great examples of classism and stereotyping.

Character Synopsis:

              Character traits in The Outsiders played a major role in the impact on plot development.  Ponyboy may be labeled as smart, but lacks common sense.  Darry is the greaser who could have been a Soc had he wanted.  Steve Randle is part of the Greasers’ gang, yet he is unkind to Pony.  Two-Bit Matthews is one who always had an opinion to throw in and Steve Randle’s parents give him beatings, never any love or approval.  Soda pop gets drunk on   life, but never actually drinks alcohol.  Dally is the Greaser who has the most hate in him.        

 SUMMARY: 

  Like all high schools, different groups of friends exist, just as in life different classes of individuals exist.  In The Outsiders, the opposing groups are the Socials, referred to as the “socs” and the Greasers.  The setting was in a small town in Oklahoma at a vacant lot, park, hospital, streets, stores, a rundown country church, and the train yard.  The novel was narrated by Ponyboy, a greaser, who may also be identified as the protagonist constantly antagonized by the “other side”. 

  The novel jumps off with Ponyboy walking home alone after a movie.  While outnumbered, he gets jumped by the Socs.  At the open drive in theatre, Dally flirts with Cherry and Marcie.  While Ponyboy, Two Bit, and Johnny walked two social girls home from the movies, the Social’s boyfriends, Bob and Randy see.  Naturally they wanted to rumble.  Because Darry was infuriated with Ponyboy, he slapped him.  Rather than fight back, Ponyboy runs off to the park with Johnny to cool down.  When the Socials tried to drown Ponyboy in a fountain, Johnny kills Bob with a knife.  Johnny and Ponyboy asked Dally for help.  He gives them a loaded gun, money, and directions to an old abandoned church in Windrixville, where they were to hide.  Ponyboy and Johnny then hopped on a freight train and went to the old abandoned church in Jay Mountain.  Ponyboy and Johnny ran into a burning church and saved a small child’s life.  Ponyboy and Johnny ran back into the burning church to rescue missing children.  A beam breaks and the boys are rushed to the hospital.

  Ponyboy has a concussion. Johnny has a broken back and is not expected to live.  A rumble occurs between the socs and greasers.  The greasers win.  Dally grabs Ponyboy and goes back to the hospital to see Johnny.  Unfortunately, Johnny dies.  Soon after, Dally robs a store with an empty gun; however, police shoot and kill Dally.  Too much to take in, Ponyboy becomes very sick, losing consciousness.  Soon after, Ponyboy goes back to school but is still very affected by the chain of events.  Quite frankly, he loses focus; however, Ponyboy is told he must write a paper or he will fail school.  Ponyboy then begins writing the first words of the novel.

More later--------------------------