Category Novels

What is the main theme of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton?

‘The Outsiders’ by American author S.E. Hinton is a timeless coming-of-age novel that explores the universal themes of identity and belonging. Set against the backdrop of gang violence in the 1960s America, the novel follows the struggles of a group of teenagers as they navigate the complexities of friendship, family, and social class. Let us revisit the classic and see what makes it relevant today.

About the author

Susan Eloise Hinton was born in 1950 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She wrote the majority of her debut novel ‘The Outsiders’ at the age of 15, while she was still attending high school. However, when she submitted a shorter version of the story for a creative writing class, her teacher gave her a failing grade of F. Fortunately, a family friend recognised the potential of her work and contacted a publisher on Hinton’s behalf. Things took a turn in her favour and by the time she was 17, the book was in print.

At the recommendation of her publisher, ‘The Outsiders’ was published under the name S.E Hinton. The decision was made out of the concern that boys may not be inclined to read the novel if they knew a female author wrote it.

The Outsiders Recommended age: 12+

Set in Oklahoma in the 1960s, the novel follows the story of Ponyboy Curtis, a 14-year-old boy from a poor family who is part of a gang called the greasers. The greasers are constantly at odds with a rival gang called the socs, who come from wealthier families. When a violent confrontation between the two groups leaves one of the socs dead, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny Cade go on the run, setting off a chain of events that forces them to confront the harsh realities of their world and the importance of loyalty and friendship.

What makes it a classic?

Authenticity

Hinton’s literary legacy is grounded in a simple principle: authenticity. By staying true to this guiding principle and presenting unflinching depictions of life’s trials and tribulations, she has captured the hearts and minds of young readers for generations. Her iconic novel ‘The Outsiders’, delves deep into the timeless themes of identity, belonging, and the struggles of adolescence, resonating with readers of all ages. Hinton herself acknowledges that the reason for her enduring popularity is that she writes for teenagers with honesty and candour, never sugarcoating the realities of life. Through her characters’ complex and multifaceted journeys, Hinton delivers a powerful message about the importance of friendship, loyalty, and the search for meaning in a world that can often seem overwhelming.

Young adult fiction redefined

The literary landscape of adolescent or young adult (YA) literature was forever changed with the release of The Outsulers, as it broke the mould of traditional teen focussed fiction by giving a raw and authentic voice to the adolescent experience No longer were teenagers relegated to mere background characters or stereotypical caricatures, but instead, they became the vibrant and complex protagonists of their own stories.

Although some grown-ups were initially taken aback by Hinton’s unflinching portrayal of a world rife with peer pressure, entrenched social hierarchies, parental abuse, and gang violence, the novel quickly became a cultural touchstone for young people and writers alike. Its immense influence on the genre cannot be understated, and many scholars even trace the birth of contemporary YA fiction back to the groundbreaking publication of ‘The Outsiders’ in 1967.

Hinton’s masterpiece not only legitimised YA literature as a serious and important genre but also inspired a generation of writers to explore the rich, multifaceted lives of young adults in their own work. ‘The Outsiders’ remains a timeless classic and a shining example of the power of literature to give voice to the voiceless and empower those who have been traditionally marginalised.

Life inspires art

As a high school student, Hinton was troubled by the divisions that existed within her school, particularly the bitter rivalries between different gangs. These gangs were primarily determined by economic and social status. Growing up on the rough side of the town, Hinton was keenly aware of the challenges that these kids faced and the stereotypes that were often perpetuated in popular culture. In fact, her dissatisfaction with the way that teen life was being portrayed in books was the driving force behind her decision to write ‘The Outsiders’.

‘There was only a handful of books having teenage protagonists…. I was surrounded by teens and I could not see anything going on in those books that had anything to do with real life.” Hinton said about the inspiration behind her best-selling debut novel.

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What is the summary of ‘Enthusiasm’?

Adapting “Pride and Prejudice” in a manner true to the characters and their interactions is most difficult. Most modern authors almost never get right. “Enthusiasm”, however, stands apart. Julie and Ashleigh are best friends. Ashleigh is easily obsessed, with things for a period, of time and during those periods; Julie does what all best friends do—she flows with it. Ashleigh’s latest obsession is Jane Austen. As a true Enthusiast, Ashleigh must now meet Darcy at every cost. So, along with her best friend, she crashes the dance at a Local all-boys school in the hope of meeting Darcy. And, they do. Both girls, who think of themselves as Elizabeth Bennet, fall for the some Darcy.

What could have been a sleep-inducing Love triangle is saved by the author who compels her characters to introspect and discover themselves, each other, their relationship with their parents and their future.

 

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What is the summary of ‘Cassandra’s Sister’?

This book is an excellent exploration of the world that Jane Austen, inhabited. Its author Veronica Bennett captures not only the language and manners of the time but also the hardships. it was difficult to be a young, economically weak woman in England in Austen’s time. And it was particularly suffocating to be an intellectual who did not enjoy balls, gatherings, dances and marriage. Beginning with, a prologue set in Paris, the book is a fictionalised biography of how Jenny, the central character—intelligent and full of questions – becomes Jane Austen, the author of masterpieces suck as “Emma” and, “Pride and Prejudice”. The story focuses on her early life, growing up with her sister Cassandra in a large family in southern England. It explores the experiences that could have formed the plots and characters of her timeless novels.

 

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What is the summary of ‘Seeking Mansfield’?

This is an adaptation of owe of Austen’s trickier novels, “Mansfield Park”. Fanny Price, the protagonist of the original, is one of Austen’s quieter, more docile heroines. In “Seeking Mansfield”, author Kate Watson retains this essential quality ‘while giving her heroine Finley a streak of quiet strength and a mind of her own. Finley loves her foster brother Oliver Bertram. Content to bask in their ‘best friend,’ equation, Finley pursues her Love for theatre while caring for her adopted aunt. Everyone is happy in the settled rhythm of life when that rhythm is upset by Hollywood stars Harlan Crawford and his sister Emma who move into the neighbourhood. Suddenly, Finley’s world is rocked as Emma and Oliver get into a relationship. If that was not enough, Harlan woos Finley. To claim, what she believes is rightfully hers; Finley must overcome her shy nature. Will she?

 

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What is the summary of ‘For Darkness Shows the Stars’?

This is a dystopian take on “Persuasion”, set in the England of the future. A genetic experiment has gone grossly wrong, decimating human population. Privileged and wealthy Luddites own land and property and routinely persecute the Reduced, or lower class of people, exploiting them as slaves. Elliott, the protagonist, is a Luddite. Her best friend Kai, a reduced Unwilling to accept serving others as his fate, Kai, decides to escape, and asks Elliott to join him. Torn between her feelings for Kai, and the responsibility she feels towards those who work for her father, Elliott refuses to accompany him. Hurt, Kai leaves. He returns four years later as a successful, explorer. During this time, Elliott father’s farm has sunk into ruin. Elliott, has always Loved Kai, is happy to see him. But Kai is only interested in showing off to her how well he has done for himself. Soon, Elliott

stumbles upon a secret Kai is hiding. Again, Elliott has to decide whether to support her friend or to cling to her beliefs.

 

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What is the summary of Pashmina?

Nidhi Chanani was born in India and grew up in southern California. “Pashmina” is her attempt to connect with her roots. Priyanka Das, the protagonist, is full of questions. She wants to know why her mother left everything, including her father, in India all those years ago. But Priyanka’s mother is overprotective, and on the subject of India, her lips are forever sealed. So Priyanka is in the dark, until, one day, she stumbles upon a Pashmina scarf in an old suitcase. Wrapping it around herself, she imagines her mother’s birthplace and homeland in a series of vivid, colourful images. When she wins a cartoon contest, Priyanka buys herself a plane ticket to India with the prize money and begins her journey towards self-discovery.

Nidhi Chanani has illustrated the story herself. Though simple, the artwork is effective.

 

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What is the summary of the Prince and the Dressmaker?

This one breaks the Cinderella mould and has a cross-dressing prince take centre stage. A perfect foil to him is a poor dress designer with uncommon strength of character. The story begins in Paris where Sebastian, the crown prince of Belgium, is trying his best to hide a secret from everyone while his parents are busy looking for a bride for him. What’s his secret? By night, he dresses and behaves as the fashionable and alluring Lady Crystallia! Not because he is uncomfortable as a man but because it releases him from his royal trappings and allows him to experience complete freedom in an alternate identity. In Paris, he discovers Frances whose only passion in life is designing fashionable clothes. He promises her a decent pay and opportunities to create her own designs. Tempted, France accompanies him to Belgium as part of his staff. That’s when she learns about his secret. But she doesn’t care about it as long as she is given the freedom to design clothes. As the friendship between Sebastian and Frances deepens, they have to face tough questions. Can they go on living a lie? Frances decides that she cannot and leaves, Sebastian must choose between getting his best friend back and marrying a princess he does not know. The simple artwork adequately supports a delightful story.

 

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What is the summary of the Complete Maus?

A Pulitzer prize-winning story told in two volume, “Maus” – a tale within a tale – is about a cartoonist’s troubled relationship with his father. The father, Vladek Spiegelman, is a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust. As the son begins to tell his father’s story, he realizes that his struggles are nothing compared to the ones his father survived. The children of those who survived one of the goriest events in recent history are affected in their own way.

The artwork speaks more than words can. In clever allegory, Nazis are given the form of cats, the Jews are mice, the Polish, pigs and the Americans, dogs. “Maus” is not a comfortable read. It is a raw and powerful experience, where the author explores the fear of death as well as the euphoria of survival that was the everyday reality for those in Hitler’s camps.

 

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What is the summary of the Graveyard Book?

The Graveyard Book is a children’s fantasy novel written by Neil Gaiman and published in 2008. The story follows the young life of a boy called Nobody Owens who is orphaned as a toddler when a man kills his entire family. Nobody is adopted by ghosts from the local graveyard who raise him in a world of vampires, werewolves, mummies, and ghouls, and teach him to use a variety of supernatural abilities.

After his family is murdered in their beds, a toddler, pursued by the murderer Jack, wanders into a graveyard. Ghosts and other supernatural residents of the cemetery protect and eventually agree to raise him as their own. They name him Nobody Owens. With a vampire as his guardian, Nobody (Bod, to his friends) lives, loves and learns in the graveyard, which is full of adventure and dangers but the safest place for the 10-year-old. Outside the graveyard, Bod will be a target for Jack, the murderer.

A team of renowned artists lend their signature styles to each vignette in this award-winning two-volume story by Neil Gaiman.

 

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What is the summary of Nyxia by Scott Reintgen?

Emmett Atwater is one of the 10 teens recruited by Babel Communications to participate in what is advertised as “the most serious space exploration”. It’s a very, very lucrative proposal: $50,000 a month for each participant – too tempting an offer for Emmett to refuse. With an aim to help out his family – including paying for his mother’s kidney transplant – Emmett signs on. He’s put on a mission to mine ‘nyxia’ or black gold, a valuable substance from planet Eden. Babel Communications is committed to finding the fittest survivor among those who have signed on, because life in Eden isn’t going to be bliss. They pit the participants against each other with brutal, grueling tasks to be done. Nyxia’s power is that it can be turned into anything. Emmett turns it into a facemask that can translate languages, thereby allowing him to communicate with the others. It’s through these interactions that Emmett discovers that the only thing common among all the participants is that they’re broken. Each is escaping a trauma too much to bear. The leader of his team is a girl named Morning. Emmett and Morning begin a friendship that demands that one of them be sacrifice. Who will it be?

 

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What is the summary of Dove Arising by Karen Bao?

Phaet (pronounced ‘fate’) Theta’s ancestors have moved to the Moon to escape the ill effects of climate change and the inhospitable living conditions on Earth. Life in the lunar colony is confined, regulated and controlled by an anonymous Committee and the Military. Phaet lives with her mother and siblings. Since her father’s death nine years ago, Phaet has withdrawn into a silence that she rarely breaks. She reacts to almost nothing, leaving people to wonder whether she feels anything at all. She’s most at home in the greenhouse where she works. She wants to become a bioengineer. Life goes on until her mother, a fearless journalist, is forcibly quarantined for ‘medical’ reasons. Suddenly, Phaet, whose name means ‘dove’, faces the tough task of protecting her siblings from the filthy environs of the Shelter. Intelligent and motivated, she begins working out with Cadet Wes Kappa. She forces herself out of her thoughts and starts to engage with the world outside. Will she be able to rescue her mother and overthrow the current regime?

 

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What is the summary of skyward by Brandon Sanderson?

Seventeen-year-old Spensa lives alongside other humans on planet called Detritus, which is in ruins thanks to constant attacks by aliens known as the Krell. Spensa dreams of becoming a pilot, a much-revered group of people dedicated to protecting Detritus. However, she’s haunted by her father’s reputation: He was a pilot who was branded a traitor and killed by his own team when he sought to abandon an intense battle with the Krell, Spensa, seen as nothing more than a coward’s daughter, is determined to not allow anything to stand between her and the flight academy. She gets a near-perfect score during the entrance examination – despite it being rigged against her – prompting her father’s former wingmate to agree to train her. During the course of her training, Spensa bonds with her classmates, practises and perfects fighting techniques, repairs a crashed spaceship that has a computer with artificial intelligence, goes to battle, loses some of her friends, tries to abandon battle, is branded a coward and grounded. Instead of wallowing in her defeat and misery, Spensa climbs back into her spaceship and travels into space and intercepts some sensitive communication of the Krell.

 

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Who is the author of novel Little Women?

Few books have captured the imagination of generations of readers like Little Women, the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott. Over the years, the book has been adapted, to the silver screen several times, including the 1994 remake starring Winona Ryder as the heroine Jo March. Now 25 years later, director Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, which released on December 25, once again welcomes audiences into the warm, loving and chaotic home of the March family. But how much do you know about Alcott, who defied stereotypes and conventions to become one of the foremost women writers of her time?

Early life

Born in Pennsylvania, United States, Alcott’s family closely resembled the March sisters you come across in Little Women. The family struggled with poverty, forcing Alcott and her three sisters to work as governesses, domestic servants and teachers to earn money. Some of her employers even mistreated her.

Alcott learned about women’s rights and equality, thanks to her parents, Bronson and Abigail Alcott. They were friends with Henry Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Frederick Douglass and Julia Ward Howe, who ended up creating on a young Alcott.

Her family operated an Underground Railroad, a network of people offering shelter and aid to slaves escaping from the South. Alcott helped them hide a fugitive slave for nearly a week. These experiences shaped her character and taught her to be open-minded.

Finding her voice

Alcott championed for universal suffrage. She wrote on women’s rights and went door to door in Massachusetts to encourage women to vote. When the state passed a law allowing women to vote in local elections she was the first one to get herself registered as a voter. Overcoming resistance, she, along with 19 women, cast their ballots. The Nineteenth Amendment was finally ratified in the U.S. Constitution decades after her death.

Writing became an outlet for Alcott to voice her thoughts and experiences. One of her poems was published in a women’s magazine when she was 19. This gave her confidence to write more, especially edge-of-the-seat thrillers, which were written largely by men.

Adopting the pseudonym A.M. Barnard, she penned some racy pulp fiction about spies and revenge.

Alcott started writing a story about adolescent girls at the behest of her publisher Thomas Niles. When he asked Alcott to write a “girls” story, she had her doubts of its success. After all, it was a time when women were expected only to marry and take care of the household. She was not sure how the public would respond to a talented and independent heroine like Jo March. Her scepticism proved unfounded as Little Women turned out to be a smash hit.

Drawn from her own experiences, Little Women went on to become so popular that fans flooded her with letters, demanding sequels. Despite becoming a bestselling author, Alcott enlisted as an army nurse when the Civil War broke out. Putting on a brave face, she comforted dying soldiers and helped doctors perform amputations. She later wrote about her stressful but meaningful experience in Hospital Sketches.

Mercury poisoning

While working as a nurse, she contracted typhoid fever and was treated with a compound containing mercury. Though she recovered at the time, she continued to be chronically ill for the rest of her life due to exposure to mercury. At 51, she died of a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888. She is buried next to her childhood companions Thoreau, Emerson and Hawthorne.

 

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Who wrote under a male pen name Currer Bell?

If you have read the classic Jane Eyre, which is about a feisty and strong-willed governess, you may be familiar with the name Charlotte Bronte. The author along with her sisters, Emily and Anne, was one of the most important literacy voices of the 19th Century. Last month, the Bronte Society acquired a rare, match-sized book written by Charlotte at the age of 14. One of six “little books” it was created by the author for the tiny toy soldiers, she and her siblings loved playing with.

Early life

Charlotte, Emily, Anne and their brother Branwell lived with their vicar father in Haworth, West Yorkshire in England. A young Charlotte had to come to terms with death and loss from an early age as she had lost her mother when she was five and later, her two elder sisters Maria and Elizabeth to tuberculosis. After the death of her two siblings Charlotte took on the role of the elder sister.

School was a nightmare for Charlotte. The Clergy Daughters’ School at Cowan Bridge had a harsh environment, and Charlotte had several bad experiences there. It served as an inspiration for the dark and cold Lowood Institution in Jane Eyre.

A world of their own

Living in a small, remote village, Charlotte and her siblings had only each other for company. But a wooden village and a few toy soldiers were enough to unlock their imagination. They invented entire worlds created entire towns – like ‘the Great Glasstown Confederacy’ – filled with peasants and nobles, where an adventure was always afoot!

Charlotte wrote tiny books recording the detailed histories and adventures of these fictional worlds. The second issue of one such book, called The Young Men’s Magazine, was recently bought by the Bronte Society for a sum of 600,000. The miniature book will be displayed at the Parsonage Museum, built in the Brontes’ old home in Haworth.

As Charlotte and her siblings grew older, their imagination became more colourful. During dinner time, all the siblings would chat about possible storylines and flesh out characters. The adventures made way for romances, secret heroes and scheming villains. Some of these stories, including that of the Duke of Zamorna and the lovely Mina Laury from the imaginary kingdom of Angria, written by Charlotte were later published by Penguin as the Juvenilia of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte.

Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell

Charlotte often worked as a teacher and governess, but did not enjoy it. She went on to study in Brussels at the Peonsionnat Heger, a school for young ladies, where she fell in love with her teacher. However, he did not reciprocate her feelings and Charlotte was heartbroken.

She found solace in writing. Charlotte and her siblings penned several novels and poems using male pen names Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell. Currer Bell was Charlotte, Emily was Ellis and Anne was Acton. Charlotte even used this pseudonym while writing her most successful novel Jane Eyre. She did not want to reveal her identity as she feared that readers will not take a female author seriously. A famous poet had even told her once that “literature cannot be the business of a woman’s life.”

Though her first novel The Professor was rejected nine times, her second book Jane Eyre was published to huge acclaim in 1847.

However, her siblings didn’t live long enough to see her succeed. All three of them succumbed to tuberculosis between 1848 and 1849. Without her siblings with whom she had shared a close bond, Charlotte felt lost and alone.

Years later she married her father’s friend Arthur Bell Nicholls. They lived together at the Parsonage for a few months before her death. Bronte died at the age of 38 on March 31, 1855.

 

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