Critical Analysis

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Critical Analysis of The Outsiders

Created by Sandra Boyd
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Conflict
The central problem in a plot. Man against
Man Man against Nature Man against Himself Man
against Society
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The Outsiders is not just a story about gangs and
fights. It is a book about the people behind the
images.
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Richard Coryby Edwin Arlington Robinson
Whenever Richard Cory went downtown, We people on
the pavement looked at him He was a gentleman
from sole to crown. Clean favoured, and
imperially slim.  
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Richard CoryDiscussion QuestionsStanza One
What might it mean that the people on the
pavement looked at him? Where in the social
status is he? Where are they? Describe what
Richard Cory looks like.
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Richard Corycontinued
And he was always quietly arrayed, And he was
always human when he talked But still he
fluttered pulses when he said, "Good-morning,"
and he glittered when he walked.
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Richard CoryDiscussion Questions Stanza Two
How does Richard Cory act toward other
people? How do the people see him?
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Richard Corycontinued
And he was rich - yes, richer than a king - And
admirably schooled in every grace In fine, we
thought that he was everything To make us wish
that we were in his place.
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Richard CoryDiscussion Questions Stanza Three
Do you wish you could be in Richard Corys place?
Why? Does Richard Cory have it made/does he have
any problems? Describe the people who look up to
Richard Cory.
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Richard Corycontinued
So on we worked, and waited for the light, And
went without the meat, and cursed the bread And
Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home
and put a bullet in his head.
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Richard CoryDiscussion Questions Stanza Four
What do you think So on we workand cursed the
bread may mean? What do the last two lines
reveal?
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Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson
Whenever Richard Cory went downtown, We people on
the pavement looked at him He was a gentleman
from sole to crown. Clean favoured, and
imperially slim.   And he was always quietly
arrayed, And he was always human when he
talked But still he fluttered pulses when he
said, "Good-morning," and he glittered when he
walked.   And he was rich - yes, richer than a
king - And admirably schooled in every grace In
fine, we thought that he was everything To make
us wish that we were in his place.   So on we
worked, and waited for the light, And went
without the meat, and cursed the bread And
Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home
and put a bullet in his head.
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The Outsiders is a book that shows that beneath
the trappings of madras or leather, individual
hearts have much in common.
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"Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to
hold. Her early leaf's a flower But only so an
hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank
to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing
gold can stay.
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S. E. Hinton
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I. Plot Development in The Outsiders
1. Refer to page 603 in Introducing Literature
textbook. According to this page,what is the
plot of a novel?2. What three things does
the plot do?3. Look up conflict. Define
it.4. List two major types of conflict and
their definitions.5. What is the major
conflict in The Outsiders?6. List several
minor conflicts in The Outsiders.7. What
scene is the climax of the plot? Describe it
briefly.8. How is the major conflict resolved?
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II. Character Development in The Outsiders

• Read Characterization on pages 109 and 598-599 in
  Introducing Literature text. List three methods
  an author uses to reveal a characters
  personality. Which ones does S.E. Hinton use?
• Make a list of major and minor characters.
  Think carefully about which list to put each
  character in.
• List the conflicts experienced by Ponyboy, and
  label them as internal or external.

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II. Character Development in The Outsiders
Continued
4. What characterization methods are used to
portray Ponyboy? 5. What is Ponyboys character
like initially? 6. What forces cause Ponyboy to
change?
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II. Character Development in The Outsiders
Continued
7. What is Ponyboy like after he changes? 8.
What is the turning point in Ponyboys character
development? 9. Write a sentence describing each
of the following characters Ponyboy
Johnny Soda Darry Dally
Two-bit Cherry
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II. Character Development in The Outsiders
Continued
10. Why is Johnny such a nervous boy? 11. How
do the others feel toward Johnny? 12. What is
Ponyboys family situation? Name 5
differences between the Socs and the Greasers.
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III. Setting in The Outsiders
1. Read Setting on page 131 and 605 of
Introducing Literature. Define it. 2. What is
the setting of The Outsiders? 3. How does the
author establish the setting? 4. Could this
story take place in another setting? Why, or
why not?
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IV. Theme in The Outsiders
1. Read Theme on pages 145 and 605 of
Introducing Literature. Define it. 2. Themes
are important in what types of literature? 3.
Does The Outsiders fit this category? 4.
Write some themes expressed in The Outsiders
that can be applied to our everyday life. (Star
the most important)
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The Outsiders Study Questions

• 1. Ponyboy comments that self-defense is the
  only good reason for fighting. Do you agree?
  Why, or why not?
• Sodapop insists that if he, Darry, and Ponyboy
  dont have each other, they have nothing. Do you
  agree? Why, or why not?
• Some critics say that The Outsiders is too
  sentimental. Do you agree? Why,or why not?
• 4. Discuss the violence in The Outsiders. How
  do you define violence? Do you object to it?
  Why do you think the author included it?
• 5. Explain why you do, or do not agree with
  Johnnys message to Ponyboy.

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VI. Literary Terms that apply to The
Outsiders
A. Look up each term below. Read
about it, then 1. define it
2. give an example of it from the book if it
applies. a. allusion h.
symbol b. atmosphere i.
tragedy c. dialect
d. dialogue e.
flashback f. irony
g. point of view (3 types) the
one used in The Outsiders.

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VII. Vocabulary Development in The Outsiders
1. Below is a list of vocabulary words found
in The Outsiders. For each word a.
find the page and skim until you locate the word
b. write the sentence that the word is
used in. c. from the way the word is
used in the sentence, make up a definition of it
d. look up the word in the dictionary.
Write the definition that is appropriate for
the way the word is used in the
novel. unfathomable sagely
roguishly incredulous quavered
ruefully conviction
premonition aghast
stupor vaguely
indignant contemptuously subsides
eluded