Author Background

Susan Elouise Hinton is the author of The Outsiders. She was interested in reading and writing when she was younger. As a child, she wanted to become a cattle rancher but the ambition was overcome by her passion for writing. At the beginning of her writing career, she wrote about cowboys, horses, and gun fighting.

As she grew into her teen years, she realized that nothing interested her as much as she wanted. She wanted to write about what teenage years were really like. From taking events from her own life, she wrote about two gangs and their rivalry. This novel is called The Outsiders and was published in 1967.

Why the book should be read

S.E. Hinton’s novel gives a realistic meaning of what teenage years are really like. The book is like a popularity contest between football players and non-sport players or cheerleaders and kids in the bleachers.

Why the book was banned

The Outsiders is a banned book due to its alleged depiction of controversial themes. The novel’s popularity could not shield it from the criticism of religious groups. Many churches throughout the United States have made public statements about how the book should be kept away from young readers.

 The religious groups argue that the book falls away from Christian paths by talking about drugs, violence, and sex. Parents have said that it is not a children’s book because there are not enough positive role models.

Why the book should be read

S.E. Hinton’s novel gives a realistic meaning of what teenage years are really like. The book is like a popularity contest between football players and non-sport players or cheerleaders and kids in the bleachers.

It portrays how different a person’s life can be from someone else’s. This book bridges the gap between the rich and the poor. The Outsiders teaches us many things and issues that we can face in our day-to-day lives.