The Outsiders
Please demonstrate how savvy you have become of the novel:
In class, we have been discussing the fact that each character in The Outsiders has a specific role in the
story. No action or description is meaningless in the book and you will have the opportunity to take a
closer look at one particular character. Do some brief research on your character and complete the
diagram below. Everyone must complete this activity for 100 points.
Symbolism of the Eyes
Character Name and Description
Include:
Age
Job / Position
Relationships
Hard Facts
I felt like [Your character]
when…
Choose an event or time in your life when you
faced the issues that your character faces. It
might be a direct similarity or an indirect one,
but you must be able to tie in the things that
your character is going through to your own
life.
Begin with a quote describing the character’s
eyes. What do the character’s eyes tell you
about him? What does this add to the book?
Be sure that you go beyond just stating, “He
has blue eyes and this means he was good
looking.” You need to illustrate what the
description of his eyes has to do with what is
going on in the story.
“The Big Picture”
Why is your character in the story? What does
he bring to the table that no other character
does? Describe how he relates to the bigger
themes that Hinton is trying to discuss.
Due: ____________________________________
Example:
Tall and stocky
Rusty colored side-burns
Oldest of the group
Two-Bit Mathews
Wise cracker
Gray eyes and wide grin
Shoplifts for fun
Junior in high school (18 years old)
I feel like Two-Bit when…
I am at Buffalo Bills football games. Sunday mornings in
the parking lot at Ralph Wilson Stadium bring out the best
in me. You will often catch me telling jokes with my
friends or making light of every situation. In fact, this past
weekend, my friend’s father remarked, “I don’t think I’ve
ever seen you without a huge smile on your face on Sunday
morning.” If the Bills win, my eyes sparkle with life.
However, if the Bills lose, watch out! The thunderous
clouds roll in and quickly turn sparkle into storm!
“For once his comical grin was gone, and his dancing
gray eyes were stormy” (Page 32).
Hinton uses this quote to describe Two
Bit’s expression when he finds Johnny in
the park. Two-bit brings a humorous,
happy-go-lucky mood with him wherever
he goes, so when Hinton describes his eyes
as “stormy,” the reader senses the
seriousness of the situation. Two-bit
further enhances the atmosphere of the
situation and his character is vital to
readers’ understanding of the story.
Two-Bit and Humor
“Comic Relief”
Though we have not seen much of TwoBit’s character in the novel so far,
it is clear that he is intended to
bring humor and light-hearted fun
into the novel. In a story filled
with tension and grief, it is
sometimes necessary to read a line
that will make you smile. Two-Bit
brings this opportunity with him
wherever he goes, offering his wise
remarks and quick jokes, not only to
the characters in the book, but also
to the readers. He is a young man
whose importance can easily be
overlooked, but who is essential to
The Outsiders.