E05
Book X SBA
Text: Mike Lau
Monday September 19, 2011
Photos: Internet
Imagine an area blighted by rebellious kids who drink, smoke, fight,
steal from shops, and burn buildings. No, this is not a recent dispatch
from riot-weary London, but the backdrop of one the most popular
young adult books of the last few decades, The Outsiders
W hat’s it about?
AFTER seeing a victim of gang violence at her secondary
school, SE Hinton was so upset that she started to write
a novel about rival gangs from different communities in
Tulsa, Oklahoma in the United States (美國). She took a
sympathetic view of the ‘Greasers’ because they were poor,
underprivileged, and were usually mocked and bullied by
their affluent rivals the ‘Socs’ (short for Socials).
Hope
for
misfits
After the central character, Ponyboy, is almost drowned
by a mob of drunk Socs, his best friend Johnny intervenes.
In the ensuing scuffle, a boy called Bob is accidentally
stabbed to death and the two friends go into hiding at an
old church. It is in this quiet refuge that Ponyboy and
Johnny discover the joys of poetry and books, and dream
about escaping from their downtrodden status.
A pivotal moment in The Outsiders comes when
Ponyboy and Johnny demonstrate courage. They enter the
church after it is set alight by others to save young children
trapped inside. Hinton gets across that no matter what your
station in life, human qualities like bravery and selflessness
will emerge when people are pushed into action.
The two heroes end up injured in hospital, where
Ponyboy belatedly realises that an earlier punishment,
handed out by his older brother Darrel, was done not
out of spite or meanness. After an emotional reunion,
Ponyboy learns that Darrel is trying to steer him away
from violence, and towards a better life.
Romeo and Juliet
A critical look
DESPITE the book becoming immensely popular
with teenagers, it attracted controversy when
moral crusaders tried to – and, in some cases,
successfully – banned it from schools and libraries because
of its gang references, depiction of unruly behaviour and
swearing. Yet, with more than 14 million copies sold since
1967, young adults have been inspired by the book’s call
for social inclusion, peace and tolerance. The reader is
left with the message that the poor are not worthless and
destined for the scrap heap. With encouragement and selfbelief, anyone can realise his or her dreams.
Hinton chooses to portray this brutal world of gangs
unflinchingly – with death and violence never far away.
Out of this misery and loutishness, the redeeming qualities
of self-sacrifice, brotherly love and loyalty to friends is
what distinguishes the Greasers from their bitter rivals.
y
Vocabular
E xplore more
William Shakespeare’s tragic
romance features two rival families
whose supporters regularly fight in
the streets of 14th-century Verona,
Italy (意大利). Amid the violence,
love
flourishes between Juliet Capulet and
Romeo Montague, despite their families being sworn
enemies. However, there is no happy ending in this tale of
star-crossed lovers.
The Godfather
Book info
Category: Print fiction
Author: SE Hinton
Number of pages: 240
ISBN-10: 0141314575
Publisher: Puffin Modern Classics
Role-play activity
Get into pairs. One student will play Ponyboy and
The unsavoury exploits of the Corleone family are
chronicled in this tale set in the criminal underworld of
New York (紐約). Michael, the youngest member of the
family, is determined to lead a normal American life.
However, his father – the organised crime boss, Don Vito –
demands he take over the family ‘business’.
blight (v) 破壞
dispatch (n) 加劇 (在此指暴動)
SBA Corner
affluent (adj) 富裕的
moral crusader (n phr) 道德鬥士
the other will play a journalist. Ponyboy is to be
interviewed to discuss the events in The Outsiders.
The journalist needs to prepare and ask questions
to Ponyboy. For example, recall his experiences, how
it changed him, his opinions on other characters
and what he plans to do in the future.
scrap heap (n phr) 廢物堆
loutishness (n) 愚蠢的人