The Outsiders Themes

Society and Class

Loyalty

Love

Violence

Isolation

Appearances

Education

Choices

The Outsiders Themes

In S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, the author explores adolescence and coming of age in a tale that has become a classic of youth literature. Themes for The Outsiders include the concepts of society and class, love, loyalty, and education, along with choices when faced with violence.

How the Themes for The Outsiders Apply

In the midst of the violence that is initially started by the Socials, Ponyboy’s trusted friends are there to loyally take his side. Through the choices that are made within the story, our main character begins to feel a sense of isolation from his own reality, so he uses his love for his imagination and creativity to write a story for his English class, which is later revealed to be the novel itself.

To learn more about The Outsiders themes, please visit the individual topics that are listed above!