Every generation, it seems, lays claim to those writers who put into words what the world at the time was thinking. The 60’s generation appears to have an embarrassment of riches in that department, simply because it was a generation caught up in so much turmoil and change that it fairly begged to be written down and reflected upon. It was a period of time that still evokes much argument, considerable speculation and a lot of intense study.
One of those writers who was a keen observer of Youth in all its complications was S.E.Hinton. Her debut novel, The Outsiders, was about social interactions, clashing of opposing groups – gang warfare – people stuck in the middle and a questioning of values was a huge influence on many up-and-coming writers of the period, particularly in the area of coming-of-age stories.
S.E.Hinton’s characters were meticulously drawn – her settings weren’t cut and dried or prone to stereotypes. It was a refreshing view in that it was not all black and white, but true to life, with shades of grey. It struck a receptive chord with millions of readers who identified in one form or another, the situations S.E. Hinton put her protagonists in.
Subsequently, The Outsiders became a controversial book, even from the time of its publication; it is still currently challenged and debated. It was ranked #38 on the American Library Association’s Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999. The book has been banned from some schools and libraries because of the portrayal of gang violence, underage smoking and drinking, strong language/slang, and family dysfunction. However, in many U.S. schools, the book is part of the English curriculum at the middle- or high-school level.
It later (in 1976) became a milestone feature film which became notable for casting young actors before their rise to fame, which includes C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, and Diane Lane.
Just after the release of The Outsiders, S.E.Hinton (or Susan Hinton as she’s called in the interview), discusses the book, it’s writing and its implications in this February 1968 broadcast of Book Beat.
Enjoy.
