Worksheet: Exploring the Setting of “The Outsiders”

Instructions: Answer the following questions based on your understanding of the setting in the novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. Use complete sentences and provide specific examples from the text to support your answers.

1. Where does the majority of the story take place? Answer:

2. Describe the physical setting of the East Side, where the Greasers live. Answer:

3. How does the physical setting of the West Side, where the Socs live, differ from the East Side? Answer:

4. How does the setting contribute to the conflict between the Greasers and the Socs? Answer:

5. What role does the abandoned church play in the story? How does it reflect the overall setting? Answer:

6. Explain the significance of the drive-in theater as a setting in the novel. Answer:

7. How does the setting of the Curtis brothers’ home impact the characters and their relationships? Answer:

8. Describe the importance of the setting during the rumble between the Greasers and the Socs. Answer:

9. How does the setting of the hospital affect the characters and their development? Answer:

10. Explain how the setting of the novel reflects the social and economic divisions in society during that time. Answer:

Character Analysis: Ponyboy Curtis

Instructions: In the space provided, explain Ponyboy’s character by discussing his personality traits, his relationships with other characters, and his growth throughout the story. Use specific examples from the text to support your explanations.

Ponyboy’s Character Explanation:

1. Personality traits:

2. Relationships with other characters:

3. Growth throughout the story:

4. Examples from the text to support your explanations: