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Contributor: Kristen Gardiner. Lesson ID: 10862
Have you watched trees sway in a storm? You think the tallest won't break from the wind and rain — only the small trees will fall. Dally stood tall through many storms, but he eventually broke.
The Outsiders is often called a coming-of-age novel.
Think about the phrase in terms of your own life as you watch the montage below from a popular coming-of-age movie called "Stand By Me."
Coming of age is a term that refers to the process of growing up and transitioning from childhood to adulthood.
It often involves significant experiences, challenges, and personal growth, leading to greater maturity, self-awareness, and understanding of the world.
This concept is commonly explored in literature, film, and other media to depict the characters' journey as they navigate life's complexities, form their identities, and assume adult responsibilities.
Chapters Ten and Eleven of The Outsiders are the pinnacle of the novel; that point when you hit the top of the roller coaster, just before you go down a steep incline. You can almost see what's coming, but then you start the decline, and it's more than you anticipated.
By this point in most novels, the reader thinks they know everything about the characters, but this isn't most novels.
Very few characters in this novel remain static or unchanging throughout the storyline. Most characters are dynamic, experiencing some change (emotional growth, maturation, realization about other characters, and even physical changes).
Continue to the Got It? section to explore further.
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