Lesson 10: The Outsiders, Narrative Writing, Part 1

Introduce direct address as a narrative technique and guide students in analyzing its effect on readers. Have students practice writing using direct address to strengthen understanding of narrator voice.

Quick Write

• Say: A direct address is a craft technique that writers use when the narrator speaks directly to readers. It helps build and strengthen a narrator’s voice. Let’s review some passages in Chapters 1 and 2 of The Outsiders where Ponyboy uses direct address (such as “I’ve told you I can’t stand it . . .” in Chapter 2.)

• Ask: How do you feel as a reader when the narrator addresses you directly? Does it feel strange? Do you feel closer to the narrator, as if they’re a friend talking to you?

Say these Directions: Write a few sentences in response to this Quick Write prompt:

• Suppose you are writing about your day so far. You are sharing your thoughts with a reader whom you’ve never met but who is interested in hearing your story. Write a few sentences describing your day to this reader, using the second-person pronoun “you” at least once.

  • I’m feeling exhausted today. If you want to imagine what it’s like, think about dragging around a bag of sand on top of your head. I’m ready to fall on the floor and sleep.

Ask volunteers to share their sentences. Invite students to share how volunteers’ writing helped them connect with the narrator as potential readers.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, you’ll learn more about the craft of narrative writing, or how authors tell stories. You’ll explore basic story elements and techniques authors use to create compelling narrators and then practice some of these techniques yourself.

Investigating Denotations and Connotations

Say these Directions: We’re learning about denotations and connotations today. Let’s explore what these are through an example from The Outsiders.

Read page 26 from chapter 2 beginning with “When you’re a gang…” until “…It’s a pack.”

“...it isn’t a gang any more. It’s a pack.”

Model fluency by reading aloud the passage surrounding the sentences (beginning with “When you’re a gang” and ending with “wolves in the timber”). Use the sentences to lead a discussion on how the words “gang” and “pack” have similar denotations but different connotations.

• Say: The words gang and pack both mean an organized group of people who spend time together. Do you know any other words with this meaning? (club, crew, team, squad, posse)

Concept: These words all have similar denotations, or literal meanings.

• Ask: According to Ponyboy, how are gangs and packs different?

  • Gangs are loyal to each other, like family; packs are mean and don’t trust one another.

Concept: These words have different connotations, or ideas and feelings associated with them.

A denotation is the literal meaning of a word, or its definition in the dictionary.

• For example, words like gang, pack, and club have similar denotations. They all describe an organized group.

A connotation is an idea or feeling associated with a word; it’s what the word suggests or implies.

• For example, to Ponyboy, the word gang suggests loyalty and brotherhood. It has a more positive connotation. The word pack suggests arguments and betrayal. It has a more negative connotation.

• Authors choose words with specific connotations to make their descriptions more precise. They trust the reader to understand the feelings and ideas behind the words.

Review the phrase “social clubs” in the same passage.

• Ask: What do you think the connotation of club might be? (exclusive, fancy, rich) Would Ponyboy consider the greasers a club? Why or why not?

Repeat with the word “original” in Chapter 2, when Ponyboy describes his name origins.

• Say: The denotation of the word original—what it literally means—is “not like anything or anyone else.” What are some other words with this meaning?

  • unusual, fresh, creative, individual, weird

Have students replace the word “original” in the text with another word such as “weird” or “unusual.”

• Ask: How is the connotation of this word different from the connotation of original?

  • Original can be a compliment; it is used to suggest something is different in a good way. Weird often suggests something is different in a bad way.

Transition:

Explain to students that in their narrative writing, they will consider the connotations of the words they choose. This will help them communicate a feeling or idea to the reader with precision.

Part A: Explore Narrative Writing: The Outsiders (RL.7.6, W.7.3.a) (15 minutes)

Have students take out The Outsiders and their homework reflection.

• Lesson 9 Homework: Students were asked to respond to this prompt: Which character’s perspective have readers not heard yet? What do you think readers could learn from hearing more about this character?

Think-Pair-Share

Say these Directions: Review your homework responses and independently form ideas about the additional questions below, then share and refine ideas with a partner before participating in whole-class discussion.

• Ask: Think about the character you reflected on in your homework assignment. How does this character affect the way you understand the novel’s themes of belonging and community?

  • I reflected on Darry, and what his character shows me is that you may not get along with everyone you consider a member of your community. Darry is a respected member of the greasers and of Ponyboy’s family, but Ponyboy doesn’t like or feel liked by him, although I think Ponyboy respects him. Darry’s character expands my idea of what community means.

• Ask: Think about a time your perspective was not heard. How did that make you feel? Did it affect your sense of belonging? How?

  • Student responses will vary but may describe feelings of frustration, isolation, and disappointment and/or reflect on how not being heard and understood impacted or limited their sense of belonging to a group.

Crafting Narrative Writing

Transition students into learning about narrative writing.

• Say: Authors choose certain perspectives to emphasize or to leave out based on the story they want to tell. Today, you’ll learn more about how perspective affects narrative.

Explain that narrative writing is a kind of writing that tells a story. This story can be fiction or nonfiction, but each genre can use similar narrative elements.

• Ask: What are some features of a story? What do you need to tell a story?

Record student ideas. (Ex. plot, setting, characters, conflict, dialogue; a beginning, middle, and end)

• Ask: What are some ways that authors can use language to make their writing more interesting to read?

Record student ideas. (Ex. sensory detail, imagery, figurative language, a unique voice, vivid verbs/adjectives)

Explain that Ponyboy’s narration uses many of these elements to help readers see what he sees and feel what he feels. While narrative writing does not always use first-person narration, this point of view is common because it helps immerse readers in a narrator’s perspective.

Model: Writing from a Character’s Perspective

Model writing a brief narrative paragraph from the point of view of a different character in The Outsiders.

• Say: Remember the opening scene when the gang finds Ponyboy after he’s been attacked? I’m going to write about part of this scene from Darry’s point of view. First, I will set the scene and introduce the conflict:

I rushed to my little brother Ponyboy. He’d gone out alone again. And once again, I had to rescue him.

• Say: The conflict in this scene is between Darry and Ponyboy. Darry is impatient with Ponyboy for going out alone, and Ponyboy feels Darry is too hard on him. Now, I’ll add sensory details and figurative language to help the reader feel what Darry is feeling:

When I saw the wound on my brother’s cheek, it felt like I’d been cut myself. He was trembling like a tree in a storm. My throat twisted into a knot. Then, my blood boiled with irritation.

• Say: I can use first-person narration to give insight into Darry’s inner thoughts:

Why won’t he listen to us? He acts like a little kid sometimes, never thinking things through.

• Say: Here, I’m going to use direct address to the reader. While direct address isn’t required for narrative writing, it’s one technique that Hinton and some other authors use to bring the reader into the story. I’ll add details to give more insight into Darry’s perspective.

You might think I’m being too harsh on the kid. But if you’ve tried to protect someone you love, you know that pathetic, helpless feeling you get when you can’t.

Say these Directions: Read the completed paragraph aloud. Then, respond to the questions by turning and talking to a partner before whole-class discussion:

I rushed to my little brother Ponyboy. He’d gone out alone again. And once again, I had to rescue him. When I saw the wound on my brother’s cheek, it felt like I’d been cut myself. He was trembling like a tree in a storm. My throat twisted into a knot. Then, my blood boiled with irritation. Why won’t he listen to us? He acts like a little kid sometimes, never thinking things through. You might think I’m being too harsh on the kid. But if you’ve tried to protect someone you love, you know that pathetic, helpless feeling you get when you can’t.

• Ask: Which details show the narrator’s voice or unique personality in writing? How?

  • Darry says “once again” he’s going to rescue Ponyboy, who “acts like a little kid.” These details show his personality of the older brother by conveying both frustration with and tenderness for his younger brother.

• Ask: Which details show the narrator’s feelings?

  • The descriptions of how Darry feels when he sees Ponyboy’s wound, and how his throat twists, show that he feels scared and upset.

• Ask: What is the connotation of the word “irritation” compared to the word “anger”? How does this word show the narrator’s perspective?

  • Irritation is milder and less intense than anger. It explains the narrator’s feelings about Ponyboy by suggesting that affection may keep him from being angry.

Part B: Student Practice with Narrative Writing (RL.7.6, W.7.3.a) (15 minutes)

Transition into Part B by polling the class on the characters they chose for their homework assignment.

Writing from a Character’s Perspective

Say these Directions: Work with a partner who chose the same character.

Together, write a narrative paragraph that retells part of a scene from Chapter 1 or 2 from that character’s perspective.

Provide time for students to write.

• [Cherry’s perspective, Chapter 2] I met a sweet kid at the drive-in named Ponyboy. He’s not obnoxious like some other greasers. But he doesn’t understand my life. When he told me how some Socs beat up his friend, I almost vomited. Still, he looked at me like I’d do the same if I had the chance. I don’t think I’m better than him or anyone. You know how some people paint a picture of you in their minds and then get confused if you aren’t exactly like their perfect picture? No matter how put-together you look, maybe you feel like a mess inside. I bet Ponyboy would understand if he tried. He seems sensitive. And I like how a grin creeps across his face like a slow sunrise.

Lesson 10 Writing Rubric: Narrative Paragraph — Character's Inner Voice

Writing prompt: Write a narrative paragraph from a character's point of view in The Outsiders. Use precise word choice and sensory details to show the character's inner experience in a specific moment.

Have students complete a 3–2–1 Summary to reflect on key ideas about narrative writing. Use responses to assess understanding and reinforce learning.

3–2–1 Summary

Say these Directions: Develop a 3–2–1 Summary focused on what you learned about narrative writing, using a 3-Column Chart graphic organizer. Include:

• 3 words/phrases related to narrative writing

• 2 key takeaways about narrative writing

• 1 sentence that describes what narrative writing is

Instruct students to begin reading Chapter 3 of The Outsiders and to annotate and take notes in their Journal in response to the following prompt:

• What is one way the Socs and Greasers are alike? Why do you think this similarity is important?