One major benefit is that it allows for in - depth study. Teachers can design comprehensive lesson plans around the novel. For instance, they can explore themes like friendship, class differences, and growing up. Students can analyze the characters and their development throughout the story. It also helps in improving students' literary analysis skills as they learn to dissect the plot, setting, and themes of the novel.
The setting of The Outsiders is in Tulsa, Oklahoma during the 1960s. It depicts a time of social and economic changes, and the story unfolds against this backdrop.
One way is to have students do group discussions. Divide the class into groups and assign different chapters or themes from the novel for them to discuss. This encourages interaction and different perspectives. Another way is to use it for writing assignments. For example, ask students to write a character analysis based on the descriptions in the novel.
Outsiders might also interpret it according to their cultural background. For instance, a person from a collectivist culture may view a story about individualism differently from someone from an individualist culture. They may focus on different aspects of the story such as the importance of community versus personal achievement.