Literature 45—Understanding Literature
INSIDE OUT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
L
iterature is written for several
purposes—purposes you will soon
learn about. (Isn’t that just so excit-
ing? Ah! Too late, you may not drop
the course!) Every author has a pur-
pose as well as every reader. Many
readers read to enjoy, while other readers are
forced by the evils of public education and mean,
ornery English teachers like me. Regardless, along
the way, many readers learn that reading is an indi-
vidual communication and experience. Each per-
son brings into the piece they are reading
background experience and a platform of ideas,
beliefs, and assertions. Each person has a truly
unique experience with what they read. For in-
stance, my husband is a true believer in the anti-
reading. He only reads hunting, four-wheeling,
and outdoor magazines (if you call that reading—
it’s more like drooling) or directions on how to in-
stall a new pipe in his four-wheeler (I guess it
makes it go fast, but I just find it annoyingly loud).
I have been married to him for six years and have
never seen him pick up and read a book. I figured
he was allergic. I have been through hundreds of
books in that amount of time, but he has had no in-
terest. Here’s the sinker, though; he saw a book at
WalMart on Porter Rockwell that he said looked in-
teresting. I immediately bought the book and
urged that he read. I wanted to bronze the darn
thing! A book! My husband was interested in a
book! He even read and liked the book! I had to go
buy another book in the series. I was amazed!
The reasoning behind starting with this little
personal story is to prove that everyone can be ex-
cited by something written. And in the reading
L E S S O N
process, we connect with the author’s words. We
cry, we laugh, we roll our eyes, we shake our heads
in disgust—we connect. Reading is involvement—
mind involvement. The more we read, the more we
learn and add to our platform of experiences and
ideas. Reading brings us the real and the surreal,
the imaginary and the historical, the informative
and the gossip, the persuasive and the trash, the
love and the lost, and the ability to see worlds and
places past, present, and future that we cannot
physically go. Because of this, I love to read. I love
to read to my children, and I love to read by myself
at any time. I am excited for you to learn more
about literature and what makes literature great—
from the inside out.
.................................
What You’ll Learn to Do
.................................
1 Identify the main categories of litera-
ture and recall their definitions and
locations on the literature diagram.
2 List the four purposes for composing
literature and give examples of each.
3 Differentiate between examples of
Lesson 1: Inside Out
escape literature and interpretive
literature.
4 Identify the five key components
of fiction writing with their
subcomponents.
5 Summarize what happened chrono-
logically and identify the characters
introduced in chapters 1 through 7
of The Outsiders.
11
Literature 45—Understanding Literature .................................
Objective 1
.................................
Identify the main categories of litera-
ture and recall their definitions and
locations on the literature diagram.
Literature Diagram
Before learning more of literature, let’s see the
main literature categories. Read over the diagram
and commit to memory what you read. Notice
how the categories and subcategories relate. The
definitions are written below the chart.
Literature Diagram
Short Story—Any written work of fiction
that tells a smaller story, in comparison
to a novel, and is not in chapter format.
Drama—Any written work of fiction that
is written in “act” and “scene” form, in
which the character parts are written to
be acted and spoken.
Once you are ready and familiar with the terms
and how they relate to the diagram, complete the
Let’s Check Your Mastery.
Let’s Check Your Mastery
................................
Answer the following questions and then
check your answers in the Answer Key at the
back of this course manual. Do not submit
your answers to Independent Study.

Match each literature category to its definition

and location on the literature diagram.

____ 1. prose a. subcategory of

fiction; written for
the stage
____ 2. poetry b. subcategory of
fiction; a condensed
Prose—Any written form of literature
story
except for poetry; all fiction and nonfic-
tion writings that are usually written in ____ 3. fiction c. main subcategory of
paragraph form in complete sentences. literature; anything
written that is not
Poetry—A specific form of literature writ-
poetry
ten in stanzas and lines instead of para-
graphs. Poets may use rhyme, meter, and ____ 4. nonfiction d. subcategory of prose;
rhythm along with concrete images to written work that is
express feeling and emotion. not real but may have
Fiction—Any form of prose that is made- realistic qualities
up from an author’s imagination and ____ 5. novel e. main subcategory
experience. Fiction can be found any- of literature; short
where from fantasy and science fiction to pieces using imagery,
historical and realistic fiction. sound, rhyme, meter,
Nonfiction—Any form of prose that gives and so forth
an actual account of events or facts from ____ 6. short story f. subcategory of prose;
real occurences. Examples may include written work that is
newspaper articles, journal articles, biog- factual
raphies, and autobiographies.
____ 7. drama g. subcategory of
Novel—Any written work of fiction that fiction; a larger
tells a complete story and is usually writ- written work often
ten in chapter format due to its length. in chapter form

Great! Hope you did well. You will see these

terms used in your Speedback assignment at the
end of the lesson. Don’t forget these little nuggets
of information.

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.................................
Objective 2
.................................
List the four purposes for composing
literature and give examples of each.
Four Purposes for Writing
People write for different reasons. We e-mail to
communicate with others and inform them of what
is happening in our life (however dull and boring
or exciting and lively that is). We write letters to
the editors of newspapers to try to persuade others
of our viewpoints. (I’m sure you’ve read some
pretty good letters along with some extremely
opinionated letters.) We write in journals (or are
supposed to) to describe our daily happenings for
the benefit of our decendants. And finally, we
write to entertain by writing notes to our friends in
class or writing silly poems to ask someone out to a
dance. Daily, we encounter writing from all of the
four purposes of writing: informing, persuading,
describing, and entertaining.
In the space provided, write examples of writ-
ings you have recently come across that fit into the
four purposes of writing. Then, complete the Let’s
Check Your Mastery on the purposes of writing.
Informing:
Describing:
Persuading:
Entertaining:
Let’s Check Your Mastery
................................
Answer the following questions and then
check your answers in the Answer Key at the
back of this course manual. Do not submit
your answers to Independent Study.
Match the purpose of writing with the
appropriate example. Each purpose may be used
more than once; however, each purpose does not
have to be used more than once.
a. informing b. describing
c. persuading d. entertaining
____ 8. a newspaper article stating facts about
an event
____ 9. a pamphlet written and distributed to
change your views about a candidate
____ 10. a brochure teaching you about the side
Literature 45—Understanding Literature
effects of a prescription drug
____ 11. a testimonial urging you to try a new
laundry detergent
____ 12. a story about a mountain camp
adventure
____ 13. a brochure giving short, detailed
descriptions of various flower types
____ 14. a greeting card
Remember, you’ll need to know the purposes of
writing for your Speedback assignment! Also, keep
in mind that many forms of writing may have
more than one purpose. A work can both inform
and persuade, or a work can describe and
entertain. Purposes easily combine depending
upon the work at hand. The first piece of literature
we’ll read, The Outsiders, was mainly written to en-
tertain; however, many chapters within the book
describe a great deal. Purposes can be two- or even
three-fold. Pay attention to each work we read and
ask yourself what the author’s purpose is.
.................................
Objective 3
.................................
Differentiate between examples of
escape literature and interpretive
literature.
Escape vs. Interpretive
Literature
Entertaining is wonderful, and that is one of the
reasons why we’ll start by reading something that
is entertaining and not too difficult to read. For a
novel, The Outsiders reads quite quickly. In all
works that are written to entertain, the reader will
find that the entertainment value is different. True,
we have the comedy, the tragedy, the western, the
romance, the realistic, the fantasy, and science fic-
tion. The realms of storytelling are immense.
However, even though the realms are varied, the
value of entertainment can easily be categorized
into escape and interpretive fiction. Know these
Lesson 1: Inside Out
definitions:
Escape fiction—Something written to
entertain in which a story occurs and no
obvious meanings or messages are
evident.
Interpretive fiction—Something written in
which the story enlightens the reader
and challenges the reader to think about
the meaning(s) of the intricate workings
of the story. Often a message or messages
from the author are found in the story. 13
 Let’s Check Your Mastery
Literature 45—Understanding Literature
................................
Answer the following questions and then
check your answers in the Answer Key at the
back of this course manual. Do not submit
your answers to Independent Study.
Now that you know the difference between the
two definitions, to the side of each example write
“E” for escape literature or “I” for interpretive
literature.
____ 15. a play of self-discovery in which two
characters parallel and portray good
and evil
____ 16. a comical play of theft and mayhem
____ 17. a novel about a horse’s adventures
____ 18. a novel about a young boy and a horse
learning the concept of loyalty
Hopefully, that was easy—if not, you should go
back and review the definitions of escape and
interpretive literature. Keep this information
plugged into your brain for the Speedback
assignment. Like the purposes of writing, escape
and interpretive literature can intertwine at times.
For example, The Outsiders may seem like an
escape piece of literature; however, looking more
closely at the novel will show us a few interpretive
components.
.................................
Objective 4
.................................
Identify the five key components of fic-
tion writing with their subcomponents.
Five Key Components of
Fiction Writing
Before reading The Outsiders, we need to know
how fiction is set up and distinguished. The fol-
lowing five components are necessary in fiction
writing.
1. Characters
Characters are the people in the story who are a part
of the happenings and can even tell the story. Think
about the last story you read. Who were the char-
acters? What were they like? Did you relate to the
characters at all? Was the main character brave,
strong, or valiant? Characters are important in fic-
tion because the reader experiences the story either
14
through the characters or with the characters. Here
are some specific character types you will need to
know:
Protagonist—the main character
Antagonist—a person usually found in
conflict with the main character
Foil—a character placed to parallel the
main character’s actions
Static—a character that never changes
Dynamic—a character that undergoes a
change within the story
Round—a character described with many
traits
Flat—a character with only one or two
traits
Stock—a stereotypical character
You may have heard of some of these defini-
tions before. Remember that the protagonist is the
main character—he, she, or even it is the “pro” of
the story. Whoever or whatever is against the
“pro” of the story is “anti” the “pro”—hence the
name antagonist. You can remember a foil character
because this character is placed in the story to
parallel the protagonist. This character reflects
some similarities to the protagonist as aluminum
foil reflects light. A dynamic character explodes
with some great change in the story. The protago-
nist is usually a dynamic character because most
main characters undergo some change within
themselves. A round character has many traits,
while a flat character is just that—flat—with no ex-
tra traits to blow it up and make it round. Minor
characters are usually flat, while main characters
and those in close interaction with the main char-
acters are usually round. Lastly, a stock character is
a stereotyped character—a “jock” or “cheerleader”
or “nerd.” A stock character is almost always flat
due to the fact that the character only holds a few
stereotyped qualities.
2. Setting
Setting is the time and place of the story. The set-
ting is a foundation to the story. Authors choose
very carefully the where and when of their stories.
Many authors have to research the places and time
periods of many of their stories in order to get
accurate facts. On the other hand, other authors
create vast fantastical places and times unlike any-
thing we know. Either way, thought, accuracy, and
imagination are needed in creating setting.
3. Plot
Plot is what occurs during the story. The plot is
simply what happens. The plot is not concerned
about why things happen, only what happens.
Here’s the order of most plots:
Exposition—the beginning of the story or
the introduction
Conflict—tensions existing in the story
between the following:
• the character vs. nature
• the character vs. him- or herself
• the character vs. society
• the character vs. another character
Climax—the most intense conflict within
the story, often at its deciding point
Denouement/Resolution—the manner in
which all tensions (including the climax)
are resolved
Plot begins with an introduction of setting,
characters, and conflicts. Think back to the last
book you read or had to read. How did it begin?
Regardless of how they do it, authors always find a
way in the beginning of each story or novel to
introduce the characters, setting, and conflicts.
Then, through other conflicts—often called the
rising action—more tension builds. Remember,
conflicts can occur between characters, between a
character and society, between a character and na-
ture, and between a character and him- or herself.
Conflicts build in tension until a climax or series of
climaxes occur. After the climax, or main tension in
the story, the story resolves and comes to a close
with falling action. This is called closure, or
denouement (which actually translates into “tying
things up”). All authors take some time to wrap up
the conflicts and connect any missing pieces. True,
an author may choose to leave some things unsaid,
but there usually isn’t much left to the reader’s
imagination.
4. Point of View
Point of view is who is telling the story. The point
of view is the view in which the story is told. Even
though there are more types of point of view, third
and first person are the most common.
Third Person—story is told by a narrator
outside the action
First Person—story is told by a main
character
5. Theme
Literature 45—Understanding Literature
Theme is what can be learned and internalized from
the story. Themes are meant to be found, discov-
ered, and learned. Even though some authors will
purposely have a theme in mind when writing a
story, hidden themes will often surface that were
intentionally or unintentionally in the story. Exam-
ples of theme include triumph over trials, loyalty
to family, being true to oneself, and honoring your
heritage. Obviously, there are millions of lessons
and messages an author could use in his or her
writing. The trick is to try to internalize the themes
asserted within the written work.
Let’s Check Your Mastery
................................
Answer the following questions and then
check your answers in the Answer Key at the
back of this course manual. Do not submit
your answers to Independent Study.
Fill in the blanks with the definition from the five
key components and subcomponents of fiction.
19. If the story is told in the first person, the story
is told by the .
20. Characters are the in the story.
21. The setting is the and place the
story happens.
22. The climax is the most intense
within the story.
23. Third person and first person are the most
common types of .
24. The four main types of conflicts are the
character vs.
, ,
, and .
25. Resolution and introduction are a part of the
.
26. The theme is something one can learn and
.
27. A foil character is one who
the main character.
Lesson 1: Inside Out
28. A flat character has only one or two
, while a stock character is
.
29. The protagonist is the .
30. A round character is described with
traits.
You’re really doing well! These terms are espe-
cially critical to your Speedback assignment, my
friend. Don’t forget!
15
Literature 45—Understanding Literature .................................
Objective 5
.................................
Summarize what happened chronologi-
cally and identify the characters intro-
duced in chapters 1 through 7 of The
Outsiders.
Introduction to The Outsiders
I believe that The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton, is a
great example of the five key components of litera-
ture. The setting is in the 1970s in an everyday
town. The town is not named. Possibly, Hinton
doesn’t name the town to make you think that it
could be your town, because the problems ad-
dressed in this novel happen in every town, even
in the present. The plot is simple: a group of boys
band together to fight against what opposes them.
They fight against society, against other characters,
against themselves, and against their environment.
These boys are considered “greasers” due to the
fact that they grease their hair, live on the wrong
side of town, and cause trouble. Many greasers
graduate from being minor troublemakers to being
“hoods.” A hood is equivalent to what we would
consider today as a gang member.
Ponyboy, the main character of the story, a
fourteen-year-old greaser, tells the story from his
point of view. Like most fourteen-year-olds, he
struggles with finding out who he is. He enjoys
learning and is good at school, but that isn’t cool
with his friends. Besides trying to find out who he
is, he struggles at home due to the fact that his par-
ents died in an automobile accident. He is left in
his home to be raised by his older brother, Darry,
with whom he has a hard time getting along. All of
these problems compress with the whole idea that
he is short-changed in life. He thinks his life is
rough because he lives on the wrong side of town
and only gets to watch how the other side lives—
the rich kids, called the “Socs,” which is short for
“social.” These kids have all the breaks. They have
new cars, new clothes, and rich parents.
All of these conflicts help to build the action
and adventure that is set for Pony and his friends.
You will notice that many of the problems Pony
faces are the same problems you have faced or
will face throughout your teenage years: peer pres-
sure, jealousy, cliques, friendships, and family
connectedness.
Many people believe this novel doesn’t teach
good values, that it is simply a book about teenage
boys who are up to no good. This is simply not
true. Yes, you will find that the greasers smoke;
however, you will learn that they do so because of
their peers. All of us know the harmful effects of
smoking, and we know people who do smoke.
16
Most people who smoke would give anything they
could to stop. Smoking is addictive. Pony knows
that. Smoking is something he simply does to fit in.
How do you feel about that? Should we make deci-
sions for ourselves based on the fact that others
around us tell us what to do? No! You will also
find other controversial happenings in the novel.
Some hoods and Socs drink alcohol. Once again,
Hinton is making a strong statement about the
power of our social environment. The people we
choose to be around often affect our actions—
whether for good or bad. We need to consciously
ask ourselves about the people we surround our-
selves with. Are our friends building us up or tear-
ing us down? Good friends make us better people.
Pony learns this.
Today, teen smoking and drinking are still a
huge problem. I’ve seen firsthand the problems
that teen smoking and drinking can create. I have a
cousin who began using alcohol occasionally. After
a year, he started abusing prescription drugs and
smoking marijuana. Months later, those weren’t
enough. Soon, his grades were down and sports
were out of the question because he became a her-
oin addict. Today, five years out of high school, he
is serving time in the state penitentiary. Bad choice
after bad choice only leads down a dark and lonely
path—a path difficult to climb out. Some can make
the climb, but many can’t. Hinton, I think, wants
her readers to think about the choices they make.
Even the choices we make in high school have last-
ing effects. Even though Pony’s adventures may
seem far-fetched when compared to your life, the
bottom line is that we all have to pay consequences
for good and bad choices. Our environment, our
home life, and our friends and family can influence
us, but we all are individuals with the ability to
think and make decisions. Know now what you
want in life, and make the best of it. Be true to
yourself, and you’ll be amazed at what you will
accomplish and achieve.
Since I can’t dress up for you in my favorite
1970s outfit to get you in the mood to read
The Outsiders (thankfully, I don’t own one), just
think for a minute about what you know about
gangs, friends, cliques, and loyalty. How do they
connect? Throw into your thoughts family prob-
lems, no money, self-realization, and death. This is
where The Outsiders will take us, into the mind of
Ponyboy Curtis—a greaser who will learn the
importance of staying true to yourself and what
you believe in.
Reading Assignment
................................
The Outsiders
Read chapters 1 through 7.
 After you have read chapters 1 through 7, an- Put the following actions in chronological order

Literature 45—Understanding Literature

swer the Let’s Check Your Mastery. Then, complete beginning with the number one and moving up
Speedback assignment 1. At the completion of the in sequence.
Speedback assignment, you’ll be finished with les- ____ 37. Pony walks out of the theater
son 1. Way to go! Only three more lessons!
____ 38. Bob is killed
____ 39. Pony talks with Cherry Valance
Let’s Check Your Mastery ____ 40. Pony and Johnny go to the park
................................
Answer the following questions and then ____ 41. Pony runs away from home
check your answers in the Answer Key at the
back of this course manual. Do not submit ____ 42. Dally gives Johnny a gun
your answers to Independent Study.
____ 43. Pony and Johnny stay at a church in
Match the following characters (greasers) to their Windrixville
descriptions:
____ 44. church fire
____ 31. Soda a. jumped by Socs; like a ____ 45. Dally visits Johnny and Pony at the
lost puppy; dark eyes church
and hair Great work! Hopefully, you are enjoying the
____ 32. Steve b. good student; narrator, reading. We ended at a pretty intense part, so jump
fourteen years old; into lesson 2 to finish the novel; however, work on
likes to be alone; likes Speedback assignment 1 first. Good luck!
to read
____ 33. Dally c. twenty years old; tall
and muscular; hard
worker and smart; yells
at Pony
____ 34. Johnny d. handsome and playful;
loves Pony; has never
cracked a book; sixteen
years old
____ 35. Ponyboy e. Soda’s best friend;
works at a gas station;
cocky
____ 36. Darry f. blonde, blue eyes;
respected by greasers;
tougher than a hood

Lesson 1: Inside Out

17
Literature 45—Understanding Literature

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 Literature 45—Understanding Literature
LESSON 1
Speedback
Assignment
Mark all answers here, then transfer them to your Speedback answer form. You may either submit your
completed answer form to Independent Study for processing, or you may use WebGrade for immediate
grading. See your Read Me First pamphlet for instructions.
...................................................................

Multiple Choice
1. Because they are stereotyped in the novel, the greasers and the Socs are what type of characters?
(See objective 4.)
a. foil
b. stock
c. static
d. dynamic

2. The Outsiders is narrated by which character type? (See objective 4.)

a. antagonist
b. protagonist
c. flat character
d. third person
3. Cherry Valance is placed into the story to parallel her life and Pony’s; therefore, she is what type of
character? (See objective 4.)
a. stock
b. protagonist
c. antagonist
d. foil

4. Ponyboy reflects on Paul Newman at what part of the novel’s plot? (See objective 4.)
a. resolution
b. climax
Lesson 1: Speedback Assignment
c. exposition

5. The setting, the 1970s, is portrayed by what evidence in the novel? (See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. the haircuts and clothing styles
b. current events
c. the food
6. The stabbing of Bob occurred because Randy and Bob were upset with Pony and Johnny talking to
their girlfriends at the drive-in movie. This would be considered what conflict type? (See objectives 4
and 5.)
a. character vs. nature
b. character vs. him- or herself
c. character vs. society
d. character vs. another character

19
Literature 45—Understanding Literature
7. The emotional tension between Pony and Darry would be considered what conflict type?
(See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. character vs. nature
b. character vs. him- or herself
c. character vs. society
d. character vs. another character

8. The experience of living in the church and sleeping in the cold would be an example of what conflict
type? (See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. character vs. nature
b. character vs. him- or herself
c. character vs. society
d. character vs. another character

9. Pony feeling like the world is against him due to his economic and family situation is an example of
what type of conflict? (See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. character vs. nature
b. character vs. him- or herself
c. character vs. society
d. character vs. another character

10. Pony struggles to know what to do while spending time in the Windrixville church. This struggle
within his own mind is an example of what type of conflict? (See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. character vs. nature
b. character vs. him- or herself
c. character vs. society
d. character vs. another character
11. Reread Robert Frost’s poem in chapter 5 of your novel. What theme or meaning do you think is
behind the reference to the poem? (See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. Gold is precious; earn money now.
b. Innocence and youth are not long-lasting.
c. Time is important.
d. Nature is great.

12. “Nature’s first green is gold,/Her hardest hue to hold.” This is an example of what type of literature
from the literature diagram? (See objective 1.)
a. prose
b. poetry
c. novel
d. miniprose

13. Robert Frost’s poem would be an example of entertaining on both an escape and interpretive level.
The poem is interpretive because it . (See objective 3.)
a. sounds good
b. is fun to read
c. is easy to read for most intermediate readers
d. includes deeper meanings in its descriptions

14. The Outsiders would fit into what categories of the literature diagram? (See objective 1.)
a. prose, novel, fiction
b. nonfiction, prose, novel
c. fiction, poetry, novel
d. prose, novel, poetry

15. Which would not be an example of describing in the novel? (See objective 2.)
a. the physical descriptions Hinton gives of each greaser
b. Ponyboy feeling like the Socs are better than he is
c. the internal descriptions of the Socs’ personalities
d. the description of Windrixville

20
16. Pony picks up a newspaper and reads the account of his “heroic” save at the church. A newspaper

Literature 45—Understanding Literature

has what main purpose in writing? (See objective 2.)
a. to persuade
b. to describe
c. to entertain
d. to inform

17. Ponyboy would probably dislike reading . (See objectives 1 and 5.)
a. nonfiction
b. drama
c. short stories
d. novels

18. Pony says, “He ain’t a Soc . . . he’s just a guy.” This statement shows a change of opinion in Pony’s
thinking and thus proves him as what type of character? (See objective 4.)
a. protagonist
b. stock
c. static
d. dynamic

19. Pony says, “There are worse things than being a greaser. . . . Things are rough all over.” He implies
many things, and in so doing, Pony makes a statement. (See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. thematic
b. climactic
c. controversial
d. resolute

20. The climax of the story so far would be what event? (See objectives 4 and 5.)
a. Pony walking out of the movie theater
b. Pony fighting with Darry
c. the train ride to Windrixville
d. Johnny stabbing the Soc at the park

Lesson 1: Speedback Assignment

21
Literature 45—Understanding Literature

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