--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a 'young adult' when I wrote 'The…" description: "\"I was a 'young adult' when I wrote 'The Outsiders,' although it was not a genre at the time. It's an interesting time of life to write about, when your..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/s-e-hinton-13299_about_i-was-a-young-adult-when-i-wrote-the-out_2394073.png" --- # I was a 'young adult' when I wrote 'The Outsiders,'… ![“I was a 'young adult' when I wrote 'The Outsiders,' although it was not a genre at the time. It's an interesting time of life to write about, when your ideals get slammed up against reality, and you must compromise.” quote by S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/s-e-hinton-13299_about_i-was-a-young-adult-when-i-wrote-the-out_2394073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/s-e-hinton-13299_about_i-was-a-young-adult-when-i-wrote-the-out_2394073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/s-e-hinton-13299_about_i-was-a-young-adult-when-i-wrote-the-out_2394073.png) > “I was a 'young adult' when I wrote 'The Outsiders,' although it was not a genre at the time. It's an interesting time of life to write about, when your ideals get slammed up against reality, and you must compromise.” [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Young adulthood is a period where idealism meets reality, forcing compromises and growth. **In simple terms:** Youth confronts reality, leading to compromise. Key Takeaway Embrace compromise as a learning tool. Themes cominghood idealism reality compromise Mood reflective thoughtful Type literary personal When to use this quote - Writing a novel - personal reflection - career decisions Key Concepts Identity formation social pressure Questions to Reflect On - How have your ideals changed with experience? - What compromises have shaped your path? A Different Perspective Idealism may be tempered by practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adult/) [Adult Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adult-wrote-5972591/) [Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) [Although](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/although/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [Outsiders Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders-genre-5972590/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Slammed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slammed/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote/) [Wrote Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-outsiders-1088471/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-adult/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [The thing is, the Tulsa experience that I wrote about in 'The Outsiders' is closer to the universal experience than it would be if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/the-thing-is-the-tulsa-experience-that-i-wrote-about-in-the-outsiders/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [“I wrote that outsiders were often lonely, but they needed to be to change the world around them. And they understood loyalty far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/i-wrote-that-outsiders-were-often-lonely-but-they-needed-to-be-to/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [I go through phases where I'll overuse words. S.E. Hinton, who wrote The Outsiders - she and I have been in contact for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-go-through-phases-where-i-ll-overuse-words-s-e-hinton-who-wrote-the/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > ['The Outsiders' cast in particular was a joy to be around - sweet kids, normal goofy teenagers off camera and serious artists on. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/the-outsiders-cast-in-particular-was-a-joy-to-be-around-sweet-kids/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > ['The Outsiders' died on the vine being sold as a drugstore paperback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/the-outsiders-died-on-the-vine-being-sold-as-a-drugstore-paperback/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/stay-gold-ponyboy-stay-gold/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [“The points are not the point; the point is poetry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-wolf/the-points-are-not-the-point-the-point-is-poetry/) [Allan Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-wolf/) > [“I barely duck out of the way of an empty coffee mug flying dangerously close to my head. It crashes and breaks loudly near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-dominguez/i-barely-duck-out-of-the-way-of-an-empty-coffee-mug-flying/) [Ella Dominguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-dominguez/) > [I never would've tried YouTube if I hadn't had so many doors slammed in my face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-stirling/i-never-would-ve-tried-youtube-if-i-hadn-t-had-so-many-doors-slammed/) [Lindsey Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-stirling/) > [She slammed the door so hard on her way out that the walls fell down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-dwornick/she-slammed-the-door-so-hard-on-her-way-out-that-the-walls-fell-down/) [T Dwornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-dwornick/) > [To pick up the paper and read about yourself getting slammed, that doesn't start your day off right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carlton/to-pick-up-the-paper-and-read-about-yourself-getting-slammed-that/) [Steve Carlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carlton/) > [“Nothing is permanent. The only thing any of us have in common is the inevitable. We'll all eventually die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/nothing-is-permanent-the-only-thing-any-of-us-have-in-common-is-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“She slammed down the phone. The sharp bang shattered my heart like a bottle hitting the sidewalk”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/she-slammed-down-the-phone-the-sharp-bang-shattered-my-heart-like-a/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Awww," Minho said. "That's almost as sweet as that time she slammed the end of a spear into your shuck face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/awww-minho-said-that-s-almost-as-sweet-as-that-time-she-slammed-the/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“She's not trying to prepare us for her death. She's trying to prepare us for her life. For what she has left of it."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/she-s-not-trying-to-prepare-us-for-her-death-she-s-trying-to-prepare/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## More by S. E. Hinton > [I learned that if you want to get somewhere, you just make up your mind and work like hell til you get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/i-learned-that-if-you-want-to-get-somewhere-you-just-make-up-your/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [Asleep, he looked a lot younger than going-on-seventeen, but I had noticed that Johnny looked younger when he was asleep too, so I figured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/asleep-he-looked-a-lot-younger-than-going-on-seventeen-but-i-had/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [Naturally, everything boils down to relationships in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/naturally-everything-boils-down-to-relationships-in-my-books/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [Since I am first of all a character writer, that character's emotions are as vivid to me as my own. I always begin with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/since-i-am-first-of-all-a-character-writer-that-character-s-emotions/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [Any writer who gives a reader a pleasurable experience is doing every other writer a favor because it will make the reader want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/any-writer-who-gives-a-reader-a-pleasurable-experience-is-doing-every/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [I grew up here and my friends are here. There's nothing wrong with here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/i-grew-up-here-and-my-friends-are-here-there-s-nothing-wrong-with-here/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [I find it to be easier to write from a man's point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/i-find-it-to-be-easier-to-write-from-a-man-s-point-of-view/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/stay-gold-ponyboy-stay-gold/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [My mother was physically and emotionally abusive. My father was an extremely cold man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/my-mother-was-physically-and-emotionally-abusive-my-father-was-an/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > ['The Outsiders' cast in particular was a joy to be around - sweet kids, normal goofy teenagers off camera and serious artists on. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/the-outsiders-cast-in-particular-was-a-joy-to-be-around-sweet-kids/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [If people want to find me, they can. They'll see a middle-aged woman wandering around the grocery store, looking to see what to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/if-people-want-to-find-me-they-can-they-ll-see-a-middle-aged-woman/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/when-i-stepped-out-into-the-bright-sunlight-from-the-darkness-of-the/) [S. E. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a 'young adult' when I wrote 'The Outsiders,' although it was not a genre at the time. It's an interesting time of life to write about, when your ideals get slammed up against reality, and you must compromise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "S. E. 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