In 8th grade English, students recently embarked on a powerful artistic and reflective journey inspired by S.E. Hinton’s classic novel The Outsiders. After diving deep into the story’s themes of identity, belonging, and the struggle to look beyond appearances, our young readers were challenged to create
Dual Self-Portraits.
Each student crafted two portraits side-by-side: one representing their external appearance, and the other revealing the inner layers of their personality, dreams, fears, hobbies, and values. This visual and written reflection encouraged them to think critically about the importance of empathy and understanding, echoing the novel’s message that people are much more than the labels or stereotypes we often place on them.
Through this project, they learned that just like Ponyboy and his friends, everyone carries a complex story beneath the surface. Their thoughtful reflections remind us all to look deeper, listen more carefully, and appreciate the richness of each person’s inner world.
This Dual Self-Portrait project not only showcased their artistic talents but also fostered a classroom culture of compassion and self-awareness - lessons that will stay with them (and their teacher) far beyond the pages of The Outsiders.