The idea of an outsider is relative to what a societys standards and laws

dictate, as well as its members tolerance and acceptance of each other.

An Outsider is a person who extends beyond these societal barriers, by
circumstance and choice, for reasons usually linked with concepts of
existentialism, self-punishment, conformity, alienation, and loss. Most
teenagers have always been portrayed as misfits or rebels who are
exploring themselves to figure out their purpose in life, but this notion was
particularly common in the 1950s-60s era. Both the film - Rebel Without a
Cause directed by Nicholas Ray, and the novel The Outsiders by
S.E Hinton, are prime examples of texts that convey themes characteristic
of The Outsider genre. Particularly, both texts include unique displays of;
alienation opposing conformity, failed (and forged) family structures, and
consequently, the impact it has on the teenagers lives.