The Pigman and The Outsiders sit side by side on many middle and high school reading lists. Both were published in the late 1960s, both feature teenage narrators, and both deal with hard choices and loss. Teachers often have to pick one, or decide how to sequence them. The writing assignments each book supports are not identical.

The Outsiders leans toward group identity, class, and loyalty. Essays tend to compare social groups, follow Ponyboy's development, and argue about violence and belonging. Students often find plenty of quotable lines and dramatic scenes. That makes evidence easy to find.

The Pigman is smaller in scale. Two narrators, one older man, and a few key events give students a tighter focus. It works well for essays on point of view, responsibility, and how a story is told. The dual narration is something The Outsiders does not offer.

Length and reading level matter too. The Pigman is shorter and moves quickly, which suits units where writing is the main goal. The Outsiders offers more plot and more characters, which can support longer essays and group projects.

Assignments each book supports well

Match the assignment to the strengths of the book. A craft-focused essay on narration is a natural fit for The Pigman. A comparative essay on social groups suits The Outsiders. You can also pair the two for a cross-text essay, though that works best with stronger writers.

• The Pigman: point of view, responsibility, symbolism, and structure.
• The Outsiders: identity, class, loyalty, and character foils.
• Both: coming-of-age themes and the effects of loss.
• Both: personal narrative and argument writing.
• Cross-text: comparing how each author portrays teenage mistakes.

Grading implications

Rubrics can be largely shared across the two books. Claim, evidence, analysis, and writing control apply to both. Adjust the descriptors for content-specific expectations, such as narration for The Pigman or group dynamics for The Outsiders.

Keep an eye on the size of the pool of student examples. The Outsiders is so widely taught that students may find plenty of ready-made ideas online. Prompts tied to class discussion and specific scenes help protect original thinking.

Choosing for your students

Think about who your students are. Some will connect strongly with the group loyalty in The Outsiders, others with the quiet friendship in The Pigman. Consider offering both as a choice in a literature circle.

Consider your schedule as well. A shorter novel leaves room for more writing and revision. If time is tight, that can be decisive.

Managing the grading either way

With either book, a shared rubric structure reduces your workload. Tools like GraideMind let you save rubrics and reuse them across units, so switching novels does not mean starting over. You adjust the criteria to fit the text and keep the rest.

Track what works and keep the best prompts for each book. Over time you will build a bank that lets you teach either novel with confidence. Your future self will thank you.