“That Was Then, This is Now” was
published four years after “The Outsiders”
was in 1971.
The book addressed issues such as, drug
use, and it examined the hippie lifestyle.
Both “The Outsiders” and “That Was Then,
This is Now” were adapted into film
productions.
After experiencing writer’s block and then
going into depression, Hinton met
someone on her freshmen biology class
who inspired her to continue writing.
When she started writing again, she wrote
“That Was Then, This is Now.”
“That Was Then, This is Now” is a book about
Bryon and his “brother” Mark. They face the trouble of gang
fights and trying to find money for everyday things. As the
two boys grow older, they start to grow apart. Bryon starts
to realize what the real world is like, while Mark is still
living life for the thrill of the moment.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 1
• Bryon and his foster Brother Mark go to
one of their favorite hangouts, a bar
owned by their friend Charlie. After
leaving in debt, they find their hippie
friend M&M. He tells them that his
sister, Cathy, is coming home from
private school. After M&M leaves, Mark
and Bryon follow, and see him about to
get jumped, and defend him by beating
up the muggers.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 2
• Bryon and Mark go to the hospital to see Bryon’s
mother. She tells them to visit a boy who was beaten
up across the hall. Bryon goes to the hospital snack
bar and sees Cathy, M&MS sister, who is back in
town, and asks her out. Bryon talks with Mike, the
beaten up boy. He tells him that he was beaten after
saving a young black girl from being harassed by his
gang. He then drove her home, where she told her
friends to kill him. He says he doesn't hate them, and
Bryon understands why, while Mark doesn't.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 3
• Bryon is looking for a job without luck. Charlie lets
Bryon borrow his car so he can take Cathy to the
school dance. While at the dance, Mark is knocked out
by a boy with a bottle, after trying to jump his friend
Ponyboy. Bryon realizes that an ex-girlfriend set up
the hit.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 4
• The next morning, Bryon finds out that Charlie has
received a draft notice. Mark and Bryon talk about
their past in childhood gangs, and how it had changed.
The week after, Mark’s principal catches him driving
his car. Mark explains that he went to visit his parole
officer, so the principal decides to not press charges.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 5
• Bryon and Mark go hustling at Charlie’s bar. Charlie
breaks the news that he isn’t going to be drafted due
to his police record. After hustling two rough Texans,
they are backed into an alley at gunpoint. Charlie
comes to the rescue, but is shot. Mark and Bryon
inherit his car.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 6
• The Texans who killed Charlie are caught. Bryon
cleans up his act so that he can get a job while his
mom is in the hospital. Cathy tells Bryon that she
suspects that M&M is doing drugs. One night, when
they all go cursing down the ribbon, M&M jumps out
and runs away.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 7
• M&M does not come home the next day. Bryon and
Cathy continue to look for him every night. Bryon gets
a job at a supermarket, and Mark begins to bring
money in too. Mark and Bryon go cruising and pick up
Angela. Mark gets her drunk and cuts off her hair,
then dumps her on her front yard. Bryon and Mark go
home and Bryon has a drunken emotional episode.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 8
• Mark takes Bryon to an old hippie house. They know
Mark and call him “Cat”. He asks about M&M, but he
isn't there. Bryon then goes to Terry’s place for a
party, and while waiting for the rest of the party-goers
the Shepard's come and beat Bryon up for cutting
Angela's hair. When Mark says that they’ll have their
revenge, Bryon tells him he's tired of the circles of
fighting.
SUMMARY CHAPTER 9
• Mark is frustrated with Bryon for not letting them
fight. Cathy visits Bryon and he tells her he loves her,
and has a lead on M&M. Two nights later, they go to
the hippie house and find him there, tripping on an
LSD hallucination. Cathy then calls her father, and
he meets them at the hospital.
Summary Chapter 10
The Doctor tells M&M that he will never be the same and
have flashbacks of when he was on his acid trip. Bryon
drives Cathy home from the hospital. When he gets home
he starts craving a cigarette. He goes into Mark’s secret
stash were he finds a long cylinder like thing. He opens the
container and finds all these pills inside. In a calm state of
mind he calls the cops. Mark comes home and he sees that
Bryon found out what he has done. Bryon now knows that
Mark doesn’t know what is right and what is wrong.
Summary Chapter 11
Bryon wakes up the next morning realizing what he
had done. He also realizes that he no longer loves
Cathy. Bryon testifies against Mark in a trial were
Mark is sent to the State reformatory for 5 years.
When Bryon goes to visits Mark in the reformatory
Mark tell Bryon that he hates him. When Bryon
reflects on the good old days when they were younger
Mark’s reply was “that was then, this is now”. Bryon
lives the memories of the simpler time when he was
younger and had all the answers.
•Character Vs. Character- Mark Vs. The guy with bottle.
•Character Vs. Character- M&M and the muggers.
•Character Vs. Character- Mike and the gang of black guys.
•Character Vs. Character- Charlie & the boys vs. the guys from Texas.
•Character Vs. Character- Mark cuts Angela’s hair.
•Character Vs. Self- M&M and DRUGS.
•Character Vs. Character- Bryon and Cathy argue.
•Character Vs. Character- When Mark and Bryon fight after Bryon calls
the cops.
•Character Vs. Self- Bryon feels bad after calling the cops and ponders if
he made the right decision.
•Character Vs. Self- Bryon contemplating if he should change to get a
job.
•Character Vs. Character- Mark and Bryon after Mark goes to Jail.
•Character Vs. Character- Mark and Cathy argue a lot.
BRYON DOUGLAS- Ladies man. Tough. 16yo. Dad left.
Compared to Saint Bernard. Good at pool. Smart. You
can trust him with your life. Cant get a job due to bad
attitude and hygiene.
MARK JENNINGS- Compared to a friendly lion. 16 yo.
Good at stealing and hot wiring cars. Considered to be
able to get away with anything. Parents shot each other
(drunk fight). Trust that his facts are correct.
M&M- 13yo. Total hippy. Really likes m&ms. Has many
siblings. Easily trusts people. Deals with LSD and
Grass.
CATHY- Childhood friend of Bryon. Works in hospital.
Has guts. Cares for her little brother, M&M deeply.
Charlie- Old. Owns a bar. Lends his car to Bryon. Puts
Bryon & Marks life before his own.
The Sheppard's- Includes Tim, Curly and Angela. All of
them are very though and have very bad attitudes.
Ponyboy- Ends up dating Cathy. Was a character drawn
over from the Outsiders.
Mike- boy met in hospital that was beaten up.
•Scrounge- To get by begging or sponging
•Taunting-Making remarks to anger, wound, or provoke someone
•Assault- To make a physical attack on someone
•Astonished- Surprised or impressed greatly by someone
•Profound- Having or showing great knowledge; intellectual
•Intently- Resolved or determined to do something
•Barren- Bleak and lifeless
•Ribbing- Good-natured teasing
Whole Book Vocabulary
Scrounge- To get by begging or sponging
Taunting-Making remarks to anger, wound, or provoke someone
Assault- To make a physical attack on someone
Astonished- Surprised or impressed greatly by someone
Profound- Having or showing great knowledge; intellectual
Intently- Resolved or determined to do something
Barren- Bleak and lifeless
Ribbing- Good-natured teasing
•Sympathetically- feeling, showing or expressing compassion
•Flounced- moved in a bouncy or lively manner
•Contorted-twisted out of shape
•Sassy-lively, bold, and full of spirit
•Smirk-smile in a smug, conceited, or silly way
•Conceited- excessively proud of oneself
•Sarcastically- using irony in order to mock or convey contempt
•Illegitimate- a child born of parents not lawfully married to each
other
•Bawl- shout or cry out nosily and unrestrained
•Minor- one who is below the legal age
•Vague-uncertain, indefinite, or unclear meaning
•Regrets- feelings of sadness, repentance, or disappointment
over something that has happened or been done
•Obligingly- willingness to do a service or kindness
•Bluntly- willing outspoken
•Rueful- expressing sorrow or regret, especially in a slightly
humorous way
•Smirking- smiling in a smug, conceited or silly way
•Ritzy- expensive
•Hub- a place that is the center of an activity, region or
network
•Reminiscing- indulging in enjoyable recollection of past
events
•Liberals- open to new behavior or opinions and willing to
disregard traditional values
•Saunter- walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry
•Integration—the intermixing of groups that were formerly
segregated
•Slacked- characterized by a lack of work or activity
Chapters 6-7
Hysterical-in an uncontrollable manner
Superiorly- having or showing an overly high opinion of oneself
Vengeful- wanting to give punishment for a wrong
Bypass- go past or around
Hostility- extreme anger
Gravely- giving cause for alarm
Incredulous- unwilling or unable to believe something
Obscenities- crude behavior, language or images
Irrationally-Not logical or reasonably thought out or done
Bawling- shouting or crying out nosily and inrestrained
Vaguely- uncertain, indefinite or unclear in meaning
Astonished- surprised or impressed greatly by someone.
•Disbelievingly-having no faith
•Quivering-a slight emotional trembling movement or sound, especially
one cause by a strong emotion
•Obscure-not discovered or know about; uncertain
•Formalities-something that is done simply to comply with requirements
or etiquette, regulations, or customs
•Parole-the release of a prisoner temporarily or permanently before the
completion of a sentence, on the promise of good behavior
•Reformatory- An institution to which youthful offenders are sent
as an alternative to prison
•Impersonally- Not influenced by, showing, or involving personal
feeling
•Hysterics- Wildly emotional and exaggerated reactions
•Pleading- The action of making an emotional appeal to someone
•Sinister- Giving the impression that something harmful or evil is
happening or will happen
•Justify- Show or prove to be right or reasonable
•Intent- Resolute; purpose
•Numb- Deprive of feelings or responsiveness
•Desperately- In a way that shows hopelessness