This is Now: Novel-Ties Study Guide, That was Then

The S. E. Hinton books stay relevant for my students and they really enjoy reading them. This study guide saves me prep time by putting together a variety of engaging supplemental reading activities to reinforce the novel. I got several of these and recommended them to my peers.

My daughter (12) purchased this book after reading for school, The Outsiders.
Not previously a "bitten reader" she bought the book on her own, and then none stop devoured it in no time!
She was totally captivated by it.
She has the bug!

This was a great follow - up book to The Outsiders. I enjoyed reading about life back then. How teenagers growing up deal with problems just the same as today. The problems are different and the results are too, but all teens go through stuff.
I got this book as a library loan book. I think $9.99 is a bit expensive for a smaller book like this, even if it is a good well known book. It can be read in a couple hours

When I was first introduced to The Outsiders in 6th grade i was dazzled by the descriptions of the characters and the emotional train they all fell upon and it maid me feel like they were really alive. By then it was the first time i read one of S.E Hinton's books. Right after shortly i began the search for the rest of her books and i stumbled upon That was then, This is now. I fell inlove with the book the two main characters Bryon and Mark seemed like ordinary kids coming up from the ghetto just like me. When you grow up under- privledged you have to find a way to make money because its the only way to survive. When i was growing up i knew that i didnt have as much as other kids did but that never seemed to amuse me , both of my parents came from mexico with nothing in their pockets and they on their own found a way to go from nothing to something. Mark and Bryon had an attraction to belong but they couldnt because they were greasers, socials have it made but theres others that dont. So these boys go through life taking care of themselves and others knowing that thats the way you make it through.If you read this book youll always have a way to relate to them. They struggle to belong and keep together but thats always unebedable because friends always grow apart even if their close as brother or known as friends. With this adventure youll learn that theirs always a way to grow out of old habbits and grow out of friendships.

At the novel's opening, Bryon Douglas, our coolly detached protagonist, opts out of visiting Mike, a hospitalized teenager who has no other visitors, while Mark, the story's supposed *sociopath* decides to go talk to and hang out with Mike so he can try to cheer him up. Bryon ends up going to see Mike later on though, so he can leave the hospital with Mark and he ends up listening to Mike's story about having been betrayed by a young woman he tried to help (her lie about Mike causes the beating that lands him in the hospital). Themes of violence and betrayal and of making oneself vulnerable by caring about people run throughout the book.

Mark is consistently described by Bryon as being *like* a brother although he was supposedly adopted by Bryon's mother several years before the novel's start, after the violent deaths of both of his parents.

Mark's looks are highlighted. He is described as "beautiful" and his golden hair and gold colored eyes are often commented on. In contrast, all of the other main characters including Bryon himself are described as dark or as having either black or "charcoal-colored" hair and eyes.

Hard up for money, Bryon looks for work and finds a job at a supermarket. He also falls in love with Cathy, the pretty sister of a sweet but troubled younger friend. During this time, Bryon begins to distance himself from Mark who he has *suddenly* started to view as bad news and a troublemaker.

Bryon and Mark renew their friendship, though, one night, during a revenge plot to lure Angela Shepard, an ex-girlfriend of Bryon's, into their car, where they then proceed to get her drunk, drive her to a secluded area, cut all of her long hair off and dump her, unconscious, on her front lawn *A rape metaphor?*. Made clear in the narrative is that Bryon isn't worried about suffering any consequences to himself. He assumes Angela won't tell anyone. As Bryon explains, "She'd say she had her hair cut at the beauty shop. She'd say, 'I was sick of all that hot mess.' She'd never let on.".

Angela does tell her brothers though. Tim and Curly Shepard are in jail on the night of the set-up, a fact Bryon is aware of at the time and Bryon is surprised to see them when they approach him days later. Tim and Curly beat Bryon unconscious and leave him for Mark to find.

Around this time Mark has started bringing money into the house but not even Bryon who has, by now, established himself as the law-abiding, mature one of the two-of-them, questions where or how Mark is getting it because according to Bryon, "none of us was in any position to turn away extra money.".

At the story's conclusion, Bryon's ultimate betrayal of Mark who it has become clear he no longer either needs or likes fits neatly with the anti-drug hysteria of the time-frame during which the book is written. Bryon's mother sums up succinctly in the book's final pages what Mark's real place in her life had been when she says to Bryon, "I loved Mark but you are my son and you come first.".

Have you ever known someone was doing something wrong but you loved them too much to do anything about it? That is the idea behind That Was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton. Mark has lived with Bryon and his mother for five years. They have been best friends for as long as either one can remember. They are having a hard time making money and Mark and Bryon both have to get jobs. When someone needs money there's no telling how far they will go to get it.

I would give this book four stars because I really liked it. I liked it because it really touches on some of the tougher decisions in life. This book is realistic fiction. The characters are very well developed and so is the plot. The author is very descriptive and interesting. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat, waiting for more. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good intense but dramatic book. S.E. Hinton doesn't fail to amaze me with another great book.

-S.S.

Bryon and Mark are two best friends. When Mark was younger, his parents were shot and killed in a drunken argument. Bryon and his mom took Mark in as one of the family. They grew up in a rundown part of the city, which explains why they steal, drink, and jump black people for money.

That Was Then, This Is Now starts off in the local bar where Bryon is hustling a game of pool. Mark and Bryon are very sneaky in the things they do. When their good buddy, M&M, has his sister, Cathy comes to visit, Bryon falls in love with her right away. They face many problems including M&M running away. He is found at a hippy house thanks to Mark, and he is found high. Bryon later goes home and finds pills under Mark's bed; now he has to face a decision that will change his life. Now I don't know about you, but that got me hooked.

That Was Then, This Is Now is an action-packed book. I like how the author describes each event with much detail. I think she did an outstanding job explaining how life was for people who were less fortunate than others. What I also enjoy about this book is that there are many fights, and I like books like that. This book shows respect to other people in the neighborhood and Mark shows bravery by defending Bryon and they stood up for each other. I strongly recommend That Was Then, This Is Now to readers who love reading action-packed, thrilling adventure books. This book will make the reader read more and never put the book down. It sure did for me! If you are the type of reader who enjoys these books, you should read more of S.E Hinton's books such as, The Outsiders and Rumblefish.

-Alex Z

Des Plaines, IL

I enjoyed this book because of how everything about the character changes and because of these changes his life and relationships change.

Byron and Mark have been as close as brothers ever since Byron's mother took Mark in. As kids Mark and Byron always did things that were way beyond what any normal kid was doing, like smoking at the age of 12! As Byron grew older though his perception changed, which probably had something to do with Cathy. Unfortunately, Mark hasn't changed a bit and still has a crazy soul. As he's grown older his decisions have grown worse. As a result, the two of them are growing apart.

This book is great for any teen because of how it has so many of the issues that they go through everyday, even though some of the issues have been extremely dramatized.

Gregory 1
Cruz Gregory
code 4
That Was Then, This is Now
S.E. Hinton is a good writer and she teaches kids lessons. One of her books is That Was Then, This is Now. Have you ever considered taking drugs. Have you ever ran away from home and did L.S.D. I learned that this book is good. Someone got in trouble with the police and this book ends bad not good. The main character is confused with his life.
A lot of bad things happen to the main character. Bryon's best friend gets in trouble and his other friend does L.S.D.
I learned that take advantage of being a kid. Bryon said he had all the answers and now he doesn't.
I learned that taking and selling drugs can rouen your life forever. Bryon's two best friends took or sold drugs and they got in a lot of trouble.
When I read this book I w onted to read it again. I think this is the best book ever.

This is a story about two best friends. They were Bryon and Mark. They now are sixteen and are starting to not like each other. Bryon now hates the fights that they used to have when they were little. He also hates the violence that he sees Mark doing.
Bryon falls in love with a girl. The girl's name was Cathy. Cathy had a brother. Cathy's brother was known as MandM because whenever or whereever you see him he is always eating MandM's. Her brother was young and healthy.
Bryon then found out that Mark was using drugs. After Bryon started having a girlfriend, Mark thought that he was losing his best friend. He then started making kids start doing drugs. He didn't like Cathy because he thought that she was the reason that Bryon was changing. He made MandM start doing drugs. You will find out what happens to MandM and the rest of them when you read the book.