What historical or cultural factors might have influenced S. E. Hinton as she described the female and male characters in Chapter One? Give examples.

There aren't actually any female characters mentioned in the novel's first chapter. Historical factors in describing the male characters would mean "signs" of the times..... signs that aren't so very different from our own. A large part of the division between gangs is based upon socio-economic factors. The gangs themselves are made up of troubled youths from both sides for what we come to see are similar reasons.