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From what point of view is this novel told? Why would Hinton choose to use this point of view?
First Person The Outsiders is told by fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis. So, everything we learn in the story comes from his point of view, and through his eyes. As a narrator, Ponyboy strikes us a pretty honest and observant.
How does the narrator describe himself?
The narrator describes himself as light-brown almost-red hair and greenish-gray eyes. Hair is longer than most boys. Squared off and is a greaser.
Why does he like to go to the movies alone? What character trait does this preference reveal in him?
He likes to go to movies alone because he can watch movies undisturbed so he can get into the movie and live the movie with the actors, and when he sees a movie with someone it's kind of uncomfortable for him, for him it's like having someone read your book over your shoulder.Also nobody in his "crowd" likes going to the movies.
What happened to the narrator's parents?
The parents were killed in an auto wreck 8 months ago
What happens to him on the way home from the movies?
On the way home from the movies he is jumped by Socs, but was saved by Ponyboy's friends
Why is Ponyboy so reluctant to tell Darry how he really feels after the incident with the Socs?
Ponyboy was reluctant to tell Darry about how he really feels because he was smarting, aching, his chest was sore, he was so nervous my hands were shaking and he wanted to start bawling, but he knew that you just don't say that to Darry. Also Ponyboy knew he'd look like a baby.
Why would Ponyboy want to be in a Greaser gang? What is he attempting to find in the gang that is missing from his life?
Since the deaths of Ponyboy's parents, the gang has become Ponyboy's family. He feels pressure from Darry at home, and although he doesn't embrace the fighting or the violence.... the gang is there for him.
Why do the Greasers dress the way they do? What image are they attempting to convey? Why do they want to portray this image?
The Greasers wear jeans, leather jackets, and t-shirts. They dress this way to appear tough.
Why is Darry so strict with Ponyboy? What might happen if Ponyboy where to get into trouble?
Darry comes across as harsh and cruel at times, but that is because he feels responsible for Ponyboy. He has high expectations for Ponyboy and wants him to keep his grades up and come home on time. When Darry gets furious at Ponyboy after he comes home late from the movies, the tension rises.
What does Sodapop tell Ponyboy about his plans for Sandy and himself?
"I think I'm gonna marry Sandy. After she gets out of school and I get a better job and everything. I might wait till you get out of school, though. So I can still help Darry with the bills and stuff."
Why does Dally use vulgar and abrasive language with the girls at the movies?
There were no other socs around to protect the two girls so Sally can use whatever language he wants in front of them because he loves trouble.
What does Cherry mean when she calls Sodapop a "doll"?
If your kindness makes someone else feel this way, then they might call you a doll.
Why is Ponyboy embarrassed about Sodapop dropping out of school and working at a gas station? In your opinion, should he be embarrassed?
Ponyboy idolizes Sodapop and he can't stand the thought of him being a high school dropout. ... Ponyboy knows that Sodapop is better than that, he just thinks differently, and working to help his brothers get by so they can stay together is actually a very noble thing to do.
Why is Ponyboy uncomfortable about Dally's behavior?
Ponyboy likes Cherry and wants to behave like a gentleman. He doesn't understand Dally's behavior and is embarrassed by him.
What does Two-Bit do that scares Johnny and Pony?
Two-Bit Grabs their shoulders and impersonated a mad Soc. That was especially frightening to Johnny because a Soc nearly killed him.
Describe the attack on Johnny. Why do you think the attack was so traumatic to him?
The attack was vicious and ruthless. Socs came out of a blue mustang and beat him up. The attack was so traumatic because he was beaten so badly he almost died.
What do the Socs and the Greasers have in common? What would their constant fighting suggest about their differences and similarities?
Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while. Primarily, therefore, the difference between these two groups is one of class. Ponyboy states that the Greasers are working class, as they are poorer than the Socs.
After all the vulgar language and abuse at the movies, why would Cherry "fall in love" with Dally? Considering their characters, do you think that this is realistic?
It is unusual for this to happen because Socs think that greasers are trash with hair that is long, but Cherry thinks Dally is cute and she is almost scared when she realizes she could fall in love with him. Cherry likes Dallas because she's attracted to daring men
Compare and contrast the way the Greasers and the Socs treat the girls. Which group treats them better?
The difference between the Greasers and the Socs is that the Socs are middle class people and the Greasers are poor and dirty. The greasers are similar to the socs in the way they both can look at the same sun. They are all just humans. The only difference is their money.
What do Pony and Johnny do instead of going home after the movies? What is the result of their decision?
Johnny and Ponyboy stay outside and watch the stars and smoke , and Ponyboy ended up falling asleep and that made him late coming home. Ponyboy got in trouble by Darry because Pony was home really late.
When Ponyboy doesn't arrive home until 2:00 am, why doesn't Darry call the police?
If he called the police it might have gotten Ponyboy and Johnny thrown in a boys' home.
Why do Ponyboy and Johnny run away?
Johnny and Ponyboy ran away because Darry slapped Ponyboy and it aggravated Ponyboy.
What happens to Ponyboy at the park?
Ponyboy blacks out during the attack, and when he comes to, he realizes that Johnny has stabbed and killed Bob with his switchblade.
Why does Johnny go after Bob? What is the result?
He is drowning Ponyboy, Johnny stabs Bob and kills him.
Johnny reacts with calmness after the incident with Bob, while Pony becomes hysterical. Why do you think they react differently?
Johnny is calm on the outside but is in shock in the inside and Ponyboy just regained consciousness after being knocked out.
To whom do Ponyboy and Johnny go for help? What does he give them? What does he tell them to do?
They go to Dally and he gives them a gun and $50. He tells them to go out of town somewhere no one can find them
Why do you think the author included the flashback to when all the guys went to church together? Do you think it was important to include that scene? Why?
To show the boys personalities; I don't think it should have been included into the story because it does not tell me more about the boys than I already know.
When Pony wakes up, why is he alone? What does Johnny bring back?
Johnny has gone to get food and supplies for their stay. He brings baloney, bread, matches, a copy of Gone with the Wind, peroxide, and a deck of cards.
What different things would you buy as supplies? Remember, the did their shopping at a grocery store, so keep your answers realistic to things you could find there.
I would buy a lot more protein and fattening goods to hold me over instead of buying random junk like they did
Johnny states that when people go to jail, the authorities cut their hair to "break" them. Why would he think this? What does this say about his opinion of authority? Why is hair really cut when people are sent to jail?
The boys cut their hair and Ponyboy bleaches his. His hair is his pride and joy. It is the only thing he can be proud of.
Why does Ponyboy get sick on the fifth day at the church?
He smoked too much (12 packs), wasn't eating, got sick from too much nicotine.
How was Dally able to mislead the police?
He told the police that they were hiding in Texas.
Interpret what Ponyboy means when he says, "things are happening too quick. Too fast." Do you ever get a similar feeling in your own life? Explain.
PonyBoy means that everything is unfolding too quickly. Bad things are happening too fast.
"The spy" thinks the whole mess is her fault. Dally agrees that it is. Thinking back on the story, do you believe the trouble they are all in because of her? Explain.
I don't think it was her fault because Pony and Johnny has to be responsible for their own actions. She has the right to talk to anyone she wants without Bob fighting over her and telling her what to do.
What does Dally tell Johnny when he asks about his parents? How does Johnny react? How is his reaction different from how Dally would react?
Dally said that his parents did not ask about him and to "blast it". To that, Johnny looks at the dashboard in hurt bewilderment. Dally just cussed under his breath and nearly tore out the transmission of the T-bird.
Ponyboy outlines the different functions within their group. Do you think there is a hierarchy within the group? Where does Ponyboy fit into this? Where does Dally fit?
Ponyboy is proud to be a greaser, yet he values poetry, literature, movies and learning things. Ponyboy describes Dally as having an elfish face, high cheekbones, a pointed chin, sharp teeth, blue eyes, and long, white hair. He wore his rage in his eyes and in the lines on his face.
What is happening at the church when they return? Describe what they do about it?
The whole church is burning in flames. There was a class of little kids having a picnic when it started on fire. Johnny and Pony went running into the flames to rescue the kids trapped inside.
Discuss how Pony and Johnny's decision to help the children changes the action of the story. Cite textual evidence to support your response.
"Johnny wasn't behaving at all like his old self. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the door was blocked by flames, then pushed open the window and tossed out the nearest kid. I caught one quick look at his face; it was red marked from falling embers and sweat streaked, but he grinned at me. He wasn't scared either. That was the only time I can think of when I saw him without that defeated, suspicious look in his eyes. He looked like he was having the time of his life."
Cite evidence from the novel that shows Ponyboy was wrong all along about the way Darry feels about him. How does Pony come to this realization?
"In that second what Soda and Dally and Two-Bit had been trying to tell me came through. Darry did care about me, maybe as much as he cared about Soda, and because he cared he was trying too hard to make something of me". This is the point at which Ponyboy realizes Darry does love him.
What is the extent of Johnny's injuries? How are the boys able to get the doctor to tell them of Johnny's prognosis?
Johnny's back is broken, has severe burns, and is paralyzed from the waist down. They convince the doctor that they were the closest thing to family Johnny had.
After the boys talk to the doctor, they decide to go home and get some sleep. What do Darry's actions in that scene reveal about his true character?
Darry's actions in that scene reveal that he does care and he is sweet and not mean and tough all the time.
Explain the reference to chocolate cake.
The reference to chocolate cake symbolizes each boys' personality.
Why do the Curtis boys always leave their door unlocked? What does this reveal about the character of the gang members?
The Curtis boys keep their door unlocked in case anyone in their gang needs a place to sleep, to hide, or to escape from their parents. Like the other members of their gang, Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy do not have much money with which to buy valuable possessions.
What does the newspaper say about "heroes"? What does Two-Bit have to say about the wording the reporter chose?
The newspaper says "child delinquents become heroes." Two-Bit and the gang doesn't accept the title of a delinquent.
The article does not use the words Socs. Ponyboy states this is because "most grownups don't know about the battles that go on between us." What does this say about the parental role in all of the boys' lives (both Socs and Greasers)? How do you think the scenario would be different if the parents were different?
Socials were rich kids from the West Side. Greasers were generally poor and lived on the East Side of town. Greasers were seen as unruly and unlawful. They were looked at as if they were dirty because of their long, greased hair. Socials were seen as good kids who did not get into any trouble. They dressed well and drove nice cars. greasers liked to go the movies or hang out with their friends. They were known for petty theft and causing other small disturbances. They also liked to smoke cigarettes, drink, and some liked to fight. Socials like to throw parties. They played football or were cheerleaders. They also drank.
What has happened to Soda's girlfriend, Sandy? Why? What do you think is the "real" story?
Sandy becomes pregnant, and she moves to Florida to live with her grandparents. Soda proposes marriage to her, but Sandy turns him down
From the conversation between Randy and Ponyboy, what did you learn about the privileged class to which the Socs belong? How do you think some people come to feel entitlement?
You learn that Socs have problems like everyone else. They have money, and no boundaries. They want some sort of boundary.
Is there a way in which someone could be rich, but not have a sense of entitlement as a child? How can this be accomplished?
By parents teaching kids to earn money and not shove it in peoples faces,,don't spoil your kid
Why do you think Johnny asks for another copy of Gone with the Wind?
He asks because when he was reading it with Pony, he was not able to finish it. The other book got destroyed in the fire. Also he liked it so much and helped with killing time.
Ponyboy realizes that the gang needs Johnny. What is Johnny's greatest contribution to the gang?
Johnny keeps the gang from fighting. He is like the little brother. You don't want to fight in front of your little brother. Also you don't want to hurt your little brother.
Why does Johnny really want to live, even though he has thought of suicide in the past, and he would never be able to walk again?
He's too young, he hasn't seen everything he wanted to see.
When the nurse announces to Johnny that his mother is there to see him, how does he react?
Johnny rejects his mother. His mother blames his friends for her failure with Johnny. The gang ignores her.
Two-Bit says that the boys were the only thing keeping Darry from being a Soc. What does he mean? Do you think this is true? Why?
Two-Bit Mathews tells Ponyboy, "You know, the only thing that keeps Darry from being' a Soc is us," he isreferring to Ponyboy's oldest brother Darryl being more mature, more disciplined, and more responsible than the rest of the Greasers.
Cherry tells Ponyboy about the kind of person Bob "really" was. How does she describe him?
"He could be sweet sometimes, and friendly. But when he got drunk...It was that part of him that beat up Johnny."
What was the author's purpose for writing at the end of Chapter 8, "She had green eyes"?
he said he had greenish grayish eyes but he wishes they were more gray because he hated most people with green eyes.
What is Hinton's purpose for including Pony fussing over his beard before the rumble?
Ponyboy feels a sinking feeling when he sees the other greasers. When therumble ends, Dally and Ponyboy go to the hospital to see Johnny. A policeman stops them, but Ponyboy feigns an injury, and the officer gives them an escort to the hospital. Ponyboy and Dally find Johnny dying.
In the middle of stating that Greasers are proud of their Greaser reputation, Pony says that he doesn't want to be a hood. What does this say about Pony? Why does he continue to "rep" his Greaser status?
Even though he does not want to fight, Pony knows that this rumble is necessary, or is at least seen as necessary by enough members of the Socs gang that it will happen one way or another. He does not to be left out. He has had a funny feeling about it. He does not like violence, and he has seen too much of it. He doesn't like the gang violence, the greasers are still his friends and family. He depends on them, respects them, and counts on them.
Pony and Curly once played chicken by holding cigarettes to each other's fingers. Why would they do that? Do you think it is worth what is to be gained?
The two boys played chicken with a cigarette. Curly, who was a tough, cool, hard-as-nails Tim in miniature, and I had once played chicken by holding our cigarette ends against each other's fingers. We had stood there, clenching our teeth and grimacing, with sweat pouring down our faces and the smell of burning flesh making us sick, each refusing to holler, until Tim happened to stroll by. When he saw that we were really burning holes in each other he cracked our heads together, swearing to kill us both if we ever pulled a stunt like that again.
How do the boys show their excitement about the rumble when they are at the Curtis house getting ready to head out?
They get all spruced up, put on extra hair oil, do flips off the porch and no-hands cartwheels, screech like Indians, chant greaser... greaser... greaser. The excitement was contagious
Pony thinks the only good reason to fight is...?
Self defense
Pony believes that he and Darry are both going to "get somewhere." What does that mean to him? Do you believe they have any choice in the matter?
They are not going to settle for being poor and uneducated without the money they need to live a normal life. They definitely have a choice in the matter, by finishing school and following the laws
Pony states that the Brumly boys have weird vocabularies. Why is this ironic?
Brumley's gang is similar to Shepherd's, a group of guys who would "just get worse as they got older, not better." Ponyboy thinks this gang is made up of illiterate hoods. He doubts that "half of them can read a newspaper or spell much more than their names." Brumley's gang members have "weird vocabularies," likely because they are uneducated.
Why, according to Ponyboy, do people usually think that any trouble is the fault of the Greasers, not the Socs? In your opinion, is that a fair assumption? Explain.
They are always well dressed and clean. The impression they give off is one of law abiding citizens, while in reality they are sneaky troublemakers and no better than the greasers.
What are the rules for the rumble?
No blades or chains; nothing but fists and the first to run lose
Who actually steps up to start the rumble? Who is his opponent and how does it happen that he is able to take the first swing? What is ironic about these two boys fighting against each other?
Darry stepped forward and said, I'll take on anyone. His former buddy, Paul, stepped up to him, and when Darry was distracted, Paul threw the first punch. It was significant because they had grown up together and used to be close friend
Pony says, "That's stupid... They've both come here to fight and they're both supposed to be smarter than that." Why would they show up anyway?
They would show up that way because they were fighting who was smarter.
Which side wins the rumble? How is the winner determined?
The greasers win when the Socs run off
Where do the boys go when the rumble ends? Convey what happens as they are on their way in Buck's car. How do they manage to be let off by the police?
To the hospital to see Johnny. The cop pull them over and they tell him that Pony is hurt and needs to get to the hospital right away. The cop escorts them
What were Johnny's last words to Ponyboy? What do you think he meant?
Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.... He was referring to the poem Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost, the poem presented in Chapter Five. He meant that Pony was a good kid and that he needed to be sure to do everything in his power to stay that way don't let this lifestyle ruin you.
Why is Dally having so much trouble handling Johnny's death?
Dally can't accept Johnny's death because Johnny is the one thing in the world that Dally cares about. Dally has always watched out for Johnny in fights, and when Johnny dies, Dally feels he has nothing left that's good in his life. Dally forces the police to kill him because of this.
Infer why Pony didn't want his brothers to touch him after he told them about Johnny's death.
He was in shock/hurting
When Dally calls them on the phone, what is his message?
He robbed a grocery store and needed a place to hide.
According to Ponyboy, Johnny died gallant. What does he mean? How does he feel this is different from the death of Dally?
Johnny was better than most people. Dally died right after robbing a grocery store.
Why do you think Ponyboy becomes so sick? What are his symptoms?
So many of his friends die and he got hurt in the rumble and before that he had a headache and fever
Pony wants to know if Darry is sorry that he is sick. Why?
Ponyboy hopes that he asked for Darry as well as the others when he was sick, because he knows if he didn't, Darry would have been very sad. Ponyboy has come to realize that Darry loves him very much, and Ponyboy doesn't want to hurt him
Pony says that he and Darry go all-out for athletics and studying, but Soda does not. Why would these things be important to them in particular? Why would Soda not understand it?
I think we do need to consider that although Darry is indeed intelligent, attractive and a sportsman capable of a scholarship, he would not be able to fully escape his background. Even if his parents had survived and he had been able to take up a scholarship, he would still live where he does, as he does. He may have left his friends and family behind, but his loyalty to his brothers and the greasers suggests
After Ponyboy studies the picture of Bob in the yearbook, what conclusions does he make about him?
He sees Bob as an actual human-being; not just as a Soc.
Why is Ponyboy uncomfortable with his classmates visiting his house?
He likes his friends from school, so their good opinion matters to him. On the other hand, Ponyboy "couldn't have cared less about what Randy thought," because Randy is an outsider to him
Why do you think Ponyboy doesn't care what Randy thinks of their house?
Randy is an outsider to him
What was Randy's purpose in visiting Pony? What was the outcome of their conversation?
He wanted to tell Pony that Pony's innocent. Randy also talks about the trial. As a result, Randy finds out that Pony is delirious.
What do you think was Randy's purpose in visiting Ponyboy? Do you think he just wanted to talk to Ponyboy or something else? Do you think he got what he was looking for?
It is the day before they are all to go before the judge and... Ponyboy suffers a concussion after being beaten in the head during a rumble. Randy comes to visit him because he has missed several days from school. Randy tells Ponyboy that he came over to see how he was doing.
What is the author's purpose in having Ponyboy say that he is the one who killed Bob and insist that Johnny isn't dead?
Ponyboy begins to imagine that his friend is not dead in an attempt to avoid confronting the tragic situation. Pony also begins to insist that he killed Bob Sheldon. Ponyboy's insistence that Johnny is still alive and his purposeful admittance that he is responsible for Bob's death is Pony's way of avoiding the harsh reality.
Darry calls Ponyboy "little buddy." Why is this important to Pony? What does it indicate about their changing relationship?
Ponyboy mentions that Darry had never called him "buddy" before. Typically, Soda was the only person who referred to him as "little buddy." This moment is significant because it displays Darry's love and concern for Ponyboy.
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