The Outsiders Reading Guide

THE OUTSIDERS READING GUIDE

Original material by Judith A. Gallant

Chapter One
1. Describe each of the characters and their relationship with one another.
2. Who are the socs? Who are the greasers?
3. How do Ponyboy's relationships with Darry and Sodapop differ? Explain.
4. Why is the 'gang' important to Johnny?
5. How does Ponyboy react to what Sodapop tells him about Darry?
6. Do you think Darry loves Ponyboy? Why does he treat Ponyboy the way he does?
7. What does Ponyboy mean on page 18 when he says, "I lie to myself all the time"? Do you ever lie to yourself? Why?

Chapter Two
Vocabulary - Find the meaning for the following words in this chapter: incredulous p. 24, vaguely p.33, nonchalantly p. 25.
1. Who is the fuzz? (p. 20)
2. Are the names Ponyboy and Sodapop nicknames? Explain.
3. Who are Cherry and Marcia?
4. Why doesn't Ponyboy like referring to Sodapop as a dropout?
5. What is Ponyboy comparing Two-Bit to when he calls him a "chessy cat" on page 27? What figure of speech is this besides a simile?
6. What is "a weed" slang for in 1967?
7. Why does Dally look sick now (p. 33)?
8. What literary device does the author use to describe Johnny's mugging (pgs. 31-34)?

Chapter Three
Vocabulary - Find the meaning for the following words in this chapter: aloof p. 38, impersonally p. 38, ornery p. 39, resignedly p. 44
1. What does Cherry explain as the difference between the socs and the greasers?
2. What does Ponyboy mean on p. 39 when he says "Johnny and I understood each other without saying anything"? Have you ever had a relationship with someone who you understood, or who understood you, without having to say anything?
3. When and how did Pony's parents die?
4. What happens when Pony comes home after his curfew?
5. Why does Johnny like it better when his father is hitting him?
6. At the end of the chapter, how does the author foreshadow that bad things are to come?

Chapter Four
Vocabulary - ruefully p. 60, hermit p. 65, premonition p. 67
1. What does Pony mean when he says the socs were "reeling pickled" on page 54?
2. What major event happens in this chapter?
3. How did the author foreshadow that johnny would use his knife in chapter 2?
4. What would your advice be to Johhny and Ponyboy if they'd come to you for help instead of Dally? Explain.

Chapter Five
Vocabulary - reluctantly p. 71, sullen p. 73, eluded p. 78, imploringly p. 72, gallant p. 76, indignant p. 80
1. Why does Pony have a problem with Johnny's idea to disguise themselves?
2. What does pony mean when he says, "I was supposed to be the deep one" (p. 75)?
3. Why does Johnny think is a hero (p. 76)? Do you think Dally is a hero based on what he did?
4. Why does Pony realize he doesn't like Dally? Can you explain what he means by this?
5. Examine Robert Frost's poem, Nothing Gold can Stay. What do you think the poem is saying? How might this apply to the characters in the novel?
6. On page 78, Johnny compares Pony and his brothers to their parents. Which one of your parents are you most like? What similarities do you share?
7. What does pony mean when he says he drinks Pepsis like a friend (p.78)?
8. What's a 'heater'? Why does Dally have one?
9. Why are the socs and the greasers going to fight in the vacant lot?
10. Who's the spy for the greasers? Does this surprise you? Why or why not?

Chapter Six
Vocabulary - bewildered p. 88
1. Do you think Dally's parents have influenced the way he is; his personality? Explain.
2. Why doesn't Dally want Johnny to turn himself in?
3. What "other side" of Dallas is revealed in this chapter?
4. What's your own definitionof a hero? Do the three boys prove themselves to be heroes, according to your definition? Explain.
5. Why do you think Johnny wasn't scared, despite the obvious danger, on page 92?

Chapter Seven
1. Explain what Pony means when he says Soda "reminds me of a colt" on p. 101.
2. What condition is Johnny in after the fire?
3. Why would being crippled be worse for Johnny than someone else?
4. "Maybe people are younger when they are asleep" (p.104). what do you think about this comment?
5. What is a juvenile delinquent (p. 107)? Find a definition on the internet, in a dictionary, or create your own based on your own knowledge.
6. Why would Two-Bit think Johnny, Dally, and Pony were heroes all along; before they saved the kids?
7. What was Bob's 'real' problem, according to Randy (p.116)?
8. Why did Pony think it was better to see socs as "just guys" on p. 118? What do you think he means by this?

Chapter Eight
1. How does what the doctor first says, on page 119, foreshadow Johnny's condition?
2. "We needed Johnny as much as he needed the gang. And for the same reason" (p.121). What do you think Pony means, and what is the reason?
3. What does Pony mean on p. 123 when he says, "we could get along without anyone but Johnny"?
4. If Darry didn't have Soda and Pony, why would he be a soc?
5. What does Cherry mean when she says Bob "wasn't just anyone" on p.129?

Chapter Nine
1. On the bottom of p.132, when Pony asks what kind of a world it is, what comment is he making about how society judges people?
2. Why do the boys fight? Why is Pony different?
3. What is the difference between Tim Sheppard's gang and Ponyboy's? Explain how Pony feels this difference might give his group the upper hand?
4. What do you think Johnny's last words to Pony mean?
TOP

Chapter Ten
Vocabulary - indignantly p.159
1. How does Pony's dreaming, or lying to himself, finally work in this chapter?
2. Why was johnny's dying so difficult for Dally to handle?
3. Why do you think Dally would have wanted to die?

Chapter Eleven
Vocabulary - acquitted p.168
1. Explain why pony might rather anyone's hate than their pity (p.162)?
2. What do you think is going on with Ponyboy when he says, "Johnny didn't have anyhing to do with Bob's getting killed" (p.166)?

Chapter Twelve
1. What 'circumstances' do Ponyboy's teacher refer to? What circumstances does Ponyboy think his teacher is referring to?
2. Why doesn't Ponyboy feel scared when the socs approach him and he threatens them with a broken bottle (p.170-171)? How is this a dramatic change from the ponyboy we have seen up until this point?
3. What does Darry mean when he says, "you don't just stop living because you lose someone" (p.173)?
4. How do we know Sandy didn't love Soda as much as he loved her?
5. Explain how Darry and Ponyboy play tug of war with Soda.
6. What do we learn was so special about Johnny (p.178)?
7. What does Ponyboy end up doing for his English assignment?

THE OUTSIDERS: ESSAY TOPICS

Choose one of the essay topics below and write a well organized and well thought out essay. Remember to use the essay form you’ve studied in class and be sure to use examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Topic # 1
"Sixteen years on the streets and you can learn a lot. But all the wrong things, not the things you want to learn" (p. 122). Discuss this quote from the novel and how it applies to each of the boy's lives. What things did they learn? What things might they have liked to learn? Support your ideas with what you know about the characters through examples from the novel.

Topic # 2
Write an essay explaining how expectations played a role in the lives of the Socs and the Greasers. How did external and internal expectations influence each group's actions in the novel?

Topic # 3
Write an essay explaining why you believe each of the 'main' Greasers could be considered a hero. Include your own definition of hero in the essay, and be sure to explain how each boy, in his own way, meets your definition. Remember to support your ideas with examples from the novel.

Topic # 4
Write an essay explaining how the Socs were more of a disgrace and menace to society than the Greasers. Look at how society viewed and treated the two groups. Examine the characteristics of each group, their actions, and the choices each made. Be sure to support your ideas with examples from the novel.

THEME ANALYSIS

Major Themes

The novel deals with the needless pain and violence caused by gang rivalry. The entire book centers on the animosity that exists between the Socs, the rich kids from the west side of town, and the Greasers, the impoverished teenagers from the east side. Because the Socs think they are superior, they jump on the Greasers at every opportunity. Before the book actually begins, they have beaten up Johnny Cade, the meekest Greaser, for absolutely no reason. Then in the first chapter of the book, the Socs jump Pony, the main character, as he walks home from the movie theater alone. Such needless violence leads directly to the death of Bob and indirectly to the deaths of Johnny and Dally.

When Pony, Johnny and Two-Bit befriend two Socy girls, Cherry and Marcia, there is some hope that with increased interaction between the two gangs, their hostility will decrease. In fact, Pony and Cherry find that they can talk easily with each other and have a lot in common, including their love for sunsets. But this friendship is not allowed to develop because the Socs resent their girls fraternizing with the Greasers. As a result, Bob and a few other Socs attack Pony and Johnny to teach them a lesson. During the fighting, Johnny kills Bob in self-defense. Pony and Johnny then hide in an abandoned church in Windrixville. They rise above themselves and heroically rescue some children from the burning church. During the rescue, Johnny is seriously wounded when a burning beam falls on his back; he is put in the hospital and is not expected to live.

In spite of the fact that Johnny is close to death and Dally is injured, the tension between the Socs and the Greasers increase. The Socs want to have a rumble to settle the score about Bob. In the fight that ensues, the Greasers are joined by the Shepard and Brumly gangs; they easily defeat the Socs. But the violence is still not ended. When Johnny dies, Dally goes crazy. He pounds the wall, rushes out of the hospital, robs a store, and points his unloaded gun at the police. As a result, he is shot and killed while his friend watch in horror. Pony is so upset by the violence and the loss of another friend that he is delirious for more than three days. Fortunately, Johnny's letter, written before his death, makes an impact on Pony, and he vows to rise about his life of gangs and violence and promises to help other underprivileged children. Like Johnny, he has realized the pain and futility of gang rivalry.

Minor Themes

A minor theme is that dysfunctional families place an unbelievable hardship on the children. Johnny has the look of a kicked puppy, for he has been repeatedly beaten by his father and totally ignored by his mother. Dally has no family that cares about him, and he has spent his life in and out of jail since the young age of ten. Darry has had to leave school and work two jobs in order to support Soda and Pony after the death of his parents. Two-Bit's mother must work as a barmaid to support him and his sister, because his father has deserted them. Steve hates his father, who neglects him. All of these teenagers suffer from neglect and a lack of love; as a result, they join a gang in order to have a sense of belonging.

Another minor theme is the injustice of judging people on appearances. The Socs get by with all of their meanness because they appear normal; they live on the right side of town, have plenty of money, dress nicely, have short hair, and drive expensive cars. As a result, they are never blamed for anything bad. In contrast, the Greasers are considered to be hoods, because they are poor, they live on the wrong side of town, their hair is long and greased, and they wear strange clothing. As a result, they are blamed for everything. In truth, it is the Socs who always start the trouble throughout the book.

PLOT (STRUCTURE)

The Outsiders, from the beginning to the end, is centered on the gang rivalry between the underprivileged Greasers from the east side of town and the rich Socs from the west side. In particular, the plot is about the development of one of the Greasers, Ponyboy Curtis, as he journeys down a path of self-discovery. The story unfolds in classical form. Chapters 1-3 serve as an introduction; the main characters are described and the conflict is established. Chapters 4-11 present the rising action, including Bob's murder, Pony and Johnny's flight to Windrixville, the rescue of the children from the burning church, Johnny's death, and Dally's death. The climax occurs late in the novel, during the last and final chapter. After reading Johnny's letter written to him before his death, Pony at last accepts that his friend is gone and decides to follow his advice and rise above a life of gangs and violence. The falling action is very brief, with Pony pledging to spend his time and energy in teaching other people about the problems that underprivileged children must face, hoping to find them help. He begins his mission by writing his semester theme for English class on the subject.

The novel is unified by time, place, and character. Only a few weeks pass in the book, from start to finish. Most of the action takes place within a small town in or around Pony's house, with the only exception being the time spent in Windrixville. Most importantly, the book centers on the development of Pony Curtis, the main character and narrator of the novel. Since he tells the story, Pony is always present, and everything is seen from his point of view. Additionally, Johnny, Dally, Darry, Soda, Two-Bit, and Cherry are repeatedly woven in and out of the narrative like a thread holding the story together. Finally, the emphasis on the futility and tragedy of gang violence throughout the story further unifies the plot.

Even though Pony's plot ends as a comedy, most of the story is tragic, almost from the first page of the novel. As Pony walks home alone from the movie theater, he is jumped by the Socs for no reason. From this point forward, one needless act of violence is followed by another. After the Socs see Johnny and Pony talking to some of their girlfriends, they vow revenge. They follow the two Greasers and jump them in the park. In the fight that follows, Johnny stabs and kills Bob in self-defense. Then Pony and Johnny feel compelled to go into hiding. When their hide-out catches on fire, Johnny is seriously wounded while trying to rescue some children trapped inside. Pony, Johnny, and Dally are all taken to the hospital, but Pony is quickly released, and Dally escapes. The two of them participate in the rumble that has been scheduled between the Socs and the Greasers. Because the Greasers get help from the Brumly and Shepard gangs, they easily defeat the Socs. But the tragedies are not yet over.

Johnny soon dies as a result of his severe burns and his broken back. Dally goes absolutely crazy in response to his death; he leaves the hospital, robs a store, and points his unloaded gun at the police. He is then shot to death in front of his friends. Pony faints at the sight and is delirious for three days. Even after he regains consciousness, he cannot concentrate, do his schoolwork, or accept that Johnny and Dally are really dead. It seems that he will never recover; fortunately, the story ends happily for Pony when he finds the letter from Johnny that encourages him to make something of his life. Pony follows the advice and decides his mission will be to help underprivileged children. Because of Johnny, Darry, Soda, and others who care for him, Pony is able to turn his life around and rise above the life of gangs and poverty that he has always known.

OVERALL ANALYSES

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Ponyboy Curtis

Pony is a fourteen-year-old boy with greenish gray eyes and light brown hair, which he wears long. His parents were killed in a car accident, so he lives with his two brothers, Soda and Darry. All three of them belong to a gang known as the Greasers, which is comprised of teenagers from the poor east side of town.

Unlike most of the Greasers, Pony is a sensitive teenager. He often likes to be by himself to think or to read. He also enjoys going to the movies alone. His older brother, Darry, often screams at him for being by himself outside the house; he feels it is too dangerous, for the Socs, the rival gang, are always looking for a Greaser to jump. Darry also worries about Pony's grades. Although he is a good student, Darry wants to make certain that Pony does his best in school so that he can rise above being a Greaser and make something of himself. Darry had to drop out of school in order to support his brothers after the death of his parents. Through much of the book, Pony resents Darry's constant criticism and intrusion into his life. In contrast, Pony worships his middle brother Soda, largely because he has a happy-go-lucky attitude towards life and acts as a buffer between him and Darry. Because Pony does not want to be separated from his brothers and put in a boy's home, he avoids getting into any kind of trouble, especially with the police.