Background
Who is the author of The Outsiders?
S.E. Hinton
What happens to Ponyboy when he is walking home in Chapter 1 and why?
He is jumped by the Socs.
He is a greaser.
He is an easy target because he is walking alone and doesn't have a weapon.
Who is the protagonist and narrator of the novel?
Ponyboy
Where is Ponyboy walking home from in Chapter 1?
The Movie House (theater)
What event(s) brings Ponyboy and Darry closer together?
The deaths of Jonny and Dally
Where does the book take place?
Tulsa, Oklahoma
How did Ponyboy's parents pass away?
A car accident
Name and describe Ponyboy's brothers.
Soda - middle brother, good with cars, good looking, kind, funny
Darry - oldest brother, tough on Ponyboy (Ponyboy thinks Darry doesn't love him at the begging of the novel), works two jobs
Where do Ponyboy, Dally, Johnny and Two-Bit meet Cherry and Marcia?
The Nightly Double (drive-ins)
Who speaks to the judge on Ponyboy's behalf and what happens to Ponyboy as a result?
The doctor
He is acquitted (freed of his criminal charges)
Which gang belongs to which side (west, east)?
west - Socs
east - Greasers
Why does Ponyboy decide he wants to run away?
Darry hit him.
Who is the redheaded Soc that decides to be a "spy" for the greasers?
Cherry Valance
Where do Johnny and Ponyboy hide out after the murder?
An abandoned church in Windrixville
Why does Soda run away from Ponyboy and Darry in the last chapter?
He is frustrated about being put in the middle of their arguments.
He is worked up already because Sandy broke up with him.
What is the main conflict in the novel?
Socs vs. Greasers (classism and identity)
Who commits the murder and what weapon do they use?
Johnny
a switchblade
Who helps Johnny and Ponyboy hide out and what advice/items does he give them?
Dally
He tells them to catch the freight to Windrixville, get a weeks worth of food and hide out in the abandoned church.
He gives them a gun, a dry shirt (for Pony), and money.
Where does Ponyboy fall asleep and miss curfew? This is also where the rumble takes place at the end of the book.
the vacant lot
At the end of the book, Ponyboy is failing English. His teacher says if he writes a good theme, he'll pass him with a C grade. What does he write about?
His life in Tulsa and his experiences as a greaser
What does the Poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" symbolize?
That beauty and innocence are temporary (using nature as a metaphor)
Describe what happens to the church and how Johnny, Ponyboy and Dally react.
The church burns down with children on a field trip stuck inside.
Johnny and Ponyboy rush in to save them, then Dally helps to save Ponyboy and Johnny.
The church collapses and Johnny, Ponyboy and Dally are sent to the hospital for their injuries.
What three characters die in the novel and how do they pass?
Bob - is stabbed by Johnny in the park
Johnny - dies in the hospital due to his injuries from the fire (severe burns and a broken back)
Dally - shot by police after robbing a store and bluffing that he had a loaded gun
Where does the murder happen?
A park on the East side of town
What book do Ponyboy and Johnny read while hiding out?
Gone with the Wind