At Ponyboy's hearing, it's a good thing the judge didn't ask him about Johnny because Pony was experiencing this, a refusal to accept reality.
denial
The time, place, and atmosphere (mood) of a story; Windrixville, the park at night, and the vacant lot are all examples of this in The Outsiders.
setting
The Outsiders focuses on two cultural groups of teens in the 1960s and these are the ones pictured below.
greasers
"Nothing Gold Can Stay" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" are both written by this poet and lover of nature.
Robert Frost
This is word has multiple meanings from "hurting" to "being intelligent" to "being sarcastic".
smart
This character stands up to Dally when he pesters Cherry and Marcia at the drive-in movies.
Johnny
a cigarette
Ponyboy was tried in this type of court which specializes in children who have committed crimes.
juvenile court
Ponyboy is both the narrator and this, another name for the main character of a story.
protagonist
Sociologists use this term to describe the dominant ideas, beliefs, and values of a culture, such as madras and luxury cars.
mainstream
The color gold is associated with many different ideas; for example the "golden hour" refers to this beautiful and sometimes quite memorable moment of the day; Johnny thought Dally needed to see one.
sunset
This word best describes the state of the fire below; it also can describe emotions that are starting to become passionate.
smoldering
Darry smacks Ponyboy because he keeps offering excuses about this mistake he made.
out past curfew / falling asleep at the park
"tuff"
cool
Unlike murder, this type of unlawful killing of another person was not planned, it may even be in self-defense.
manslaughter
This is a literary technique used by authors, especially S. E. Hinton, to drop clues or hints about events that will happen in the future.
foreshadow
Sociologists use this term to describe culture that actively rejects or rebels against the "normal" way of society; greasers, hoods, and hippies are all examples.
counterculture
Other than gold, this motif also appeared throughout the story; it reminded us of violence, trouble, and the greasers.
swtichblade
Between losing Johnny and being kicked in the head, Ponyboy was suffering from both mental and physical pain, best described by this word.
agony
Johnny was always apprehensive and worried because this event had happened to him.
jumped, harassed, and left in the lot by the Socs
"the fuzz"
the police
Ponyboy has to work hard to get good grades and stay out of trouble, for he fears he and Soda will be sent to this place for orphaned and in-need boys.
boys' home
This is the process (or the technique) authors use to create and describe characters; the acronym S.T.E.A.L. may jog your memory.
characterization
This British boy band featured below were quite popular among the Socs, especially Cherry Valance; they were also a heartthrob to many teens in 1960s USA.
The Beatles
Though Johnny's parents were still alive, they failed to provide the love and support he needed; their neglect led to Johnny becoming this type of character in literature.
symbolic literary orphan
This word has an interesting pronunciation difference across the US; in the Midwest the word is often said as two syllables, but elsewhere it is said with three.
After Johnny dies, Dallas snaps, robs a store, is chased by police, and does this to ensure his death.
raises an unloaded gun
"a heater"
a gun
Ponyboy and Johnny both display symptoms of this condition after experiencing the traumatic event with the Socs at the park; the condition can include confusion, feeling emotional, and physical discomort as well.
psychological shock
Static characters like Two-Bit and Marcia don't show much change throughout the book, but these types of characters like Ponyboy and Johnny show growth and change.
dynamic
This term refers to the way people are viewed and evaluated by society; for example, the Socs have a higher this than the greasers, according to a majority of society that is.
social status
In one word, the theme of The Outsiders could be described as . . .
brotherhood / acceptance / family
This word describes a feeling of hate or absolute dislike for another; it is a feeling that many Socs and greasers share with one another.
contempt
This event in the book was made anticlimactic to ensure that the death of Johnny was the focus of the chapter.
the rumble
"the cooler"
jail