Characters
The protagonist and narrator of the story.
Who is Ponyboy?
Represents equality and peace between the two groups.
What is the sunset?
“Listen, kiddo, when he hollers at you…he don’t mean nothin’. He’s just got more worries than somebody his age ought to. Don’t take him serious….He’s really proud of you ‘cause you’re so brainy.”
Who is Sodapop?
What is how an author describes his/ her characters?
Setting of the novel, The Outsiders.
What is Tulsa, Oklahoma?
Commits police-assisted suicide.
Who is Dallas Winston?
Represents an affordable marker of identity and pride.
What is greaser hair?
“I’ll bet you think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, the Westside Socs. I’ll tell you something and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you’ve never even heard of. Things are rough all over.”
Who is Cherry Valance?
The definition of theme.
What is, the fundamental and universal ideas about life and human behavior explored in a literary work.
The reason that S.E. Hinton went by her initials instead of her full name, Susan Eloise Hinton.
The Outsiders is a novel about two male gangs that appeals to a male audience, and S.E. Hinton wanted people to judge the book for its literary merit and accuracy to real life, instead of judging it by the fact that the author was a woman?
Could always get Ponyboy talking (two characters).
Represents fear, wealth, and power. As soon as we, as readers, see this, we know there is going to be trouble.
What is the blue Mustang?
“I remembered you sayin’ something about it once. And me and you went to see that movie, ‘member? I thought you could maybe read it out loud and help kill time or something.”
Who is Johnny Cade?
The definition of symbol.
What is a picture or object that represents a much more complex idea?
Identify and explain two of the major symbols from novel.
** Answers will vary.
Ponyboy feels like this person is never happy with him; if Ponyboy earns Bs, he wants him to get As. If he gets As, he wants to make sure they stay As.
Who is Darry?
Represents redemption for past transgressions.
What is the abandoned church?
“…Buy a week’s supply of food as soon as you get there—this morning, before the story gets out, and then don’t so much as stick your noses out the door. I’ll be up there as soon as I think it’s clear.”
Who is Dallas Winston?
The definitions of literary allusion and biblical allusion.
What is a reference to a work of literature in another work of literature, and a reference to the bible in a work of literature?
Identify two examples of themes, and explain how they are present in the novel.
*Answers will vary.
Ponyboy has a heart-to-heart with this person in the Tasty Freeze parking lot.
Who is Randy, the Soc?
What is the fountain?
“I don’t know…sometimes we get along okay, then all of a sudden he blows up on me or else is naggin’ at me all the time. He didn’t use to be like that…we used to get along okay…now he just can’t stand me.”
Who is Ponyboy Curtis?
The definition of bildungsroman.
A literary genre in which a young protagonist has mental, emotional, and psychological growth, and experiences some sort of significant life event or change in perspective; also called a coming-of-age novel.
The overall meaning of "Nothing Gold Can Stay," by Robert Frost, and how it relates to the novel.
What are the three levels of meaning of the sunset, changing leaves, and human experience, with the poem implying that the best time in our lives is when we are babies and children, and are still innocent? It suggest that nothing good can last, that everything beautiful in life is fleeting, and that everyone loses their innocence in life. This relates to the novel, as Pony and Johnny have lost their innocence as a result of killing Bob and because Pony's parents died.