Characters
What character is the "book smart" one in the Greasers group?
Ponyboy
Is the following conflict internal or external?
Socs vs. Greasers
What is the theme of the poem that Ponyboy recites at the church?
Nothing gold can stay --> all good things must come to and end.
What is the symbolism of Ponyboy and Johnny dying/cutting their hair in the church?
It symbolizes the loss of their identity. Their hair is a symbol for being a greaser, and when they lose their hairdo, they lose a part of their identity.
Is this direct or indirect characterization?
Darry is six-feet-two, and broad-shouldered and muscular. He has dark-brown hair that kicks out in front and slight cowlick in the back.
Direct Characterization
What does Dally do to help Ponyboy and Johnny after Bob's death?
Dally gives the boys money, clothes and a gun. He tells them where to hide out.
What is the significance of the following quote?
"Things are rough all over"Despite the different social classes, money, privileges, etc., everyone deals with troubles in some way or another.
What point of view is this book? What is the significance of the point of view?
First person POV. We see everything through the eyes of a greaser, so we relate to the greasers and know the thoughts/feelings of Ponyboy.
Why is Darry so strict, responsible and serious?
What does Dally do in response to Johnny's death?
He reached his breaking point and "finally broke". He robbed a grocery store and raised his gun at the cops who chased him, leading to his death.
In chapter 2, Cherry and Ponyboy have a conversation about the sunset. What theme does that conversation reveal?
Their conversations reveal that although they have a lot of differences, socs and greasers aren't as different as they think they are because, at the end of the day, they all see the same sunset.
What is the significance of the last line in the book?
"And I finally began like this: When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house..."
The last line is also the first line in the book. The reader realizes that the book is what Ponyboy wrote for his school project.
In chapter 3, why does Cherry say that she doesn't want to see Dally ever again? Why is it problematic for her?
She doesn't want to see Dally again because she thinks she could fall in love with him. That's problematic because she is a soc and he is a greaser, and their social classes don't mix. She couldn't be seen with him because he's a greaser.
What does Darry do to make Ponyboy realize that he loves and cares for him?
When they are reunited at the hospital, Darry starts to cry and says, "We thought we lost you. . . like we did Mom and Dad. . ."
What is the significance of the following quote? Who said it? What is the context?
"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold..."Why is the title of the book significant?
What does Cherry's not going to visit Johnny in the hospital say about her as a character?
Although she helped the greasers out as a spy, she cares about Bob too much to see Johnny in the hospital. Her true allegiance is with the socs because that is who she is at her core.
What is Sodapop's role in the feud between Darry and Ponyboy? How does he feel about his role and their feud? What lesson can we learn from them resolving their conflict?
He is caught in the middle of their arguments and he is sick of it. He thinks they needed to stop fighting. The text says, "We're all we've got left. We ought to be able to stick together against everything" (Hinton 176).
What is the symbolism of the church in relation to Johnny and Ponyboy's conflict?
It represents redemption, forgiveness and goodness. They are given a chance to redeem themselves when saved the kids from the burning church.