Outsiders Review

Ponyboy said

100

 "I lie to myself all the time." Who says this, and what does this reveal about his internal struggle?

• (Answer: Ponyboy; shows he copes by denying painful realities.)

200

Identify the speaker and explain: "Things were rough all over, but it was better that way."  

(Answer: Ponyboy; recognizes universal problems and empathy between groups.)

300

In Chapter 1, Ponyboy compares sunsets for Greasers and Socs. What idea does he express about sunsets?  

(Answer: That sunsets are the same for both groups, showing shared humanity.)

400

After the church rescue, how does Ponyboy’s narration show a shift in how people view Johnny and Dally? Give two chapter-based reasons drawn from events in Chapters 1–6.

• Reason 1: The rescue of children from the burning church causes people to recognize Johnny’s bravery instead of only seeing his fearful past (Chapter 6: the boys rescue children; public reaction changes).
• Reason 2: Dally’s involvement in helping and worrying about Johnny during and after the rescue highlights his protective side, so others begin to see him less as just a troublemaker (Chapters 5–6: Dally supports the boys and reacts strongly after the fire).

500

What's Mr. Breitner's favorite football team?

the Chicago Bears

Point of View

100

What point of view does S.E. Hinton use in Chapters 1–6? 

(Answer: First-person point of view — Ponyboy narrates.)

200

Give one way this first-person POV limits what readers know in Chapters 1–6.  

(Answer: Readers only learn events and thoughts that Ponyboy experiences or is told about, e.g., we don't know all characters' private thoughts.)

300

Explain how Ponyboy’s narration in Chapter 6 affects what we learn about Johnny’s feelings after the rescue.  

(Answer: Ponyboy describes Johnny as quiet and shaken, so readers infer Johnny's guilt and exhaustion through Ponyboy’s observations rather than direct statements from Johnny.)

400

Question (short answer): Explain two ways the first-person point of view (Ponyboy’s narration) increases suspense in the aftermath of the park fight and while Ponyboy and Johnny hide in the church. Use only events from Chapters 1–6.

• Way 1: After the park fight (Chapter 4), Ponyboy does not know how authorities or others will respond to Bob’s death, and readers share that uncertainty, increasing tension.
• Way 2: While hiding in the abandoned church (Chapters 5–6), Ponyboy cannot predict when they will be discovered or how Johnny’s condition will change, which keeps the situation suspenseful.

500

Name two of Mr. Breitner's cats

JD, Barry, Piper, or Indie

Flashbacks!

100

What past event about Johnny is revealed in Chapter 2 that explains part of his fear?  

(Answer: Johnny was badly beaten by a group of Socs, which left him traumatized.)

200

How does the memory of the beating affect Johnny’s actions in Chapter 4?  

(Answer: It helps explain why Johnny is terrified during the park attack and why he reacts to protect Ponyboy.)

300

In Chapters 5–6, how do memories or reflections while hiding in the church influence Ponyboy? Provide one explicit example.  

(Answer: Ponyboy reads and thinks about the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay," which makes him reflect on innocence and change.)

400

In Chapter 2 Ponyboy recounts Johnny’s earlier beating by the Socs. How does that flashback affect readers’ interpretation of Johnny’s action when he kills Bob in Chapter 4? A. It makes Johnny’s action appear aggressive and planned. B. It helps readers understand Johnny acted from fear and trauma. C. It shows Johnny wanted revenge against all Socs. D. It implies Johnny had no reason to act as he did.  

Answer: B — It helps readers understand Johnny acted from fear and trauma.

500

What college did your teacher attend?

UCF

Figurative Language

100

Identify the device: "Soda attracted girls like honey draws flies."

(Answer: Simile — compares Soda’s attractiveness to honey drawing flies.)

200

What poem does Ponyboy recite in Chapter 5 that serves as a symbol, and what does it symbolize in Chapters 1–6?  

(Answer: "Nothing Gold Can Stay" — it symbolizes fleeting innocence and beauty.)

300

Identify the device when Ponyboy describes Johnny's eyes as "calm, dark pools."  

(Answer: Metaphor — comparing eyes to pools.)

400

The poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" appears in the chapters you’re reviewing. What theme from Chapters 1–6 does that poem most explicitly emphasize? A. The Greasers will become wealthy. B. Innocence and beauty are temporary. C. Nature is more important than people. D. Violence always leads to reward.

Answer: B — Innocence and beauty are temporary.

500

What sport does your teacher coach here at Bryson?

Softball

Summarize it!

100

One-sentence objective summary of Chapter 1.  

(Answer: Ponyboy introduces the Greasers and the Socs, his family situation, and gets jumped.)

200

Two-sentence summary of why Ponyboy and Johnny leave town in Chapter 4.  

(Answer: After Johnny kills Bob while defending Ponyboy, the boys fear being arrested, so they run away and hide in an abandoned church.)

300

Two-sentence summary of what happens in Chapter 6.  

(Answer: Ponyboy and Johnny rescue children from the burning church; Johnny is badly hurt and later decides to turn himself in.)

400

3-sentence objective summary of Chapters 1–6 that includes the inciting incident, the immediate consequence, and the rescue.

• Sentence 1 (inciting incident): Tension between the Greasers and Socs rises, and during a confrontation in Chapter 4 Johnny kills Bob while defending Ponyboy.
• Sentence 2 (immediate consequence): Fearing arrest, Ponyboy and Johnny run away and hide in an abandoned church.
• Sentence 3 (rescue): When the church catches fire, Ponyboy and Johnny rescue trapped children, resulting in Johnny’s serious injury and public attention to their actions (Chapter 6).

500

What's Mr. Breitner's favorite book of all time?

A Walk to Remember 

Project Hail Mary