CHARACTERS
This Greaser fought for fun.
Sodapop
"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold."
Johnny
"It's a contest. Like a drag race or a dance or something."
Simile
This symbolizes: youth, childhood innocence, no parental authority.
Chocolate cake
Knowing that their descriptions are in the paper, Ponyboy and Johnny do this to disguise themselves.
Ponyboy cuts and dyes his hair. Johnny cuts his hair.
This is what Bob wanted.
Someone to tell him no/discipline him.
"Don't you know a rumble ain't a rumble unless I'm in it?"
Dally
"Soda was dead to the world."
Hyperbole
This symbolizes: identity and pride.
Two-Bit's switchblade
Ponyboy's hair
Because of this, Ponyboy finally realizes that Darry really does love him.
Darry cries at the hospital.
Greasers don't do this in front of strangers.
Cry
"You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want."
Johnny
"I'd die if I got my picture in the paper with my hair looking so lousy."
Hyperbole
This symbolizes: violence.
Bob's rings
This event causes Ponyboy to run away from home.
Darry slaps him.
According to Dally, this is the only way to get through life.
"You get tough like me and you don't get hurt. You look out for yourself and nothin' can touch you..."
"Sometimes I think it's the ones in the middle that are really the lucky ones."
Randy
"Sodapop kept them in stitches."
Idiom
This symbolizes: connection, common ground.
Sunsets
Because of this, Cherry refuses to see Johnny at the hospital.
He killed Bob.
Pony does this and shows us he'll never get tough.
Picks up the broken glass so no one gets a flat tire.
"You know the only thing that keeps Darry from being a Soc is us."
Two-Bit
"...clean shaven with semi-Beatle haircuts, wearing striped or checkered shirts."
Allusion
This symbolizes: socioeconomic status, social status, loss.
Mickey Mouse
These facts cause Darry to feel ashamed when he sees Paul Holden at the rumble.
Darry is a greaser and Darry never went to college.