PLOT
What causes the Socs to attack the boys at the park?
Pony and Johnny were with Cherry and Marcia; Bob and Randy were jealous.
What are two words to describe Ponyboy?
Kind, smart, sensitive, loyal, perceptive, brave…
How does the novel show that everyone struggles, not just the Greasers?
Even Socs like Cherry and Randy have problems too.
What point of view is used to tell the story?
irst person (Ponyboy narrates).
What book do Pony and Johnny read while hiding?
Gone With the Wind
What is the name of the mountain where Ponyboy and Johnny hide out?
Jay Mountain
Why didn’t Darry go to college?
He stayed home to support his brothers.
What is the biggest source of Johnny’s pain in life?
His parents – he feels unloved and abused.
What specific line does Cherry say that Ponyboy has trouble believing?
“Things are rough all over.”
Name one of the cars mentioned in the book.
Red Corvair, blue Mustang, Sting Ray
What is the name of the town Johnny and Ponyboy run away to?
Windrixville
Which Greaser acts tough but is emotionally broken inside?
Dally – hardened by life, but deeply cares about Johnny.
What does Johnny think Dally has never really noticed?
A sunset
What were Johnny’s final words to Ponyboy?
“Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.”
What happened to Soda’s girlfriend, Sandy?
She moved to Florida, likely pregnant.
What is the reason for the conflict between the Socs and the Greasers?
Social class – the rich vs. the poor.
How does Johnny change after saving the kids from the fire?
He gains confidence and sees himself as heroic and worthy.
What do Cherry and Ponyboy say is the main difference between Socs and Greasers?
Socs feel nothing; Greasers feel too much.
“You get tough like me and you don’t get hurt.” What does this show about Dally’s character?
He believes emotion is weakness; his toughness is a shield
In what decade is The Outsiders set?
The 1960s
What does Ponyboy’s interest in books and sunsets reveal about him?
He’s sensitive, thoughtful, and different from typical Greasers.
What does Randy reveal about Bob?
Randy says Bob was lost, spoiled, and just wanted someone to tell him “no.”
What are Johnny’s thoughts on “Nothing Gold Can Stay”?
“You’re gold when you’re a kid… everything’s new.”
What is the first and last line of the novel? Why is it important?
“When I stepped out into the sunlight...” – it frames the story as Ponyboy’s reflection and writing process
How old was S.E. Hinton when she wrote The Outsiders?
19