7th grade Outsiders

Question 1

What does stay gold mean?

Answer 1

Stay gold means to stay young, happy, and innocent. It also means to always do the right thing.

Question 2

Discuss when a greaser is alone vs when they are a group.

Answer 2

When they’re alone, they’re most likely to get jumped by the Socs because they are only one person compared to a whole group. When the Greasers are in groups, they’re less likely to get jumped because they are more intimidating and powerful together.

Question 3

When does Ponyboy realize that Darry loves him?

Answer 3

Ponyboy realizes Darry loves him at the hospital when he starts crying after he sees Ponyboy again. The story stated that Darry did not even cry at parents ‘ funeral, but when they reunited, his emotions broke out.

Question 4

How was Pony and Darry’s relationship before?

Answer 4

They weren’t close before because Darry took the role of their father, because both their parents died. He was very strict to Ponyboy, mainly about his grades and not doing enough. Even though Ponyboy didn’t realize it, Darry wanted the best for him.

Question 5

Describe the main conflict in the novel? Does it get resolved? How? Why or why not?

Answer 5

Describe the main conflict in the novel? Does it get resolved? How? Why or why not?

Question 6

Who spies for the Greasers? Why?

Answer 6

Cherry spies for the Greasers and figures out what the Socs are doing. This is because she wants to do whatever it takes to end the fighting between the two gangs.

Question 7

What does Darry do to Ponyboy when he comes home late? How does Pony react? How does Darry react to his own actions?

Answer 7

When Ponyboy gets home late Darry starts to yell at him, telling him that he was really close to calling the police which would have meant they would’ve ended up taking him away. Darry is so angry with Pony that he ends up hitting him and Ponyboy is so upset that he runs back to the lot where Johnny was. Because of this, Darry feels bad for how he reacted and starts to yell for Pony to come back.

Question 8

Discuss the theme of delinquents vs. heroes. Discuss the symbol of rings (the rings on the boy’s hand who beat up Johnny) and explain to whom (Johnny) they have meaning.

Answer 8

The theme of delinquents vs heroes is\
the constant battle of the Greasers and Socs, they both think that they are the heroes. The symbol of the rings represents a physical form of wealth and power. This gives Johnny flashbacks of when he got beat up by Bob and the three rings he uses as weapons.

Question 9

What reasons does Johnny give for turning himself in? How is Cherry helping him clear his name?

Answer 9

The reasons Johnny lists for turning himself in are that he doesn’t want to spend his whole life hiding, it isn’t fair that Ponyboy had to suffer because of something he did, he’s ready to face his future, and he knows that he will be let off easily because he does not have a record and was only acting in self-defense. Cherry is helping Johnny clear his name by being willing to testify that the Socs were drunk that night and that Johnny only acted in self-defense.

Question 10

Describe the theme “ Honor Amongst Thieves?”

Answer 10

Honor between people who aren’t honored by others themselves. For Example, people don’t honor thieves but people who are thieves honor other thieves. It is their code of the street, to stay together and be loyal to each other.

Question 11

Are the Greasers honorable to each other? Explain?

Answer 11

The Greasers are honorable to each other because they have grown up together and they stick up and fight for each other. Even when they could get in trouble they act as family.

Question 12

Why does Ponyboy like to go to the movies alone and read?

Answer 12

He likes to go to the movies and read alone because he likes to get immersed in the book or movie. None of the other greasers would be interested.

Question 13

How does Dally’s past play into it? What is his past?

Answer 13

When Dally lived in New York he was always getting into trouble way more than where they live now. He is scared of his experiences in New York and his personality living as a greaser is tougher than the others because of it.

Question 14

How do Steve + Soda differ on having Pony go out with them?

Answer 14

Steve thinks about Ponyboy as if he is just a child who doesn’t know anything about life. Steve doesn’t want Ponyboy to tag alone when Soda is Steve and hanging out with each other. On the other hand Soda (Ponyboy’s brother) likes Ponyboy and takes care of him and gets along well with him.

Question 15

What is Darry’s role now that the parents are gone?

Answer 15

Legal Guardian. Darry has to be the one who makes money to keep up the house and has to take care of his brothers like a father. He has to get more jobs and grow more distant to ponyboy.

Question 16

What is a legal guardianship? What happens if they get in trouble?

Answer 16

A legal guardianship is a person who has been appointed by a court who has the legal power to make personal and property decisions on another person who is deemed incompetent to make their own decisions, like a child. Darry has the legal guardianship of Ponyboy and Sodapop. If Ponyboy or Soda get in trouble with the police then they will be separated since Ponyboy would be put in a home.

Question 17

Describe the conflict of man vs society.

Answer 17

Society establishes the conflict between the socs and the greasers, they fight because that is what society demands. Ponyboy is in conflict with society as he isn’t a tough greaser or a rich soc, and he is troubled with who he is supposed to be. The greasers being shunned away by the socs shows the effect of society on the city.

Question 18

What effect on Ponyboy does society have? How do they see him + the greasers?

Answer 18

Ponyboy is too sensitive to be a greaser and is stuck with who he is. Him being in the lower class leads to him being treated wrongly and he is surrounded by tragedies and criminals. Society views ponyboy and the greasers as poor criminals who deserve to be treated badly. They view them as a danger and mistreat them.

Question 19

Why does Johnny kill Bob?

Answer 19

Johnny kills Bob because the Socs are drowning Ponyboy, and is afraid that they will kill Ponyboy in the fountain, so he gets up and stabs one of the Socs; Bob. Johnny also feared they would beat him up after they had “finished” with Ponyboy. Johnny got jumped by the Socs before and it was a terrible event. Johnny had thought that the trauma of the past beat-up would come back to him and be a repeat.

Question 20

Where did they, as in Ponyboy and Johnny, run away to?

Answer 20

After the incident with Johnny killing Bob, both greasers gravitated to Dally. Dally advised them to get on the next train and run away to the abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain.

Question 21

Describe, in detail, their hideout.

Answer 21

Ponyboy and Johnny’s hideout was an old abandoned church on Jay Mountain. The church was overwhelmed with dust, cobwebs, and dirt. The environment was old and vacant.

Question 22

Why are Dally and Johnny so much closer than Dally and any other greaser? What is their connection?

Answer 22

Although they have different personalities, Dally and Johnny are close because they live similar lives. Since they both have neglectful parents, which is why they value their lives so little, they can relate to each other in a way that no other greaser ever could.

Question 23

What type of person is Bob according to Randy?

Answer 23

According to Randy, Bob’s best friend, Bob was a spoiled rich kid who’s never had to work for anything.

Question 24

What does Randy say caused Bob to become spoiled and looking for attention?

Answer 24

He thought his parents had given him his whole life and never set any boundaries for him, letting him run wild.

Question 25

What does Soda’s letter to Pony reveal about their relationship?

Answer 25

The contents of Soda’s letter to Pony reveal that Soda is very worried about Pony and misses him very much. It also shows that Soda doesn’t care about whatever Pony has done, he just wants him to come home. It also shows that Pony and Soda have a very close relationship, and love each other for who they are.

Question 26

How is that different from Pony’s relationship with Darry?

Answer 26

Soda and Pony’s relationship is different than Darry and Pony’s relationship because Darry is more of a father figure towards Pony and expects too much from Pony, whereas Soda just wants Pony to be himself and acts like his brother rather than his father.

Question 27

Is Randy right when he says that whoever wins the rumble the conflict will never end or change?

Answer 27

Randy is correct because even if they fight it out, the Socs will still act like jerks and bullies towards the Greasers, and the Greasers will continue to fight the Socs just like they have been doing for years.

Question 28

Discuss the THEME of the identity that defines each group, behavior, looks, and money.

Answer 28

The Socs wear expensive clothes and drive expensive cars. They also try to hurt/go against the Greasers and get drunk most of the time because they have nothing else to do (they are rich and have so much free time). The Greasers, on the other hand, wear worn tanks and jeans. They also steal money because they are so poor. Most of the Greasers either have abusive parents, no parents, or neglective parents. This entails the fact that the Greasers don’t have it so easy in life.

Question 29

Why does Soda say “We’re all we got left. Please don’t fight anymore”?

Answer 29

He says this because he doesn’t want them fighting because they have no one else to turn to besides each other.

Question 30

What triggered that comment?

Answer 30

Darry and Ponyboy’s fighting triggered the comment. He was always in the middle of all the fighting and wanted it to stop

Question 31

Discuss the theme of Innocence. Staying innocent - how does that change - what effects it + makes it change

Answer 31

The theme of innocence is to show that you should preserve childhood. This is because Ponyboy is wasting his childhood by joining rumbles. He was innocent and was good in school and liked to read and watch sunsets.

Question 32

Discuss the symbol of Two-Bits knife.

Answer 32

It shows that the greasers don’t follow authority and this is because the knife is not only stolen but used to hurt people.

Question 33

Why doesn’t Randy want to show up for the rumble?

Answer 33

He knows people get really hurt or sometimes killed and since nothing will really change and socs will still be socs and greasers will still be greasers, there is no point in fighting.

Question 34

Who wins the Rumble? Do you think all of their troubles are now over?

Answer 34

The Greasers win the rumble. Their troubles are not over just because of one fight, they will still continue on.

Question 35

Why was it hard for Johnny and Pony to change their identities?

Answer 35

It was hard for Johnny and Pony to change their appearances because this was how they identified themselves and set them apart from the socs and the other members of their gang and community, and this was their identity.

Question 36

What are their identities? What defines who greasers and socs are?

Answer 36

Greasers are known as ‘hoods’ and socs are the rich kids with good reputations. Socs are defined by nice clothing, expensive cars. The greasers are defined by grungy clothes like motorcycle jackets, and greasy hair. The greasers are poor, and the socs are born wealthy. They are enemies because the socs hate the greasers.

Question 37

When does Dally really start to crack? How do events unfold that lead him to his death?

Answer 37

We start to see Dally crack after Johnny dies when he rips up a magazine and steals cash from astore. The store owner called the cops after shooting Dally. Dally, unharmed from the first shot, kept on running. He ended up getting cornered by the shots and got shot multiple times. These were the events that led up to Dally’s death.

Question 38

How can things be rough when you are rich? What kind of issues can you have? Are they the same as the poor people?

Answer 38

Just because you’re rich doesn’t mesan that all of your problems are solved. Sure, you may never run into problems such as running out of money to spend- but you could have problems mentally and socially. For example a rich person could have every material thing they could have but they do not have a good relationship with any of their friends. Rich people could run into problems like their friends using them to get what they want. Rich people often have a hard time finding true friends because of this. These problems are not the same as poor people. Poor people have problems trying to afford things and necessities, and poor people usually have a community or family to stick close to to survive.

Question 39

What does Johnny mean when he says that 16 years is not enough?

Answer 39

It means that he has not had the full life experience and he has not done what he wants to do. He thinks that there are so many things left in life for him to experience, and so many actions and deeds that he would have liked to do.