Outsider Quotes Flashcards
The Opening/Ending
The opening, introducing Ponyboy’s character and personality. Stands out uniquely informal. Also ending shows circular narrative.
“When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.”
Character Ponyboy-Meek
Introducing the theme of an outsider early on. Paints greasers as the outcasts through Ponyboy’s eyes.
“I’m different that way.”
Theme: Loyalty
Theme of loyalty and interdependence between the gang. Shows the bond of understanding between the gang.
“When you grow up in a tight-knit neighbourhood like ours you get to know each other real well.”
Theme: Senseless Conflict
Introduces social divide and the theme of senseless of conflict.
“They’ve got all the breaks and even whipping them isn’t going to change that fact.”
Key Scene: Bobs killing
Foreshadows Bob’s killing, show’s Johnny as a meek and marginalised.
“carried in his back pocket a six-inch switchblade. He’d use it, too, if he ever got jumped again.”
Theme: Economic based predjudice
Key theme, repeated phrase, shows the Soc’s point of view.
“Things are rough all over.”
Theme: Conflict
shows the problems faced by the two classes.
“You don’t feel anything and we feel too violently.”
Theme: Relationship of Johnny and Ponyboy
Very strong friendship, shows there understanding and ability to depend upon each other. Introduces the key relationship between Johnny and Ponyboy.
“Johnny and I understood each other without saying anything.”
Theme: Senseless Conflict
Ponyboy’s reflection on the senseless of conflict and his own predjudice. Mabye the Soc’s and the Greasers aren’t so different.
“We saw the same sunset.”
Theme: Economic based predjudice
Dont be prejuidice, we all have problems, we all have dreams and the Soc’s aren’t so sterotypical and violent.
“Just don’t forget that some of us watch the sunset too.”
Theme: relationship of Darry and Ponyboy
Friction between the tight-knit relationship of the brothers. Darry-Ponyboy.
“Can’t you use your head?”
Symbol-greasy hair
“It was my pride.”
“Our hair was tuff.”
“It was our trademark.”
Symbol-Robert Frost’s poem
Literary allusion is seen in the symbol of Robert Frost’s poem. It tells us that our youth is gold and like the sunset preservation of childhood innocence will inevitably end.
“Nothing gold can stay.”
Theme: Economic Predjudice
Shows that Greasers aren’t all hoods and shouldn’t be judged as such.
“Y’all were heroes from the beginning.”
Ponyboy-loyalty.
He tries to go back and save Johnny from the church. Uses juxtaposition “peaceful darkness.”
“Then I heard Johnny scream, and as I turned to go back for him, Dally swore at me”
Theme: Family relationship of Darry and Ponyboy
Shows the strength of family and Darry and Ponyboy understanding each other.
“Darry did care about me, mabye as much as he cared about Soda, and because he cared he was trying to make something out of me.”
Theme: Economic based prejudice
Shows that there shouldn’t be an economic based prejudice.
“‘Greaser’ didn’t have anything to do with it.”
Theme: Economic based prejudice
What matters is on the inside.
“It’s the individual.”
Theme: Individuality
Those who accept who they are individually become happy. You can only play with the cards you are given.
“Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs. Sometimes I think it’s the ones in the middle that are really the lucky stiffs.”
Theme: Family and loylalty.
They need Johnny. A supportive relationship that Ponyboy doesn’t think he can do without.
“We needed Johnny as much as he needed the gang.”
Theme: Economic based predjudice.
Economic inequality. Sense of pride in greasers that can’t be quenched
“Don’t you ever try to give us handouts and then feel high and mighty about it.”
Theme: Economic based predjudice
The two worlds are not so different. The prejudice has no basis.
“‘Can you see the sunset real good from the West Side?’
She blinked startled, then smiled. ‘Real good.’
‘You can see it good from the East Side, too’
Theme: Senseless violence
Ponyboy reflecting on why people fight and that he only fights in self defence.
“Soda fought for fun, Steve for hatred, Darry for pride, and Two-Bit for conformity. Why do I fight? I thought, and couldn’t think of any real good reason. There isn’t any real good reason for fighting except self-defense.”
Theme: Individuality
Ponyboy is different he is no hood and a child with his whole future ahead of him.
“We’re greasers but not hoods, and we don’t belong with this bunch of future convicts.”
Theme: Economic based predjudice
Looks can be deceiving, don’t judge people by their looks.
“We look hoody and they look decent.”
“but people usually go by looks.”
Theme: Senseless violence
Shows how conflict divides people. Ponyboy’s sadness towards the senslessness of violence. Prejudice has resulted in the loss of friendhip and senseless violence.
“They used to be friends, and now they hate each other because one has to work for a living and the other comes from the West side.”
Key Scene: Johnny dies
Refering to Robert Frost’s poem and the innocence and purity of Ponyboy.
“Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…”
Key Scene: Dally dies
Shows death of Dally.
“Even as I begged silently-please not him…not him and Johnny both-I knew he would be dead, because Dally Winston wanted to be dead and he always got what he wanted.”
Key Scene: Dally dies and also a theme of inevitability
How did Dally die?
“Dally didn’t die a hero. He died violent and young and desperate, just like we all knew he’d die someday.” “He died gallant”
Theme: Family relationship between Darry and Ponyboy
Introduces friction between Darry and Ponyboy
“You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home.”
Theme: Loyalty
Shows theme of loyalty in Dally
“But he just took the sentence without battin’ an eye or even denyin’ it. That’s gallant.”
Character Ponyboy: Naive and innocent
Shows ponyboy’s innocence and naivety.
“Johnny was dead. But he wasn’t. That still body back in the hospital wasn’t Johnny.”
Theme: Economic based prejudice
Reveals author’s message of not judging people by looks.
“Someone should tell their side of the story, and mabye people would understand then and wouldn’t be so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wore. It was important to me.”
Symbol-blue mustang
“The blue Mustang was circling the park slowly.”
Key Scene: Bob’s killing
“‘I killed him,’ he said slowly. ‘I killed that boy’”
Theme: Family relationship of Darry and Ponyboy
“Darry thought I was just another mouth to feed and somebody to holler at. Darry love me?”
Theme: Family relationship of Darry and Ponyboy
First proof that Darry does love Ponyboy
“Kid you ought to see Darry. He’s takin’ this mighty hard.”
Key scene: Johnny dies and senseless violence
“Useless…fighting’s no good”
