The Outsiders
Pre-requisite: Research the following elements to establish a clear background to the story: 1967
- Popular music and dances
- Movies and idols (Paul Newman, Easy Rider…)
- Fads and technology (fad = something (such as an interest or fashion) that is very popular for a short
time)
- Popular food and entertainment
Main topics:
Growing up / teenage hood / friendship
Social issues (man vs society, social prejudices, rich vs poor …)
“The individual” vs “the group”
Chapter one
1. Who is the main character? Who does he live with and why? We only learn the name of the main
character p6, why?
2. What are the differences between Greasers and Socs?
3. Who were the other members of Pony’s gang? (precise relevant details)
4. What happened to Pony on his way home from the movies?
5. Describe the relationship between Pony and his brothers?
6. To what extent was Darry a “father figure”?
7. How did Ponyboy react to what Sodapop told him about Darry?
8. How is p12 important to understand the notion of “gang”?
9. How do you understand what Ponyboy says in the last line of chapter one?
Chapter two
1. What was the “fuzz”?
2. What happened at the drive-in? Who were the girls?
3. About the boys, Cherry said: “You’ve seen too much to be innocent. Just not … dirty.” How do you
understand that? P26
4. Why were the girls alone at the drive-in?
5. What happened to Johnny?
Chapter three
1. What other perception of the Socs is shared by Cherry?
2. Who were Randy and Bob?
3. How do pages 42 and 43 complete the portrait of the Greasers?
4. Why didn’t they fight?
5. Why is the countryside appealing to Johnny?
6. What happened when Pony went back home?
7. What was Johnny’s reaction when Pony told him what had just happened?
8. In literature, how do you call that last line?
Chapter four
1. What is implied by Ponyboy when he says the socs were “staggering” and they “were reeling pickled”?
2. What can you guess when Bob’s ring is mentioned?
3. What happened?
4. Can you remember a foreshadowing element about that in chapter 2?
5. Why do they go to Dally’s? What did he advise them to do?
6. What is possibly implied by the last paragraph, p 63?
7. The farmer said “Boys will be boys”. How do you understand that?
Chapter five
1. What’s the problem with Pony’s hair?
2. Third paragraph p 74. Can you spot a grammar mistake? What’s the purpose of this mistake?
3. Find a brief summary of Gone with the Wind. Can you understand Johnny’s interest in that book? What
about the link with Dallas?
4. How do you understand the poem p 77?
5. What pieces of news does Dallas bring from town?
6. Who’s the spy for the Greasers? Does that surprise you?
Chapter six
1. Why does Cherry feel responsible?
2. Who cared about the boys in town?
3. P 90 What may have caused the fire?
4. Which echo from chapter 3 (p47) can be found when Pony is inside the Church?
5. P92 “he didn’t look defeated”. Why?
6. How badly were they injured?
7. What revelation does Pony have when he sees his brothers?
8. In your opinion, are they really heroes?
Chapter seven
1. Why would being crippled be worse for Johnny than for someone else?
2. P114.115 What do Socs think about the Greasers?
3. P116 How does Bob’s portrait complete or differ from what has been said before?
Chapter eight
1. In all that chapter, the notion of family vs friendship is highlighted again: “We needed Jonny as much as
he needed the gang. And for the same reasons…” ; “We could get along with anyone but Johnny…”.
Explain.
2. Why could Darry be a Soc?
Chapter nine
1. What is the purpose of the rumble?
2. What is Pony’s opinion about violence and fights?
3. How do pp148.149 stir more drama again? Why does Johnny tell Pony to “stay gold”?
Chapter ten
1. What can you say about Dally’s death?
2. How is p 158 an echo of both Johnny and Dally’s portraits?
Chapter eleven
1. What does Pony realise when he flips through Soda’s old yearbook?
2. How does Randy’s fear of what may happen with the judge differ from what Pony fears?
Chapter twelve
1. P170 What circumstances does the teacher refer to?
2. Why doesn’t Pony feel scared when the Socs approach him and he threatens them with a broken bottle?
3. What does Pony end up doing for his English assignment?
