The Outsiders

Question 1

Opening.
What was Ponyboy’s first line of the book?

Answer 1

'’When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home’’

Question 2

Opening.
What was Ponyboy’s perspective of Sodapop?

Answer 2

'’happy go lucky and grinning’’

Question 3

Opening.
What was Ponyboy’s perspective of Darry?

Answer 3

'’hard and firm and rarely grins at all’’

Question 4

Opening.
How did he talk about the Greasers in comparison to the Socs?

Answer 4

'’We’re poorer than the Socs’’
‘‘I reckon we’re wilder too’’

Question 5

Opening.
When Ponyboy saw the Greasers approaching, how did he react?

Answer 5

'’I could feel my palms getting clammy’’

Question 6

Opening.
What threats did the Socs give to Ponyboy?

Answer 6

'’Need a haircut Greaser?’’
‘‘How’d you like that haircut to begin just below the chin?’’

Question 7

Opening.
When the gang arrived to save Ponyboy, how was Sodapop reassuring?

Answer 7

'’Easy, Ponyboy. They ain’t gonna hurt you no more’’

Question 8

Ponyboy (character dev).
Ponyboy met Cherry Valance. Ponyboy believed that socioeconomic status was a deciding factor in every situation but Cherry told him that…

Answer 8

'’Things are rough all over’’

Question 9

Ponyboy (character dev). The fountain scene.
Key turning point when Johnny killed a Soc. He was … and admitted that…

Answer 9

'’white as a ghost’’
‘‘I’ve killed that boy’’

Question 10

Ponyboy (character dev). The Church.
The 3 boys (Ponyboy, Johnny, Dally) saved kids from a fire. What did Johnny say before his death?

Answer 10

'’It’s worth saving those kids’’

Question 11

Ponyboy (character dev).
He became aware of the reality of life.

Answer 11

'’Suddenly it wasn’t only a personal thing to me. I could picture hundreds and hundreds of boys living on the wrong sides of cities’’

Question 12

Ponyboy (character dev).
He took on Johnny’s word and decided to…

Answer 12

'’stay gold’’

Question 13

Ending.
How did Sodapop admit his feelings about the struggles at home between Ponyboy and Darry?

Answer 13

'’I just can’t stand to see y’all fight’’
‘‘it’s like I’m the middleman in tug o’ war and I’m being split in half’’

Question 14

Ending.
Johnny was an inspiration for Ponyboy. How?

Answer 14

'’Theres still lots of good in the world’’
‘‘Someone should tell their side of the story’’

Question 15

Ending.
What was the final line of the book?

Answer 15

'’When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home’’

Question 16

Theme: Differences between rich and poor.
Cherry and Ponyboy share common interests. What was a symbol of shared humanity?

Answer 16

Sunsets.
‘‘Maybe the two worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset’’

Question 17

Theme: Differences between rich and poor. The rumble.
Before the rumble, Ponyboy questioned…

Answer 17

'’We’re Greasers, but not hoods, and we don’t belong with this bunch of conflicts’’

Question 18

Theme: Differences between rich and poor. The rumble.
What did Johnny say re. the rumble before he died?

Answer 18

'’Unless… fightings no good’’

Question 19

Theme: Differences between rich and poor.
By the end of the novel, Ponyboy had a new opinion.

Answer 19

'’I don’t hate the Socs no more’’