The Outsiders Reading Guide
Name:_____________________
Hour: _______
Chapters 6-9
1. Why does Johnny decide to turn himself in to the police? (Give 2 reasons)
2. What do Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally do when they discover that the church is on fire?
3. Why is Ponyboy surprised at how Jerry Wood treats him?
4. What do the newspapers report about the fire and the three Greasers who were on the scene? (Give 2
examples)
5. What is Johnny’s reaction to the seriousness injuries? How has this changed his view on life? (Explain)
6. What were the different reasons each character gave as to why they fought?
Soda: ____________________ Steve: __________________ Darry: ___________________
Two-Bit: ___________________
Ponyboy: _________________
7. What advice does Dallas give Ponyboy on the way to the hospital?
8. What advice does Johnny give Ponyboy? What do you think Johnny means?
Symbols
A symbol is an object that stands for or represents another object or idea. Read and think about each
question below. Circle the letter of the phrase that best answers each question. Then write your reason for
responding as you did.
1. What did Mickey Mouse symbolize in Ponyboy’s mind?
a. the loss of what Sodapop really loved and wanted
b. the advantages enjoyed by the Socs
c. Sodapop’s athletic ability
Reason for choice: ____________________________________________________
2. What did Corvairs and Mustangs represent to the Greasers?
a. the Socs’ contempt for the Greasers?
b. The power of the Socs
c. The wealth of the Socs’ families
Reason for choice: ____________________________________________________
3. What did sunsets represent for Ponyboy and Cherry?
a. Dally’s anger and wildness
b. The fire at the church
c. Something that could be shared by Socs and Greasers
Reason for choice: ____________________________________________________
4. What did the confederate soldiers in Gone with the Wind represent to Johnny?
a. a kind of gallantry on Dally’s part
b. the evils of war
c. a fear of authority and death
Reason for choice: ____________________________________________________
5. What did their long, well-oiled hair symbolize to the Greasers?
a. pride in their good looks
b. dread of barbers
c. their identity as a unique group of people
Reason for choice: ____________________________________________________
Flashback
Most of the events in The Outsiders are presented in the order in which they happened. However, the sequence is
interrupted at two points in the story when Ponyboy describes incidents that took place sometime in the past to Johnny
and Soda. Briefly describe each incident and tell what you learn more about each character from the flashback.
(Inference)
Johnny:
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Sodapop:
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Following the Characters (Chapters 6-9)
Below: Circle three quotes and also explain what we learn about a character or situation from the book.
Chapter 7: “He kept trying to make someone say ‘No’ and they never did. That was what he wanted. For
someone to tell him ‘No.’ To have somebody lay down the law, set the limits, give him something solid to stand
on. That’s what we all want, really.”
[Randy]
Chapter 7: “You can’t win, even if you whip us. You’ll still be where you were before- at the bottom. And we’ll
still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn’t do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn’t
prove a thing. We’ll forget it if you win, or if you don’t. Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be
Socs.” [Randy]
Chapter 8: You know, the only thing that keeps Darry from being a Soc is us.” [Two-Bit]
Chapter 8: “That’s why people don’t ever think to blame the Socs and are always ready to jump on us. We
look hoody and they look decent. It could just be the other way around- half of the hoods I know are pretty
decent guys underneath all that grease, and from what I’ve heard, a lot of Socs are just cold-blooded meanbut people usually go by looks.” [Ponyboy]
Chapter 9: “You’d better wise up, Ponyboy…you get tough like me and you don’t get hurt. You look out for
yourself and nothin’ can touch you…” [Dallas]
Quote 1:
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Quote 2:
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Quote 3:
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Follow the Theme: Write your thematic statement you chose from chapters 1-3. Write two details from
the text that supports the theme from chapters 6-9. Then explain how your details tie into your theme.
Thematic Statement: __________________________________________________________________
Detail 1: ____________________________________________________________________________
Detail 2: ____________________________________________________________________________
How do your details tie into your theme? Explain
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