The Outsiders
PART 1: PREDICTION
Read just the title of the poem. What general impressions do you have? What do you think it will be
about? What will be the general mood? Why do you think this?
When I first read the title of the poem Nothing Gold Can Stay I think it is going to be about how
good things can go away so easily, and how nothing can ever stay the same. The general mood
of the poem will be slow but at the same time inspiring.
Nothing Gold Can Stay
By: Robert Frost
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
PART 2: REACTION
What is your overall opinion of the poem? Why?
Overall, I think this poem is really good and inspiring because if you take time to really think
about it you will see it gives a great, strong message.
What lines stand out to you most? What does it make you think about?
The lines that stand out to me the most are:
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
This makes me think about how we should appreciate what we have because one day it can all go away.
PART 3: CLOSE READ ANALYSIS
What does the color green symbolize?
Plants, trees.
What does the color gold symbolize?
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Beautiful, strong, best.
Who or what does the poem refer to when it says “her”? How do you know?
Its using personification on the plant.
What type(s) of figurative language do you notice in these lines?
Personification, metaphor.
What do you think the speaker means by “early leaf”?
It came before others.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
What does a flower symbolize?
Growth.
What comment is the speaker making about time?
It’s passing really fast.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
What does the author most likely mean by “subside”? What tone does this
word create?
It calms down.
What do you think “Eden” refers to?
The garden became abandoned.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Why might Robert Frost have decided to make this reference in this poem?
Because it may refer back to a mistake they never thought would happen.
What mood or feeling does this image create?
Sad, inspiring.
What is the message that the speaker seems to be communicating here?
Nothing gold can stay.
Things don’t last long enough; they might be gone before you know it.
PART 4: DISCUSSION
Why does the author include the word “gold” in the title, line 1, and line 8? What purpose
does it serve?
The purpose of comparing it to gold says it is beautiful, and it stands out amongst others.
Select the three most important words in the poem. Why did you choose each of these?
(These words do not have to be in order of importance)
Flower
Gold
Subsides
What feelings or emotions does this poem create? How does the author create this mood?
The emotion that this poem creates is, sad and unfortunate he creates this mood by using
lots of hard and strong words to support his point.
What is the theme or message of this poem? Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
The theme of this poem is Adam and Eves garden. I do agree with it because they never
knew what a mistake could change.
How does the theme or message of the poem connect to Johnny and Ponyboy’s situation in
The Outsiders? What is the context (what is going on in the book at this point? Why is the
poem referenced at this point in the story?
That in the book, Johnny and Ponyboy never expected this to happen but then one thing led
to another and before they knew it Johnny had murdered a Socs and they were in the run.