The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Comprehension Questions: Chapters 5-8
CHAPTER 5:
1. Do you think hiding out was the best thing for Johnny and Ponyboy to do? Why or why not? They are wanted and they don't want to go to jail. Johnny could get hurt with retalliation by the Socs.
2. What did Johnny admire about Dally? Johnny admires his cursing.
3. Why did the boys cut their hair? Does the length of hair mean much to the boys? Is it important to you? To adults you know? It's a disguise, the hair signifies that they are Greasers. My hair isn't THAT important to me because it is usually short and i don't need to worry about it.
4. Based on the supplies Johnny collected, what can you conclude about Johnny? Johnny is resourceful, he plans on doing this for a long time, maybe he has ran away before and he knows what to do.
5. Do you think crying helped the boys or made them weaker? Why? It's not a sign of weakness because sometimes you need to let some tears out.
6. What do you think the poem by Robert Frost on page 77 means? What do you think Frost is describing? Why do you think Ponyboy remembered this poem? Everything changes and nothing can stay perfect like gold. He doesn't understand it.
7. What is another word for “heater”? Gun
8. Do you think Ponyboy and Johnny will ever be able to go home again? Why or why not? They are young and homesick and they need someone to care for them and love them, and to feed them three meals a day.
9. How does Johnny write a note to Ponyboy? He writes a letter in the dust.
10. What is the one thing the Greasers are proud of? Hair
11. How do Johnny and Ponyboy pass the time? They read "Gone with the Wind", they play poker, and they smoke.
12. Who comes to visit Johnny and Ponyboy? Dally
13. Where do the police think Johnny and Ponyboy have gone? They think that they went to Texas.
14. Who is spying on the Socs for the Greasers? Cherry is spying on them.
CHAPTER 6:
1. Why do you think Cherry chose to associate with – and later help – Johnny and Ponyboy? Is she a spy? She likes Johnny and Ponyboy, she thinks that it's her fault for their injuries, she is a spy for the Greasers.
2. Why do you think Johnny decided they should turn themselves in? They can't hide forever, it's the right thing to do, they might get let off easy.
3. What did Ponyboy learn about Dally? He may not care about his family but he cares about Johnny and Ponyboy.
4. Would you say Ponyboy and Johnny are heroes? Why or why not? They still saved the kids and each other from the fire.
5. Why wouldn’t Dally go into the church for the kids, but he did go in for Johnny? Johnny is his little brother and he cares about him.
6. When they are at Dairy Queen, what does Johnny tell Dally he is going to do? He says that he is going to turn himself in to the police.
7. How have Johnny’s parents reacted to his running away? They haven't reacted and they don't care if he is missing or hurt.
8. What do the boys see when they reach the top of Jay Mountain? The church is on fire and some kids are missing.
9. When is the only time Ponyboy can remember seeing Johnny without a defeated, suspicious look in his eyes? When they are in the building saving the kids.
10. How does Dally get burned? He pulls Johnny out of the building.
11. How does Johnny get hurt? A beam lands on him when he pushed Ponyboy out of the way.
12. What does Darry do when he sees Ponyboy in the hospital? He starts crying, he doesn't say anything.
13. At the hospital Ponyboy realizes that Darry really cares for him. Why has Darry been so hard on Ponyboy in the past? He wants him to have a better life than him.
CHAPTER 7:
1. How were the boys injured? Why could they be considered heroes? They are burned and bruised, Johnny has burns that are so severe that he might not survive, Ponyboy doesn't have severe injuries. They saved the little kids from the fire.
2. What additional problems did the brother face after Ponyboy’s return? Johnny might die, the brothers might be separated from each other.
3. What did Randy say kids want from parents? Do you agree or would you add some other points? They want parents to say no to them, to care for them and to have limits for them. I agree because parents are supposed to care for children.
4. Why are Ponyboy and Johnny scared of the police? They are wanted, they are afraid to get in trouble and go to jail.
5. What do you think it would have been like for Johnny to return to his home in a wheelchair? Johnny is abused physically at home, if he showed up in a wheelchair, they wouldn't care about what happened.
6. What was it about Ponyboy that made others confide in him i.e., Cherry, Johnny, Randy? He is open and understanding, he deosn't have a bad reputation, he's smart, not a tipical Greaser.
7. Why didn’t Randy want to fight in the rumble? He is sick and tired of fighting, nothing changes with the gangs, Socs will be Socs and Greasers will be Greasers.
8. What do the doctors say about Dally’s injuries? Dally will be fine.
9. What do the doctors say about Johnny’s injuries? His back is broken and he might die or not be able to walk.
10. What one food does Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry all like for breakfast? They all like chocolate cake.
11. Why does Darry leave the front door unlocked? If anyone is in trouble they can go to their house and hide there.
12. What charges were being brought against Johnny? Resisting arrest, manslaughter, and running away.
13. What will the court decide about Ponyboy? A boys home, they also think that Ponyboy should be charged with resisting arrest.
14. Where did Soda’s girlfriend go? Sandy went to Florida, either she marries a 16 year old Greaser or move to Florida.
15. Why does Randy say the rumble between the Socs and the Greasers won’t solve anything? Socs will always be Socs and Greasers will always be Greasers, things are rough all over.
CHAPTER 8:
1. Why did Ponyboy and Two-bit think they couldn’t get along without Johnny? He is their pet and he is their prize possession.
2. How did Johnny feel about dying? He isn't ready to die, he wants to experience more things, Johnny is only 16.
3. What did Johnny want the boys to get for him in the hospital? Why were these things important? He wants the book "Gone With The Wind" and he wants to grease, it makess him feel better about himself.
4. How close to the truth was Johnny when he said he didn’t want to see his mother? She never cared for him and she was never there for him, she is just going to stir up a bowl of trouble.
5. What was the significance of Ponyboy asking Cherry, “can you see the sunset real good from the West Side”? Everyone is the same, everyone goes through the same situations and everyone has the same problems. Boys will still fight.
7. Who comes to visit Johnny besides Ponyboy and Two-Bit? His mother, but Johnny doesn't want to see her.
8. What does Two-Bit give to Dally? His switch blade.
9. What does Two-Bit say keeps Darry from being a Soc? Soda and Ponyboy.
10. Why does Cherry say she can’t visit Johnny? She can't look at the person who hurt Bob.
1. Do you think hiding out was the best thing for Johnny and Ponyboy to do? Why or why not? They are wanted and they don't want to go to jail. Johnny could get hurt with retalliation by the Socs.
2. What did Johnny admire about Dally? Johnny admires his cursing.
3. Why did the boys cut their hair? Does the length of hair mean much to the boys? Is it important to you? To adults you know? It's a disguise, the hair signifies that they are Greasers. My hair isn't THAT important to me because it is usually short and i don't need to worry about it.
4. Based on the supplies Johnny collected, what can you conclude about Johnny? Johnny is resourceful, he plans on doing this for a long time, maybe he has ran away before and he knows what to do.
5. Do you think crying helped the boys or made them weaker? Why? It's not a sign of weakness because sometimes you need to let some tears out.
6. What do you think the poem by Robert Frost on page 77 means? What do you think Frost is describing? Why do you think Ponyboy remembered this poem? Everything changes and nothing can stay perfect like gold. He doesn't understand it.
7. What is another word for “heater”? Gun
8. Do you think Ponyboy and Johnny will ever be able to go home again? Why or why not? They are young and homesick and they need someone to care for them and love them, and to feed them three meals a day.
9. How does Johnny write a note to Ponyboy? He writes a letter in the dust.
10. What is the one thing the Greasers are proud of? Hair
11. How do Johnny and Ponyboy pass the time? They read "Gone with the Wind", they play poker, and they smoke.
12. Who comes to visit Johnny and Ponyboy? Dally
13. Where do the police think Johnny and Ponyboy have gone? They think that they went to Texas.
14. Who is spying on the Socs for the Greasers? Cherry is spying on them.
CHAPTER 6:
1. Why do you think Cherry chose to associate with – and later help – Johnny and Ponyboy? Is she a spy? She likes Johnny and Ponyboy, she thinks that it's her fault for their injuries, she is a spy for the Greasers.
2. Why do you think Johnny decided they should turn themselves in? They can't hide forever, it's the right thing to do, they might get let off easy.
3. What did Ponyboy learn about Dally? He may not care about his family but he cares about Johnny and Ponyboy.
4. Would you say Ponyboy and Johnny are heroes? Why or why not? They still saved the kids and each other from the fire.
5. Why wouldn’t Dally go into the church for the kids, but he did go in for Johnny? Johnny is his little brother and he cares about him.
6. When they are at Dairy Queen, what does Johnny tell Dally he is going to do? He says that he is going to turn himself in to the police.
7. How have Johnny’s parents reacted to his running away? They haven't reacted and they don't care if he is missing or hurt.
8. What do the boys see when they reach the top of Jay Mountain? The church is on fire and some kids are missing.
9. When is the only time Ponyboy can remember seeing Johnny without a defeated, suspicious look in his eyes? When they are in the building saving the kids.
10. How does Dally get burned? He pulls Johnny out of the building.
11. How does Johnny get hurt? A beam lands on him when he pushed Ponyboy out of the way.
12. What does Darry do when he sees Ponyboy in the hospital? He starts crying, he doesn't say anything.
13. At the hospital Ponyboy realizes that Darry really cares for him. Why has Darry been so hard on Ponyboy in the past? He wants him to have a better life than him.
CHAPTER 7:
1. How were the boys injured? Why could they be considered heroes? They are burned and bruised, Johnny has burns that are so severe that he might not survive, Ponyboy doesn't have severe injuries. They saved the little kids from the fire.
2. What additional problems did the brother face after Ponyboy’s return? Johnny might die, the brothers might be separated from each other.
3. What did Randy say kids want from parents? Do you agree or would you add some other points? They want parents to say no to them, to care for them and to have limits for them. I agree because parents are supposed to care for children.
4. Why are Ponyboy and Johnny scared of the police? They are wanted, they are afraid to get in trouble and go to jail.
5. What do you think it would have been like for Johnny to return to his home in a wheelchair? Johnny is abused physically at home, if he showed up in a wheelchair, they wouldn't care about what happened.
6. What was it about Ponyboy that made others confide in him i.e., Cherry, Johnny, Randy? He is open and understanding, he deosn't have a bad reputation, he's smart, not a tipical Greaser.
7. Why didn’t Randy want to fight in the rumble? He is sick and tired of fighting, nothing changes with the gangs, Socs will be Socs and Greasers will be Greasers.
8. What do the doctors say about Dally’s injuries? Dally will be fine.
9. What do the doctors say about Johnny’s injuries? His back is broken and he might die or not be able to walk.
10. What one food does Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry all like for breakfast? They all like chocolate cake.
11. Why does Darry leave the front door unlocked? If anyone is in trouble they can go to their house and hide there.
12. What charges were being brought against Johnny? Resisting arrest, manslaughter, and running away.
13. What will the court decide about Ponyboy? A boys home, they also think that Ponyboy should be charged with resisting arrest.
14. Where did Soda’s girlfriend go? Sandy went to Florida, either she marries a 16 year old Greaser or move to Florida.
15. Why does Randy say the rumble between the Socs and the Greasers won’t solve anything? Socs will always be Socs and Greasers will always be Greasers, things are rough all over.
CHAPTER 8:
1. Why did Ponyboy and Two-bit think they couldn’t get along without Johnny? He is their pet and he is their prize possession.
2. How did Johnny feel about dying? He isn't ready to die, he wants to experience more things, Johnny is only 16.
3. What did Johnny want the boys to get for him in the hospital? Why were these things important? He wants the book "Gone With The Wind" and he wants to grease, it makess him feel better about himself.
4. How close to the truth was Johnny when he said he didn’t want to see his mother? She never cared for him and she was never there for him, she is just going to stir up a bowl of trouble.
5. What was the significance of Ponyboy asking Cherry, “can you see the sunset real good from the West Side”? Everyone is the same, everyone goes through the same situations and everyone has the same problems. Boys will still fight.
7. Who comes to visit Johnny besides Ponyboy and Two-Bit? His mother, but Johnny doesn't want to see her.
8. What does Two-Bit give to Dally? His switch blade.
9. What does Two-Bit say keeps Darry from being a Soc? Soda and Ponyboy.
10. Why does Cherry say she can’t visit Johnny? She can't look at the person who hurt Bob.