The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Comprehension Questions: Chapters 9-12
Chapter 9:
1. What were the reasons that the various boy gave for fighting?
The boys said that everybody is doing it, to prove themselves, and that fighting is part of their reputation and they want to uphold it.
2. Why did Dally take Ponyboy to see Johnny after the rumble?
Dally took Pony to see Johnny after the rumble because Johnny was dying.
3. What did Johnny mean when he told Ponyboy to “stay gold”?
Johnny is referring to the poem he and Pony read when they ran away.
4. Think about yourself. Do you ever label someone as a hood, a scum, a nerd, a dork, because of the way someone is dressed or groomed? Have you been guilty of believing a stereotype and then found out later that the person just didn’t fit that perception? What does that tell you about first impressions?
I have labeled people has hoods because they look, but I never meet them and when I meet people and usually try to be optimistic about their personality and character.
5. Do you agree or disagree with Ponyboy when he said that people usually go by looks so hoods will always be the bad guys and the clean shaven, neatly dressed kids will always be considered the good guys? Why?
I do agree because there are many cases, literally cases in the judicial system, that involve two types of people and the "cleaner" looking one usually wins the case.
6. Who are the good guys and bad guys in The Outsiders? Explain.
I believe that the good guys are the Greaser because they have cause to be who they are and what they, whether it's because they are abused or alone they have a reason. And the Socs reason is that their parents won't say no to them and I believe they should embrace that and just try to be the best they can be, not be the worst so their parents can say no.
7. What are the two things Greasers have to be proud of?
The Greasers are proud of their rep and their hair.
8. Who is the only Greaser who doesn’t like fights?
The only Greaser who doesn't like fights would be Pony.
9. Why is Tim Shepard’s kid brother, Curly, not going to be at the rumble?
Curly was caught breaking-into a liquor store and was sent to a reformatory.
10. Why does Ponyboy feel he and his gang don’t belong with Tim Sheperd’s gang and the Brumley boys?
Pony feels like Shepard's gang and the Brumley boys enjoy being hoods and he feels like his friends shouldn't be with them.
11. What are the rules for the rumble?
The rules are that there is no use of weapons whatsoever and that the first to run loses.
12. Who joins the rumble at the last minute?
Dally joins that rumble at the last minute.
13. How did Dally get out of the hospital?
Dally got out of the hospital by threatening a nurse with the knife be burrowed from Two-bit.
14. How does the fight end?
The fight ends with the Socs running to their cars and driving away.
15. Where do Ponyboy and Dally go after the rumble?
Pony and Dally go to the hospital.
16. How do they get there so quickly?
They get their so quickly because Pony pretends to be sick when they are stopped by the cops and the cops offer to escort them to the hospital.
17. What does Johnny tell Ponyboy to do?
Johnny tells Pony to act sick.
CHAPTER 10:
1. Do you think the rumble was worth the trouble?
- The rumble was not worth the trouble because it only caused more trouble. People died, were injured, and didn't solve anything.
2. Why did Dally want to die?
- Dally wanted to die because the only thing he loved in the world, which was Johnny, died. Johnny was the only reason for living for Dally.
3. How do you think the other Greasers will end up?
- The three brothers might try to get a better life and not be in a gang, while the others will just split up and find different lives.
4. Why was Ponyboy concerned with whether or not he had asked for Darry while he was unconscious?
- It was important to ask for Darry because Ponyboy doesn't want to leave Darry out and be mean to him. Ponyboy has trouble to express emotion and to show that he loves Darry, so he wants to make sure that he doesn't leave Darry out.
5. How does Ponyboy get home from the hospital?
-Ponyboy gets home from the hospital by being driven home by Dally.
6. Why is Dally so upset about Johnny’s death?
- Dally was so upset because Johnny was the only thing Dally cared about in the world and was like a little brother to him.
7. Who phones Darry, and what does he want?
- Dally phones Darry, and says that he is being chased by the cops and needs to find a place to hide.
8. What did Johnny leave for Ponyboy?
- The book "gone with the wind" that they bought while they were in the church.
9. Why wouldn’t Ponyboy eat anything when he was sick?
- Like when he kept saying that he didn't like baloney while he was sleeping, he was delusional about all the food and felt like everything would taste like balonie, so he didn't eat.
10. Why is Ponyboy worried about whether or not he called for Darry when he was sick?
- He wants to make sure that he didn't leave Darry out when he called out for his family because it was hard for him to express to Darry that Ponyboy loves hime because of their awkward relationship.
CHAPTER 12:
1. Why was the court hearing important? What were possible decisions of the court?
It would determine the rest of his life. He would either be guilty or innocent.
2. Why do you think Ponyboy’s like was still troubled after the court hearing?
He feels guilty for getting away with death.
3. What message did Johnny leave in the book?
He's not worried about dying anymore and he explained a poem.
4. What do you think the doctor told the judge before the hearing?
He's having emotional distress, so he should be easy on him.
5. Why did Ponyboy’s life seem so different after the hearing?
He's living with emotional distress.
6. Why did Soda think that being like Dally before he died was worse than being dead?
Dally died a greaser and a dilinquent, Soda doesn't want to die that way.
7. What do you think Ponyboy will write about in his theme? Why? What will be the result of his having written about events of the past week? (Hint: Look at the first two sentences of the novel.)
He's writing about his story that happened with Johnny and his gang.
8. Why does Ponyboy think that his experiences as a Greaser are important for everyone to read about?
He wants everyone to know the dangers of being a greaser and the consequences.
9. What is one of the stereotypes in this novel? How is it INACCURATE?
Rich kids and poor kids. It stereotyped them as all being hoods or all being snooty.
10. What is the theme of The Outsiders? There is definitely more than one right answer.
The theme of the outsiders is everyone is in a tough situation no matter who they are.
11. What is Darry’s motivation throughout the novel?
To fix his relationship with Ponyboy.
12. Why is the last sentence of the book unusual?
It the same as the first.
1. What were the reasons that the various boy gave for fighting?
The boys said that everybody is doing it, to prove themselves, and that fighting is part of their reputation and they want to uphold it.
2. Why did Dally take Ponyboy to see Johnny after the rumble?
Dally took Pony to see Johnny after the rumble because Johnny was dying.
3. What did Johnny mean when he told Ponyboy to “stay gold”?
Johnny is referring to the poem he and Pony read when they ran away.
4. Think about yourself. Do you ever label someone as a hood, a scum, a nerd, a dork, because of the way someone is dressed or groomed? Have you been guilty of believing a stereotype and then found out later that the person just didn’t fit that perception? What does that tell you about first impressions?
I have labeled people has hoods because they look, but I never meet them and when I meet people and usually try to be optimistic about their personality and character.
5. Do you agree or disagree with Ponyboy when he said that people usually go by looks so hoods will always be the bad guys and the clean shaven, neatly dressed kids will always be considered the good guys? Why?
I do agree because there are many cases, literally cases in the judicial system, that involve two types of people and the "cleaner" looking one usually wins the case.
6. Who are the good guys and bad guys in The Outsiders? Explain.
I believe that the good guys are the Greaser because they have cause to be who they are and what they, whether it's because they are abused or alone they have a reason. And the Socs reason is that their parents won't say no to them and I believe they should embrace that and just try to be the best they can be, not be the worst so their parents can say no.
7. What are the two things Greasers have to be proud of?
The Greasers are proud of their rep and their hair.
8. Who is the only Greaser who doesn’t like fights?
The only Greaser who doesn't like fights would be Pony.
9. Why is Tim Shepard’s kid brother, Curly, not going to be at the rumble?
Curly was caught breaking-into a liquor store and was sent to a reformatory.
10. Why does Ponyboy feel he and his gang don’t belong with Tim Sheperd’s gang and the Brumley boys?
Pony feels like Shepard's gang and the Brumley boys enjoy being hoods and he feels like his friends shouldn't be with them.
11. What are the rules for the rumble?
The rules are that there is no use of weapons whatsoever and that the first to run loses.
12. Who joins the rumble at the last minute?
Dally joins that rumble at the last minute.
13. How did Dally get out of the hospital?
Dally got out of the hospital by threatening a nurse with the knife be burrowed from Two-bit.
14. How does the fight end?
The fight ends with the Socs running to their cars and driving away.
15. Where do Ponyboy and Dally go after the rumble?
Pony and Dally go to the hospital.
16. How do they get there so quickly?
They get their so quickly because Pony pretends to be sick when they are stopped by the cops and the cops offer to escort them to the hospital.
17. What does Johnny tell Ponyboy to do?
Johnny tells Pony to act sick.
CHAPTER 10:
1. Do you think the rumble was worth the trouble?
- The rumble was not worth the trouble because it only caused more trouble. People died, were injured, and didn't solve anything.
2. Why did Dally want to die?
- Dally wanted to die because the only thing he loved in the world, which was Johnny, died. Johnny was the only reason for living for Dally.
3. How do you think the other Greasers will end up?
- The three brothers might try to get a better life and not be in a gang, while the others will just split up and find different lives.
4. Why was Ponyboy concerned with whether or not he had asked for Darry while he was unconscious?
- It was important to ask for Darry because Ponyboy doesn't want to leave Darry out and be mean to him. Ponyboy has trouble to express emotion and to show that he loves Darry, so he wants to make sure that he doesn't leave Darry out.
5. How does Ponyboy get home from the hospital?
-Ponyboy gets home from the hospital by being driven home by Dally.
6. Why is Dally so upset about Johnny’s death?
- Dally was so upset because Johnny was the only thing Dally cared about in the world and was like a little brother to him.
7. Who phones Darry, and what does he want?
- Dally phones Darry, and says that he is being chased by the cops and needs to find a place to hide.
8. What did Johnny leave for Ponyboy?
- The book "gone with the wind" that they bought while they were in the church.
9. Why wouldn’t Ponyboy eat anything when he was sick?
- Like when he kept saying that he didn't like baloney while he was sleeping, he was delusional about all the food and felt like everything would taste like balonie, so he didn't eat.
10. Why is Ponyboy worried about whether or not he called for Darry when he was sick?
- He wants to make sure that he didn't leave Darry out when he called out for his family because it was hard for him to express to Darry that Ponyboy loves hime because of their awkward relationship.
CHAPTER 12:
1. Why was the court hearing important? What were possible decisions of the court?
It would determine the rest of his life. He would either be guilty or innocent.
2. Why do you think Ponyboy’s like was still troubled after the court hearing?
He feels guilty for getting away with death.
3. What message did Johnny leave in the book?
He's not worried about dying anymore and he explained a poem.
4. What do you think the doctor told the judge before the hearing?
He's having emotional distress, so he should be easy on him.
5. Why did Ponyboy’s life seem so different after the hearing?
He's living with emotional distress.
6. Why did Soda think that being like Dally before he died was worse than being dead?
Dally died a greaser and a dilinquent, Soda doesn't want to die that way.
7. What do you think Ponyboy will write about in his theme? Why? What will be the result of his having written about events of the past week? (Hint: Look at the first two sentences of the novel.)
He's writing about his story that happened with Johnny and his gang.
8. Why does Ponyboy think that his experiences as a Greaser are important for everyone to read about?
He wants everyone to know the dangers of being a greaser and the consequences.
9. What is one of the stereotypes in this novel? How is it INACCURATE?
Rich kids and poor kids. It stereotyped them as all being hoods or all being snooty.
10. What is the theme of The Outsiders? There is definitely more than one right answer.
The theme of the outsiders is everyone is in a tough situation no matter who they are.
11. What is Darry’s motivation throughout the novel?
To fix his relationship with Ponyboy.
12. Why is the last sentence of the book unusual?
It the same as the first.