Character List For: the Outsiders

Character List for: The Outsiders

Ponyboy – narrator of the novel, sensitive, 14 Darry – hardworking and strict brother, he gave up college to work, 20 Sodapop – reckless, sympathetic brother, happy-go-lucky, 16 Steve – Sodapop’s buddy whose specialty is cars Two-Bit – irresistible wisecracker of the greasers, 18 Johnny – puppy-like favorite of the greasers Dallas – toughest and meanest greaser Socs – wealthy “Jet set” gang, West-side rich kids Greasers – leather jacketed, tough East-side gang, poor Cherry – sympathetic Soc who likes sunsets, red-head Bob – Soc who is killed Randy – Bob’s buddy, Soc, has feelings, concerned Mickey Mouse – a horse that Sodapop loved Sandy – Sodapop’s girlfriend, very nice Marcia – Randy’s girlfriend; short, cute girl at the movies The Outsiders Chapter 1 (pp. 1-18)

Sensitive (p. 7) - to understand or share another’s feelings or thoughts

Reckless (p. 7) - careless, rash

Sympathetic (p. 8) – susceptible to the feelings of others

Acquired (p. 10) – to get by one’s own efforts

Irresistibly (p. 10) – cannot be resisted; overwhelming appeal

Unfathomable (p. 10) – not understood; mysterious

Gingerly (p. 12) – cautiously

Sagely (p. 12) - wisely

Glaring (p. 13) – staring fiercely

1. How is Ponyboy different from the other members of his gang? ______

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2. Who are the Socs? ______

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3. How are the Greasers different from the Socs? ______

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4. Compare Ponyboy’s brothers, Darry and Sodapop. ______

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5. What happened to the Curtis brothers’ parents? ______

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6. What happened to Ponyboy on his way home from the movies? ______

______The Outsiders Chapter 2 (pp. 19-36)

Roguishly (p. 22) – in the manner of a scoundrel, an unprincipled person

Incredulous (p. 24) – skeptical; disbelieving

Nonchalantly (p. 25) – without enthusiasm; indifferently

Incidentally (p. 28) - casually; by chance

1. List the Greasers who are at the movies “with” Cherry and Marcia.

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2. At the drive-in Dallas harasses Cherry and Marcia. How is this choice of amusement a reflection of his character? ______

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______3. What does Ponyboy tell Cherry while standing in line for popcorn? ______

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______4. Evaluate why Cherry and Ponyboy communicate rather openly despite the gap in their social positions? ______

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______5. Why is Ponyboy’s comparison of Johnny to a puppy a good analogy? ______

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Gallantly (p. 37) – courageously, daring

Sophisticated (p. 38) – worldly; lack of natural simplicity

Rave (p. 38) – to speak wildly and incoherently

Passionately (p. 43) – with intense feeling and emotion

Quivering (p.51) - trembling

1. What does Cherry say is the real separation between the Socs and the Greasers? ______

______2. Why does Ponyboy remind Cherry that they both watch the same sunsets?

______3. Who is Mickey Mouse and why is he so important to Sodapop’s life? ______

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______4. Immediately after his visit with Cherry, Ponyboy expresses a bitterness towards Socs. If Ponyboy has developed a certain respect for Cherry, why does he feel such bitterness? ______

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______5. What qualities of Darry’s and of Ponyboy’s cause them to conflict? ______

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______6. Explain Ponyboy’s motivation for running away. ______

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Unceasingly (p. 56) – continuously

Quavered (p. 57) – to quiver or tremble

Apprehensive (p. 59) – uneasy, anxious

Ruefully (p. 60) – with regret; remorsefully

Winced (p. 64) – to shrink or draw back abruptly, as in pain or distress

Bewildering (p. 65) - confusing

Avoiding (p. 66) – keeping away from

Premonition (p. 67) – a forewarning

1. What did the Socs do to make Johnny kill Bob? ______

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______2. Why do Ponyboy and Johnny turn to Dallas for help? ______

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______3. What does Dally give Ponyboy and Johnny to take with them to Windrixville?

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______4. Explain why it is ironical that Johnny and Ponyboy are involved in a murder. ______

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Hue (p. 77) - color

Subsides (p. 77) – descend; to sink to a lower level

Eluded (p. 78) – escaped; evaded

Vital (p. 80) – full of life and vigor

Indignant (p. 80) – feeling anger aroused by something unjust

Wistfully (p. 82) – with yearning; wishfully

Amazed (p. 83) – filled with great surprise; astounded

1. Why is Ponyboy upset about getting his hair cut and bleached? ______

2. Johnny compares Dallas to a southern gentleman. Why is this ironical? How does Johnny defend his comparison? ______

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3. Why does Johnny’s remark about the sunrise remind Ponyboy of Robert Frost’s poem? ______

4. When Dally comes to the abandoned church, he brings Ponyboy a letter from Sodapop. Describe the contents of the letter. What is Sodapop’s position in Ponyboy’s conflict with Darry. ______

5. Who is the spy for the Greasers? ______The Outsiders Chapter 6 (pp. 85-99)

Apparently (p.87) – plainly

Desperately (p. 87) – hopelessly; with despair

Conviction (p. 89) – strong belief

Hysterics (p. 96) – a mental condition characterized by excitability and anxiety

1. What is Cherry’s rationale for aiding the Greasers? ______

2. Johnny informs Dallas and Ponyboy that he and Ponyboy are turning themselves in. What are Johnny’s reasons? ______

3. Johnny and Ponyboy feel personally responsible for the safety of the children in the church. Why? Is it consistent with their characters? ______

4. Why was saving the children the only time in Johnny’s life he didn’t have a defeated, mistrustful look? ______

5. What function in the story does Jerry Wood serve? ______

6. Why does Darry’s crying have such a profound effect upon Ponyboy? ______The Outsiders Chapter 7 (pp. 100-118)

Mimicking (p. 100) – to imitate in speech or action

Radiates (p. 101) – to give forth joy, love, etc., in a glowing manner

Stunned (p. 103) - dazed

Aghast (p. 112) – greatly dismayed

Contemptuously (p. 115) – bitterly scornful

Individual (p. 115) – single human being; a particular person

1. What does the doctor say will happen to Johnny? ______

2. What Soc wants to talk to Ponyboy? Why? ______The Outsiders Chapter 8 (pp.119-130)

Abruptly (p. 123) - suddenly

1. Explain Ponyboy’s words when he visits Johnny in the hospital: “I figured that Southern gentlemen had nothing on Johnny Cade.” ______

2. What is Johnny’s reaction when the nurse tells him that his mother is at the hospital to see him? ______

3. What reason does Cherry give Ponyboy for not going to see Johnny in the hospital? ______

4. Ponyboy admits that he doesn’t like to fight. Why then is it so important to him to participate in the rumble? ______The Outsiders Chapter 9 (pp. 131 - 149)

Grimacing (p. 134) – showing an expression of pain, contempt

Disgusted (p. 146) – feeling an intense dislike for

Agony (p. 149) – intense physical or mental pain 1. Describe the mood at the Curtis house just before the rumble. ______

2. Ponyboy feels the only reason to fight is self-defense. According to his survey, why do these others fight?

Darry ______Two-Bit ______

Soda ______Steve ______

3. Compare Tim Shepard’s gang to Ponyboy’s gang. ______

4. Who comes late to the rumble? ______

What effect does his late entrance have? ______

5. Why is it significant that Paul Holden is the Soc who steps forward to accept Darry’s challenge? ______

6. Where does Dally take Ponyboy after the rumble? ______7. What are Johnny’s last words? ______The Outsiders Chapter 10 (pp. 150-160)

Stupor (p. 150) – extreme mental insensitiveness and confusion

Vaguely (p. 153) – not clearly expressed or thought

Delirious (p. 157) – in a state of temporary mental disturbance marked by confused speech and delusion

1. Why can’t Dally accept Johnny’s death? ______

2. Does Dallas want to die? Explain. ______

3. Why does Ponyboy collapse the night of the rumble? ______

4. What does Johnny give to the nurse for Ponyboy? ______

5. Why won’t Ponyboy believe that Johnny is dead? ______

The Outsiders Chapter 11 (pp. 161 - 166)

1. What thoughts are triggered in Ponyboy’s mind when he sees Bob in the yearbook? ______

2. Who does Ponyboy tell Randy was the person who killed Bob? ______The Outsiders Chapter 12 (pp. 167-180)

Circumstances (p. 169) – conditions or facts attending an event and having some effect on it

Realized (p. 175) – to understand completely

1. During the hearing, what is the judge aware of that Ponyboy is not? ______

2. What does Ponyboy do that makes Two-Bit know that Ponyboy will not get tough? ______

3. In the days following the hearing, Ponyboy and Darry continue to have disagreements. Explain why Sodapop bolts from the room during a fight between Ponyboy and Darry. ______

4. In the letter Johnny writes Ponyboy, what does he ask Ponyboy to tell Dally? ______

5. What thought is Johnny trying to communicate to Ponyboy? Explain this message in terms of Robert Frost’s poem, sunsets, and events in the story. ______

6. What effect does Johnny’s message have on Ponyboy? ______

7. What is the subject of Ponyboy’s theme for English class? ______