The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Comprehension Questions: Chapters 1-4
CHAPTER 1
1. Who is the narrator of The Outsiders?
- The narrator is a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy, who is the youngest out of the three brothers. Both his mother and father died in a car accident.
2. What two groups of teenagers does Ponyboy describe? Compare the two groups.
- One group is the Socs, the socials, who are the higher rich class from the Western side. They typically drive nice cars.
- The other side are the Greasers, who Ponyboy is a part of, who live on the east side. They don't typically have nice cars, and they are considered low lives. They have less money than the Socs, don't live in the nice part of town, and don't have the same luxuries as the Socs.
3. Why did the Socs beat up Ponyboy?
- When Ponyboy walks home from the movies, the Socs beat him up because he is a Greaser and he is an easy target because he is alone, as well as being the smallest of the Greasers.
4. Why did Ponyboy have a hard time with his oldest brother?
- Ponyboy has a hard time with his oldest brother, Darry, because nothing Ponyboy does is ever good enough for Darry. Darry is very strict and has high expectations for Ponyboy because Ponyboy is smart and wants Ponyboy to have more than what Darry has, which is a job as a roofer while taking care of two younger brothers.
5. How are Ponyboy and his friends like you? Different than you?
- Steve Randall: Works at the gas station with Soda. Very smart on cars. Best friends with Soda. Dislikes Ponyboy because he thinks he is a tag along.
- Two-bit Matthews: His real name is Keith, but no one remembers. He is eighteen, and the oldest person in the gang besides Darry. Still a junior in high school, and is always joking and making funny comments on things.
- Dallas Winston: Nicknamed Dally. He is from New York. The toughest of the gang. Has a long crime list with the police.
- Johnny Cade: The youngest of the gang. The gang's pet.
- Soda Pop: Ponyboy's older brother. He is 17 and works at the gas station. He protects and looks out for Ponyboy. Ponyboy says he is the most handsome of the group.
They are like me because they like to tease each other while supporting each other. They are different than me because they can still find joy in being in a very low social group and in a tough financial situation without trying to make it better.
6. Why do you think the author uses non-standard English?
- The author uses non-standard English because he wants the readers to relate to Ponyboy and be immersed into Ponyboy's mind and how he tells the story.
7. “Greaser” is first used in the first paragraph on page one. How far must you read before you have a good idea of who or what a greaser is? (Reading to the end of a sentence, paragraph, page, or further is one strategy to use when you find a word you don’t know.)
- I get a good idea of what a "Greaser" is by the end of the fourth paragraph, once it mentions when Greaser's can't walk alone or else they will get jumped.
Chapter 2:
1. Where do the Socs and Greasers hand out? What do they do for fun?
- The Socs and Greasers like to hang out at the drive ins. They come to the drive in and watch the nightly double movie.
2. How do the Greasers learn more about the Socs?
- The Greasers learn more about the Socs because they meet and talk with Cherry and Marcia at the drive in.
3. What kind of rules do gang members follow in fights?
- It is a fair fight if it is a man versus man fist fight. But if you pull out a weapon like a switchblade, then it doesn't become a fair fight, and turns into a rough fight. It is also a fair fight if it only has two people going against each other.
4. How could Cherry be a problem for Dally?
- Cherry might get Dally in trouble with the cops, because he is in already enough trouble with the cops, or the Socs.
5. Why do you think Johnny spoke up to Dally?
- Johnny spoke up to Dally because he likes the girls, and the girls haven't done anything wrong for Dally to start annoying them for. And Johnny also doesn't like the fact that Dally is just putting up a fight with these girls because he knows he will win.
6. Why didn’t Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally pay to get into the drive-in movie?
- They didn't pay for the movie because even though they had enough money, Dally didn't like to follow the rules, and instead loves to break them, which is why they didn't pay.
7. What is Cherry’s real name? Why is she called Cherry?
- Her name is Sherri Valance, but her name is Cherry because of her red hair.
8. What did Cherry do when Dally brought her a Coke?
- Cherry gave an incredulous look and throws the coke can back at his face because Dally was being a jerk.
9. Give three reasons why Cherry and Marcia are not scared of Johnny and Ponyboy even though, like Dally, they are Greasers.
- Johnny and Ponyboy aren't acting like jerks and they are kind to them
- They are protective and stick up for the girls
- Johnny and Ponyboy don't look dirty and because they are young and look innocent
10. What are two rules Greasers have for themselves?
- Stick together
- Don't get caught
11. How did Johnny get beaten up?
- Johnny gets beat up because when he was searching for the football so he can practice alone, but a mustang pulls up near him, four Socs come out, and they beat Johnny badly.
12. What did Cherry mean when she said, “Things are rough all over”?
- Cherry means that everyone has problems no matter who you are, saying that even the Socs have problems.
Chapter 3:
1. Why do you think Ponyboy and Cherry become good friends?
- Ponyboy and Cherry become good friends because they are honest with each other, they open and can talk civilized and polite conversations about each other.
2. Do the characters in this book seam “real”? Why or why not? How does Hinton try to make them believable?
- The characters in this book seem real and believable because the characters experience things that people in real life could experience, like the loss of parents, or getting beat up. So it is relatable. Hinton tries to make them believable because of the events and characters in the story are relatable to real life.
3. Why did Cherry and Marcia leave their dates?
- Cherry and Marcia left their dates because their dates wanted to get drunk, and they were worried about the amount of things that could happen when they were drunk and that it wasn't fun. She also didn't want to get in trouble if a fight were to break out.
4. Why do you think Darry hit Ponyboy?
- Darry hit Ponyboy because Ponyboy was out late, even though he had a curfew, and he also defends Sodapop and picks Soda's side, which infuriates Darry even more.
5. Why do you think Ponyboy and Cherry told each other things they had never told anyone else before?
- They told each other things they had never told any else before because they trust each other
6. Do you agree with Johnny that having friends care for you is not the same as having your own folks care about you? Why or why not?
- It's not the same because your parents and family are supposed to love you and are supposed to support you throughout your whole life, while friends typically come and go, but the gang is supporting Johnny more than his family.
7. What did Cherry say was the main difference between the Socs and the Greasers?
- Cherry said that the main difference between the Socs and the Greasers was that the Greasers were more emotional, while the Socs were "sophisticated-cool to the point of not feeling anything." (p. 35)
8. What was the name of Sodapop’s horse? What happened to Soda’s horse?
- The name of Sodapop's horse was Mickey Mouse. Soda's horse didn't belong to him, and was sold for a high price one day, which made Soda upset because he loves horses and that he didn't have enough money to own one.
9. Why did Ponyboy think that maybe his world and Cherry’s weren’t so different?
- Ponyboy thinks that maybe his world and Cherry’s might not be different because both go through tough times and both watch the same sunset.
10. Why did Johnny stare at the rings on the Soc’s hand?
- He stared at the Soc because he assumed the rings on the Soc’s hand were the same rings that the Soc used to beat him up and gave him the scar.
11. Why did Cherry and Marcia let their drunken boyfriends drive them home?
- They let their drunken boyfriends drive them home because they are avoiding a fight and don’t want to get into trouble.
12. What was the last thing Cherry says to Ponyboy before she leaves in the car?
- Cherry says that she hopes she never sees Dally again, or else she might fall in love with him.
13. How long has it been since Ponyboy’s parents were killed?
- It has been 8 months since Ponyboy’s parents were killed
14. Why was Ponyboy late getting home?
- He fell asleep in a vacant lot with Johnny.
Chapter 4:
1. Who (Greasers or Socs) do you think was wrong in this situation in this chapter?
-Both are wrong because the Socs came in to the Greasers' territory and started the fight, while the Greasers were wrong in the way the retaliated.
2. If you had been one of the Socs how would you have felt after Bob was stabbed? If you had been one of the Greasers, how would you have felt after Bob was stabbed? What causes the difference?
- If I were a Soc, I would've felt shocked, and left because I would believe that the kid had the intent to kill, and might do it again. If I were a Greaser, I would still feel, shocked, but stayed with Johnny, calm him down, and go back to the gang. The difference is the fact that a greaser would stick together with their gang, while a soc would run away because they didn't know him.
3. Why did Ponyboy turn to Dally for help?
- Ponyboy turned to Dally for help because Dally is older, wiser, and reliable when it comes to escaping from the type of situation they were in.
4. What does Bob say a Greaser is?
- Bob said a Greaser was white trash with long hair.
5. What do the Socs do to Ponyboy?
- The Socs tried to drown Ponyboy in the fountain and almost killed him.
6. What does Ponyboy see when he recovers consciousness?
- When Ponyboy recovers and comes to his senses, he saw Johnny sitting next to him with a switchblade, and Bob's body on the ground bleeding and unmoving
7. Why did Johnny attack Bob?
- Johnny attacked Bob because Bob was drowning and slowly killing Ponyboy, so he felt he needed to defend him.
8. Where do Johnny and Ponyboy go when the leave the park?
- They go to Buck Merril's place to find Dally and ask help and advice from him.
9. What does Dally give Johnny and Ponyboy?
- Dally gave Johnny and Ponyboy money, a loaded gun, as well as a large shirt for Ponyboy.
10. Where does Dally tell them to go?
- He tells them to go to a church at Jay Mountain and stay there.
11. How do they get there?
- They go to the church by train.
12. How do they find the church?
- They asked a farmer where Jay Mountain is, and lied saying they were playing army.
1. Who is the narrator of The Outsiders?
- The narrator is a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy, who is the youngest out of the three brothers. Both his mother and father died in a car accident.
2. What two groups of teenagers does Ponyboy describe? Compare the two groups.
- One group is the Socs, the socials, who are the higher rich class from the Western side. They typically drive nice cars.
- The other side are the Greasers, who Ponyboy is a part of, who live on the east side. They don't typically have nice cars, and they are considered low lives. They have less money than the Socs, don't live in the nice part of town, and don't have the same luxuries as the Socs.
3. Why did the Socs beat up Ponyboy?
- When Ponyboy walks home from the movies, the Socs beat him up because he is a Greaser and he is an easy target because he is alone, as well as being the smallest of the Greasers.
4. Why did Ponyboy have a hard time with his oldest brother?
- Ponyboy has a hard time with his oldest brother, Darry, because nothing Ponyboy does is ever good enough for Darry. Darry is very strict and has high expectations for Ponyboy because Ponyboy is smart and wants Ponyboy to have more than what Darry has, which is a job as a roofer while taking care of two younger brothers.
5. How are Ponyboy and his friends like you? Different than you?
- Steve Randall: Works at the gas station with Soda. Very smart on cars. Best friends with Soda. Dislikes Ponyboy because he thinks he is a tag along.
- Two-bit Matthews: His real name is Keith, but no one remembers. He is eighteen, and the oldest person in the gang besides Darry. Still a junior in high school, and is always joking and making funny comments on things.
- Dallas Winston: Nicknamed Dally. He is from New York. The toughest of the gang. Has a long crime list with the police.
- Johnny Cade: The youngest of the gang. The gang's pet.
- Soda Pop: Ponyboy's older brother. He is 17 and works at the gas station. He protects and looks out for Ponyboy. Ponyboy says he is the most handsome of the group.
They are like me because they like to tease each other while supporting each other. They are different than me because they can still find joy in being in a very low social group and in a tough financial situation without trying to make it better.
6. Why do you think the author uses non-standard English?
- The author uses non-standard English because he wants the readers to relate to Ponyboy and be immersed into Ponyboy's mind and how he tells the story.
7. “Greaser” is first used in the first paragraph on page one. How far must you read before you have a good idea of who or what a greaser is? (Reading to the end of a sentence, paragraph, page, or further is one strategy to use when you find a word you don’t know.)
- I get a good idea of what a "Greaser" is by the end of the fourth paragraph, once it mentions when Greaser's can't walk alone or else they will get jumped.
Chapter 2:
1. Where do the Socs and Greasers hand out? What do they do for fun?
- The Socs and Greasers like to hang out at the drive ins. They come to the drive in and watch the nightly double movie.
2. How do the Greasers learn more about the Socs?
- The Greasers learn more about the Socs because they meet and talk with Cherry and Marcia at the drive in.
3. What kind of rules do gang members follow in fights?
- It is a fair fight if it is a man versus man fist fight. But if you pull out a weapon like a switchblade, then it doesn't become a fair fight, and turns into a rough fight. It is also a fair fight if it only has two people going against each other.
4. How could Cherry be a problem for Dally?
- Cherry might get Dally in trouble with the cops, because he is in already enough trouble with the cops, or the Socs.
5. Why do you think Johnny spoke up to Dally?
- Johnny spoke up to Dally because he likes the girls, and the girls haven't done anything wrong for Dally to start annoying them for. And Johnny also doesn't like the fact that Dally is just putting up a fight with these girls because he knows he will win.
6. Why didn’t Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally pay to get into the drive-in movie?
- They didn't pay for the movie because even though they had enough money, Dally didn't like to follow the rules, and instead loves to break them, which is why they didn't pay.
7. What is Cherry’s real name? Why is she called Cherry?
- Her name is Sherri Valance, but her name is Cherry because of her red hair.
8. What did Cherry do when Dally brought her a Coke?
- Cherry gave an incredulous look and throws the coke can back at his face because Dally was being a jerk.
9. Give three reasons why Cherry and Marcia are not scared of Johnny and Ponyboy even though, like Dally, they are Greasers.
- Johnny and Ponyboy aren't acting like jerks and they are kind to them
- They are protective and stick up for the girls
- Johnny and Ponyboy don't look dirty and because they are young and look innocent
10. What are two rules Greasers have for themselves?
- Stick together
- Don't get caught
11. How did Johnny get beaten up?
- Johnny gets beat up because when he was searching for the football so he can practice alone, but a mustang pulls up near him, four Socs come out, and they beat Johnny badly.
12. What did Cherry mean when she said, “Things are rough all over”?
- Cherry means that everyone has problems no matter who you are, saying that even the Socs have problems.
Chapter 3:
1. Why do you think Ponyboy and Cherry become good friends?
- Ponyboy and Cherry become good friends because they are honest with each other, they open and can talk civilized and polite conversations about each other.
2. Do the characters in this book seam “real”? Why or why not? How does Hinton try to make them believable?
- The characters in this book seem real and believable because the characters experience things that people in real life could experience, like the loss of parents, or getting beat up. So it is relatable. Hinton tries to make them believable because of the events and characters in the story are relatable to real life.
3. Why did Cherry and Marcia leave their dates?
- Cherry and Marcia left their dates because their dates wanted to get drunk, and they were worried about the amount of things that could happen when they were drunk and that it wasn't fun. She also didn't want to get in trouble if a fight were to break out.
4. Why do you think Darry hit Ponyboy?
- Darry hit Ponyboy because Ponyboy was out late, even though he had a curfew, and he also defends Sodapop and picks Soda's side, which infuriates Darry even more.
5. Why do you think Ponyboy and Cherry told each other things they had never told anyone else before?
- They told each other things they had never told any else before because they trust each other
6. Do you agree with Johnny that having friends care for you is not the same as having your own folks care about you? Why or why not?
- It's not the same because your parents and family are supposed to love you and are supposed to support you throughout your whole life, while friends typically come and go, but the gang is supporting Johnny more than his family.
7. What did Cherry say was the main difference between the Socs and the Greasers?
- Cherry said that the main difference between the Socs and the Greasers was that the Greasers were more emotional, while the Socs were "sophisticated-cool to the point of not feeling anything." (p. 35)
8. What was the name of Sodapop’s horse? What happened to Soda’s horse?
- The name of Sodapop's horse was Mickey Mouse. Soda's horse didn't belong to him, and was sold for a high price one day, which made Soda upset because he loves horses and that he didn't have enough money to own one.
9. Why did Ponyboy think that maybe his world and Cherry’s weren’t so different?
- Ponyboy thinks that maybe his world and Cherry’s might not be different because both go through tough times and both watch the same sunset.
10. Why did Johnny stare at the rings on the Soc’s hand?
- He stared at the Soc because he assumed the rings on the Soc’s hand were the same rings that the Soc used to beat him up and gave him the scar.
11. Why did Cherry and Marcia let their drunken boyfriends drive them home?
- They let their drunken boyfriends drive them home because they are avoiding a fight and don’t want to get into trouble.
12. What was the last thing Cherry says to Ponyboy before she leaves in the car?
- Cherry says that she hopes she never sees Dally again, or else she might fall in love with him.
13. How long has it been since Ponyboy’s parents were killed?
- It has been 8 months since Ponyboy’s parents were killed
14. Why was Ponyboy late getting home?
- He fell asleep in a vacant lot with Johnny.
Chapter 4:
1. Who (Greasers or Socs) do you think was wrong in this situation in this chapter?
-Both are wrong because the Socs came in to the Greasers' territory and started the fight, while the Greasers were wrong in the way the retaliated.
2. If you had been one of the Socs how would you have felt after Bob was stabbed? If you had been one of the Greasers, how would you have felt after Bob was stabbed? What causes the difference?
- If I were a Soc, I would've felt shocked, and left because I would believe that the kid had the intent to kill, and might do it again. If I were a Greaser, I would still feel, shocked, but stayed with Johnny, calm him down, and go back to the gang. The difference is the fact that a greaser would stick together with their gang, while a soc would run away because they didn't know him.
3. Why did Ponyboy turn to Dally for help?
- Ponyboy turned to Dally for help because Dally is older, wiser, and reliable when it comes to escaping from the type of situation they were in.
4. What does Bob say a Greaser is?
- Bob said a Greaser was white trash with long hair.
5. What do the Socs do to Ponyboy?
- The Socs tried to drown Ponyboy in the fountain and almost killed him.
6. What does Ponyboy see when he recovers consciousness?
- When Ponyboy recovers and comes to his senses, he saw Johnny sitting next to him with a switchblade, and Bob's body on the ground bleeding and unmoving
7. Why did Johnny attack Bob?
- Johnny attacked Bob because Bob was drowning and slowly killing Ponyboy, so he felt he needed to defend him.
8. Where do Johnny and Ponyboy go when the leave the park?
- They go to Buck Merril's place to find Dally and ask help and advice from him.
9. What does Dally give Johnny and Ponyboy?
- Dally gave Johnny and Ponyboy money, a loaded gun, as well as a large shirt for Ponyboy.
10. Where does Dally tell them to go?
- He tells them to go to a church at Jay Mountain and stay there.
11. How do they get there?
- They go to the church by train.
12. How do they find the church?
- They asked a farmer where Jay Mountain is, and lied saying they were playing army.