Chapter Five

Vocabulary: Find the meaning for the following words and write one paragraph that uses all 6 words correctly.

Reluctantly p. 71,
Sullen p. 73,
Eluded p. 78,
Imploringly p. 72,
Gallant p. 76,
Indignant p. 80

Reluctantly- feeling no willingness or enthusiasm to do something

Sullen- showing bad temper or hostility by a refusal to talk, behave sociably, or cooperate cheerfully

Eluded- to escape from or avoid somebody or something by cunning, skill, or resourcefulness

Imploringly- earnestly asking for something (to beg)

Gallant- brave, spirited, and honourable

Indignant- angry or annoyed at the unfairness or unreasonableness of somebody or something



1. Why does Pony have a problem with Johnny's idea to disguise themselves?

Pony has a problem with Johnny’s idea to disguise themselves because Ponyboy loves his hair and didn’t want to get it bleached. But Johnny told him that they have to disguise themselves. With his hair lightened, Ponyboy is miserable. He thinks he looks like a wimp.

2. What does Pony mean when he says, "I was supposed to be the deep one" (p. 75)?

When Pony said “I was supposed to be the deep one” he meant that he usually is the one who understands things better because he reads more and is interested in more things like that (art, shows, books, etc.). Ponyboy never thought that Johnny would understand something out of a book better than he could.

3. Why does Johnny think he is a hero (p. 76)? Do you think Dally is a hero based on what he did?

Johnny thinks that he is a hero because Dally got questioned by the police and kept calm the whole time. He was in trouble for breaking out windows in the school building, but it was Two-Bit who did that. So Dally was taking the blame for him. No, I don’t think that Dally is a hero based on what he did.

4. Why does Pony realize he doesn't like Dally? Can you explain what he means by this?

Pony realized that he doesn’t like Dally because he didn’t have Soda’s understanding or dash, or Two-Bit’s humour, or even Darry’s superman quality. He realized that those three appealed to him because they were like the heroes in the novels he read.

5. Examine Robert Frost's poem, Nothing Gold can Stay. What do you think the poem is saying? How might this apply to the characters in the novel?

“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 down to day.
Nothing gold to can stay.”

I think that when the poem says “her” they are referring to Mother Nature. I think that this poem is talking about the ups and downs that we might have in life. The poem also talks about how we take so much for granted and don’t know how different life would be once it’s gone. This might apply to the Ponyboy because this poem can make him see how lucky he is to be young, and to see how important this time is because it only comes once in a life time and you should treasure it and make the most of it while you can.

6. On page 78, Johnny compares Pony and his brothers to their parents. Which one of your parents are you most like? What similarities do you share?

I am most like my mom…


7. What does Pony mean when he says he drinks Pepsis like a friend (p.78)?

When Ponyboy said that he drinks Pepsis like a friend, he meant that he couldn’t go five days with out having one. Just like he probably couldn’t go five days with out seeing any of his friends/the ‘gang’ or Soda because Soda was like a close friend to Pony. He thinks that with out his friends or Pepsi, he wouldn’t be able to survive.

8. What's a 'heater'? Why does Dally have one?

A heater is a ‘hand-gun’. Dally has one because he needs to defend himself and his friends/the ‘gang’ because the Socs are always out to get them and they could come any time at any place. Dally said that he started to carry a ‘heater’ because Bob had a lot of friends and now all over town it’s Soc against Grease. No greaser can walk alone because they can get beaten easily.

9. Why are the Socs and the greasers going to fight in the vacant lot?

The Socs and the greasers are going to fight in the vacant lot because the Socs and the greasers are having all-out warfare all over the city. The kid that Johnny killed (Bob) had a lot of friends all over town. It’s Soc against Grease. Greasers can’t walk alone anymore because everything is getting too brutal. Both gangs agreed to have a fight tomorrow night at the vacant lot.


10. Who's the spy for the greasers? Does this surprise you?
Why or why not?

The spy for the greasers is Cherry Valance. No, this does not surprise me because I know that Cherry is the only Soc that the greasers or Ponyboy can trust. I am also not surprised because he is good friends with her.

Chapter Four

Vocabulary: Find the meaning for the following words in this chapter and write one paragraph that uses all 3 words correctly.


Ruefully p. 60,
Hermit p. 65,
Premonition p. 67

Ruefully- feeling, showing, or causing regret

Hermit- somebody who chooses to live alone and to have little or no contact with other people

Premonition- a strong feeling, without a rational basis, that a particular thing is going to happen

Following paragraph is not true about what happens in the movie…

On the weekend my friends and I went to go see the movie Premonition. The film was about a woman who would wake up and her husband would be dead and the next morning would wake up and her husband would be alive. She tried to figure out how to save him before he’d die once again. “I’ve made a big mistake” she said ruefully when she was not able to save him. She regretted not being able to save her husband so much that she wanted to be left alone and become a hermit.

1. What does Pony mean when he says the Socs were "reeling pickled" on page 54?

When Ponyboy says that the Socs were “reeling pickled” he meant that he thought that they just looked drunk by the way that they were swaying and acting.

2. What major event happens in this chapter?

The major event that happens in this chapter is when Johnny kills one of the Socs named Bob. The reason why Johnny killed him is because they were just about to kill Ponyboy, who was his best friend and he couldn’t risk losing him. If Johnny did not kill Bob then Ponyboy probably would have been dead and Johnny would have been beaten up worse than the last time. After Johnny stabbed Bob all of the other Socs ran away because they were scared.

3. How did the author foreshadow that Johnny would use his knife in Chapter 2?

The way that the author foreshadowed that Johnny would use his knife in Chapter 2 is that when the author was explaining how beat up Johnny was, he was very sad yet angry at the same time. Johnny knew that if the Socs were going to beat up any of his friends badly like how they did to him-self, then he would surely get them back for doing it one way of another.

4. What would your advice be to Johnny and Ponyboy if they'd come to you for help instead of Dally? Explain.

My advice to Johnny and Ponyboy, if they’d come to me for help instead of Dally would be to go to Darry and Sodapop for help (mostly Sodapop). I would give them this advice because Sodapop could possibly understand what situation that they are in and try to help them in ways that Ponyboy and Johnny wouldn’t get into more trouble then they already are.

Chapter Three

Vocabulary - Find the meaning for the following words in this chapter and write one paragraph that uses all 4 words correctly:

Aloof p. 38
Impersonally p. 38
Ornery p. 39
Resignedly p. 44

Aloof- uninvolved or unwilling to become involved with other people or events, often out of a sense of lofty superiority to them.

Impersonally- not referring to individuals or reflecting personalities but focusing on events and facts

Ornery- uncooperative and irritable

Resignedly- agreeing in something unwillingly, but without protest.

When I was going out for a walk in the park with my friends there were many aloof birds near by, scared to come to close. We had a picnic and when we went to go feed the birds they became very ornery with us. Suddenly I felt a very distinguished pain in my back. I asked my friends “Is pain impersonally bad?” My friends said “Let’s take you back home” and I said resignedly, “okay, fine” knowing that the pain was not that bad and would go away easily.

1. What does Cherry explain as the difference between the Socs and the Greasers?

What Cherry explains the difference between the Socs and the Greasers is that Socs are too cool and aloof to acknowledge their emotions and that they live their live trying to fill up their emotional void, while the Greasers feel everything too intensely.

2. What does Ponyboy mean on p. 39 when he says "Johnny and I understood each other without saying anything"? Have you ever had a relationship with someone who you understood, or who understood you, without having to say anything?

When Ponyboy says “Johnny and I understood each other without saying anything” he meant that even when they don’t say anything they know what each other are going to say next. Yes, I have had a relationship with someone who understood me and who I understood with out saying anything because of a certain face that the person makes or I can just tell what they are going to say next.

3. When and how did Pony's parents die?

The way that Pony’s parents died was from a car-accident. Ever since Pony’s parents died, he had to live with his two older brothers, Darry and Sodapop, but only as long as they all behave or else they will be taken to foster homes. Their father died when he was only forty years old, although he only looked twenty-five, and exactly like Darry except had the complete opposite personality. People had often mistaken Darry and their dad of being brothers instead of father and son, although they were pretty close. Pony’s parents died when he was still 14 which were only 8 months ago. Pony’s mother loved to bake, especially chocolate cakes.

4. What happens when Pony comes home after his curfew?

When Ponyboy comes home after his curfew Darry ends up hollering and him, threatening him and hitting him. When Ponyboy came home after his curfew as shown on page 49 Darry and Ponyboy got into a big fight. The biggest fight they’ve ever had, and that’s the loudest that Ponyboy has ever heard Darry yell, after living with him for fourteen years. He doesn’t like it when Darry yells or fights with anyone, especially if he were to yell at Soda. Pony felt that Darry had pushed it too far and had no need to yell at Soda because Soda was the only one who would ever really understand. So, it should be the other way around, Darry should be listening to Soda for once and let people speaking instead of hollering at them with out even giving them a chance to explain their selves.

5. Why does Johnny like it better when his father is hitting him?

Johnny likes it better when his father is hitting him because Johnny would hate it if he had a sibiling that would hit him because if his father hits him he would have his siblings to turn to for advice and help or just to talk to, to make him feel better, but Johnny doesn’t have that. Johnny wishes he had siblings that he could turn to. But Ponyboy wishes that he had a father, so everything would be back to how it used to be when everyone would get along together. In the past before their parents died, everything would be okay and they would feel safer. But Johnny is lucky enough to have “the gang” and Ponyboy.

6. At the end of the chapter, how does the author foreshadow that bad things are to come?

At the end of the chapter the way that the author foreshadows that bad things are to come is when the author talks about how Darry and Pony got into a big fight. Pony felt like running away because he didn’t understand. And he has never been so furious and mad with Darry before, which could lead to a bad event coming up.

Chapter Two

Vocabulary - Find the meaning for the following words in this chapter and write one paragraph that uses all 3 words correctly:

Incredulous p. 24
Vaguely p.33
Nonchalantly p. 25.

Incredulous- unable or unwilling to believe something or completely unconvinced by it

Vaguely- not clear in meaning or intention

Nonchalantly- calm and unconcerned about things

The teacher was reading a story quietly and nonchalantly about a true story. While the teacher read the story, everyone in the class was not paying attention, figuring that the story would be long and boring, except for one student who was incredulous and curious about some facts as he listened to the story. When the student was listening to this story he was picturing what was happening in his mind, but since the other students were carrying on with their own conversations his imagination became vague.

1. Who is the fuzz? (p. 20)

The fuzz is the name/slang that they used meaning cops or police in 1967. The fuzz is an offensive term for the police.

2. Are the names Ponyboy and Sodapop nicknames? Explain.

No, the names Ponyboy and Sodapop are not nicknames. In the second chapter Ponyboy says that his brother’s real name is Sodapop and that it even says it on his birth certificate. I think that Ponyboy is his real name and not a nickname because Ponyboy says that he doesn’t like telling people his first name when they first meet because he feels that they will think that he is weird or that it is a strange name to have. So, if Ponyboy wasn’t his real name he wouldn’t tell them that.

3. Who are Cherry and Marcia?

Cherry and Marcia are both two beautiful Soc girls. Cherry’s real name is Sherri Valance but people like to call her Cherry because of the colour of her hair. Marcia is Sherry/Cherry’s best friend.

4. Why doesn't Ponyboy like referring to Sodapop as a dropout?

Ponyboy doesn’t like referring to Sodapop as a dropout because the word “dropout” made Ponyboy think of some poor dumb-looking street hoodlum wandering the streets breaking out the street lights. Ponyboy didn’t like to picture his brother the way that he pictures a dropout because Ponyboy knows that Sodapop is not anything like that. Soda has a happy-go-lucky personality.

5. What is Ponyboy comparing Two-Bit to when he calls him a "chessy cat" on page 27? What figure of speech is this besides a simile?

What Ponyboy is comparing Two-Bit to when he calls him a “chessy cat” is a Cheshire cat which is the kind of cat in the movie Alice in Wonderland who has a very big smile. The figure of speech which this is besides a simile is a noun.
Chessy Cat-

6. What is "a weed" slang for in 1967?

“A weed” was slang for drugs or cigarettes in 1967.

7. Why does Dally look sick now (p. 33)?

The reason why Dally looks sick now is because he knows that if Johnny got beat up pretty badly by the Socs, then that means that he can get beat up easily soon one night when he is walking all alone. Anything can happen unexpectedly, one second you can be walking down the street all by yourself, the next you've been hit by a blue mustang full of Socs. I think that Dally now realizes what can happen to him when he’s not being careful.

8. What literary device does the author use to describe Johnny's mugging (pgs. 31-34)?

The literary device that the author used to describe Johnny’s mugging was visualizing.
Example: “He had told us stories about muggings in New York that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up”
And
“Johnny’s face was cut up and bruised and swollen, and there was a wide gash from his temple to his cheekbone. He would carry that scar all his life. His white T-shirt was splattered with blood”.

Chapter One

1. Describe each of the characters in this chapter and their relationship with one another.

Ponyboy Curtis is the narrator of this story and he is a "Greaser", Ponyboy also has light-brown, almost redish hair and greenish-grey eyes, he is fourteen years old. He has two brothers, one of Ponyboy's brothers names are Sodapop, who is the middle child and is sixteen-going-on-seventeen. The other brother’s name is Darrel, who is the eldest child and who they like to call Darry. Sodapop is the brother who cares about Ponyboy a lot and understands everything he feels, where Darry/Darrel is the complete opposite. Darry is always serious and doesn't understand how people feel at times, because he works too long and hard to be interested in certain things, Darry like to hollar and threaten Ponyboy. Darry is six-feet-two, and broad shouldered. He has dark-brown hair that kicks out in front and a slight cowlick in the back. His eyes are like two pieces of pale blue-green ice. A boy named Paul Newman is one of the popular "Socs", who were the rich people unlike the greasers who were poorer than the Socs and the middle class.
Johnny Cade, who was one of Ponyboy’s friends, was once beaten up by the Socs when he was walking alone one night. Johnny was the sad, small, frightened pet of the gang. Steve Randle is Soda’s best friend, but Ponyboy doesn’t like him because Steve thinks that Pony is a baby. Two-Bit Matthews is one of the gang members and never stops joking around. Dallas Winston is tougher and meaner than the rest of them. He is angry at the world and enjoys being a criminal. His nickname is Dally. Dally spent time in rough neighbourhoods in New York, but now he fights the Socs.

2. Who are the Socs? Who are the Greasers?

The Socs are also known as the socials, because they are a gang of rich, violent boys. The greasers are the poor, tough gang of boys who fight with the Socs, and are poorer than the middle class. The greasers are known as the greasers for their greasy, long hair.

3. How does Ponyboy's relationships with Darry and Sodapop differ? Explain.

Ponyboy’s relationship with Darry differs because Ponyboy and Darry always get into fights and Darry always threatens him, which can affect his confidence level. For example if when they fight, Darry can prove Ponyboy wrong which could make Ponyboy feel like he is always wrong about things. And when Darry threatens Ponyboy he can feel scared sometimes, which could make Ponyboy think that he can’t stand up for him self, and if he is scared of his own brother at times then he must because of the Socs around him.
Ponyboy’s relationship with Sodapop differs because Sodapop is always there for Ponyboy and understands him, but when he is alone and if Sodapop leaves him, he can feel that he can’t take care of himself or that no one understands him the way that Soda does. Sodapop encourages Pony and thinks that he is a smart kid.

4. Why is the 'gang' important to Johnny?

The ‘gang’ is important to Johnny because when Johnny is with the gang he probably feels well protected and safe. Where if he is walking alone at night where there are Socs, he could get beat up pretty easily just like he did in the past and how Pony did in the beginning of the book. The gang could also be important to Johnny because that’s where all of his friends are and he feels that he has some stuff in common with them.

5. How does Ponyboy react to what Sodapop tells him about Darry?

When Sodapop tells Ponyboy about Darry, Ponyboy reacted surprised and as if Soda was lying to him because it never seems like Darry ever loves him or anyone.
Pony just feels like Darry is a person who is too serious to ever love somebody.

6. Do you think Darry loves Ponyboy? Why does he treat Ponyboy the way he does?

Yes, I do think that Darry loves Ponyboy. I think that Darry treats Ponyboy the way he does is just because Darry is too over protective. Darry just wants to keep Ponyboy out of trouble and makes sure that he does get into a bad fight with the Socs because some fight with the Socs could lead to death if they get taken too far and Darry would not want Ponyboy to get killed in some fight with the Socs.

7. What does Ponyboy mean on page 8 when he says, "I lie to myself all the time"? Do you ever lie to yourself? Why?

When Ponyboy says "I lie to myself all the time", he means that sometimes he says stuff to his self that he knows that aren't true.
Example: Ponyboy said "I don't care about Darry" even though he said it he knows that he really does care about him, he just said it at the moment but he knew that he was lying to himelf.