The Outsiders (Chapter 7-12)

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Note: There will be no "spoiler button" on this post, since it is impossible to discuss the second half of The Outsiders without delving into the major plot points. If you haven't read the novel in its entirety, I implore you to close your device, read the book, and take some time to reflect. Trust me, it's worth it!

With that said, spoilers below:

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"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold."

-Johnny Cade, Chapter 9

There are few last words as memorable in young adult literature as those spoken by Johnny as he lay dying from wounds sustained in the church fire only a day prior. Ponyboy and the other greasers had just beaten the Socs in the rumble, but the celebration was cut short when Johnny's condition took a turn for the worse. 

After his loss, the greasers exemplified different stages of grief. Most of them vacillated between depression and acceptance, but Dally was swept up by anger at Johnny's death. He robbed a grocery store and committed suicide by police, threatening the officers with an unloaded gun to force them to shoot him. 

Ponyboy, on the other hand, was stuck in denial for weeks. He couldn't bring himself to acknowledge that Johnny was really gone and even began to convince himself that he was the one who killed the Soc earlier - not Johnny. He was adamant about this fact during his court hearing, though the judge acquitted him and allowed him to return home with Darry and Soda. He was finally forced to face the truth when he discovered a letter Johnny wrote him from his death bed. 

While Ponyboy reeled from the loss of both Johnny and Dally, his conflicts with Darry escalated while his grades slipped. Sodapop finally brought the brothers together when he broke down over constantly being in the middle of their fighting. Ponyboy's English teacher offered to pass him if he submitted a well written final theme. He realized that only he can tell the story of Johnny, Dally, and all the other greasers. His theme began with the opening words of the novel: "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home."

Elements of Fiction - Main Conflict, Climax, Resolution

Initially, the story builds toward the big rumble between the greasers and Socs as being the climax. However, the fight itself is anti-climatic when the greasers easily win. One might argue that Johnny's death is the true climax, but I believe it occurs much later when Ponyboy discovers the letter from Johnny. This illustrates that the main conflict was not just the battle between the two groups, but rather Ponyboy's internal struggle to grow up amidst so much tragedy and violence. The resolution is his acceptance of Johnny's death and writing his theme about his life as a greaser.

To help students unravel these important elements, I would have them diagram the plot points, especially focusing on the conflict, climax, and resolution. I would have students explain why they chose specific parts for those elements. It is important to understand how those elements work together, rather than just picking the most exciting part of the story as the climax. 

Film Version

Another activity that could help students understand the major themes in The Outsiders would be to watch the film version. Students can increase their understanding of the novel by comparing the two versions to find similarities and differences. Depending on my students, I might wait to watch the film until we have read the whole novel in order to experience each as an independent work. Or, we might watch segments of the film after we've read that part in the novel in order to help students who struggle with reading comprehension access the important parts of the story. It would depend on the level of my students.

While I generally reside in the "The Book Was Better" camp, I think the film adaptation is very well done and would not hesitate to use it as part of my instruction. Both the film and the book draw the viewer/reader into Ponyboy's world and demonstrate his struggle to find his place. 

Source

Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. New York, NY: Penguin Books.