Outsiders: Bankruptcy in the United States and Bit Shows Pony

The Outsiders Chapter Notes

Chapter 1
Ponyboy, a “Greaser” is walking home alone from the movies when he gets jumped by a gang of “Socs” (Soshes). His two brothers and friends from his gang save him. The rest of the chapter introduces us to the main characters and the different social classes; the “Greaser” and the “Socs”

Chapter 2
Dally and Pony decides to go to a drive-in movie. Dally sees a couple of Soc girls alone and goes to sit by them. He is very loud and obnoxious towards them. Their friend Johnny comes by and tells Dally to leave them alone, so does Ponyboy. The girls are grateful to Johnny and Ponyboy and ask them to come down and sit by them. One of the girls is a cheerleader named Cherry. She and Ponyboy go to get some popcorn and Pony tells Cherry how Johnny got beat up by a group of Socs not too long ago. Cherry tells him that not all Socs are like that, that they have real problems too.

Chapter 3
Their friend Two-Bit comes along and then they offer to get the two girls home. On the way to Two-Bit’s house to get his car they talk about how they aren’t so different. While talking a Blue Mustang pulls up with Cherry’s boyfriend Bob. They threaten Pony, Two-Bit and Johnny. Cherry doesn’t like fighting and tells them she will get in the car with them if they stop. When Pony gets home it is really late and Darry is really mad at him, he slaps Pony. Pony tells him he is running away and leaves the house. He goes back to the Park where Johnny is and hangs out. He realizes how cold he is and decides he wants to go back home.

Chapter 4
Pony is just about to leave the Park and go back home when the Blue Mustang pulls up with the Soc boys. They get out of the car and are very drunk. Johnny is scared! The Socs grab Pony and shove his head in the water of a fountain and held him there. He is sure he is going to drown. Suddenly he is released and then passes out. When he comes to he sees Johnny there standing over a dead Soc, Bob. Johnny stabbed him. Pony and Johnny decide to go to Dally for help. Dally gives them money, tells them to hop a train to the next town and stay in an old abandoned church. He gives Johnny a gun and Pony his leather jacket. They jump on the train, walk a ways to the church and fall asleep on the floor.

Chapter 5
When Pony wakes up he sees that Johnny is gone and he becomes concerned. Johnny soon returns with some food and supplies. They cut and bleach each other’s hair to disguise themselves. They hang out for several days eating bologna sandwiches, playing cards and reading Gone with the Wind. Dally arrives after several days to take them away someplace else. Dally has brought a letter for Pony from Soda. He tells them that the Socs and Greasers are having “All Out” Wars. Cherry has been a spy for the Greasers. She is sad about Bob but feels responsible for everything that has happened. Pony and Johnny leave with Dally; he takes them to the Dairy Queen to get something to eat.

Chapter 6
Dally explains how Cherry came to help their gang one night because she felt it was all her fault. She wanted to go tell the police about it and that it was self defense. Johnny is listening and decides he wants to go back to town and turn himself in to the Police. Just then they look out the review mirror and see the Church they were staying in is on fire. Johnny and Pony hop out of the car and run to the church. There is a group of kids there on a field trip and some of them are stuck inside with the fire. Johnny and Pony run in to rescue them. Johnny gets knocked out and barely escapes by Dally dragging him out. They are taken to the hospital in an ambulance. While in the ambulance Pony tells the teacher the entire story of what has happened and what they did. The teacher doesn’t car, he thinks they are heroes. At the hospital, Darry and Soda arrive. They are so relieved to see Pony. Pony realizes how much Darry really does love him and that he was just scared to loose him. Dally is okay but Johnny is in serious condition.

Chapter 7
Pony leaves the hospital and drives home with his two brothers. They are so glad to be together. Pony falls asleep on the way and Darry and Soda have to carry him in the house. The next morning Darry and Soda go to work and Pony hangs out with Two-Bit. Two Bit shows Pony an article in the paper about how they are heroes. Pony and Two-Bit stop to get a coke and one of the Socs with the Blue mustang comes in and wants to talk to Pony. They go outside to his car and talk. His name is Randy and he tells Pony how he is not going to go to the Rumble and all about Bob’s problems at home. He thinks the fighting won’t do any good. He tells Pony that he would have never been brave enough to go in the burning church and pull out the children. Pony sees a human side to a “Soc”. Randy says “Thanks Greaser”. Pony says, “mine name is Pony”.

Chapter 8
Two-Bit and Pony go to the hospital to visit Johnny. He is real bad! Johnny’s mother shows up and Johnny doesn’t want to see her, gets upset and passes out. Pony and Two-Bit go to see Dally. He wants to leave the hospital to fight in the rumble and asks for Two-Bit's knife. They take the Bus home. When they get off they see Cherry, she tells them that the Socs won’t bring weapons to the rumble and promise to fight by the Greasers Rules. Two-Bit goes home and Pony stays longer to talk to Cherry. He is upset that she won’t go to see Johnny. She explains that she doesn’t agree with Bob, but Johnny killed Bob. She tells Pony about Bob’s good side. Pony and Cherry say good-bye. Pony understands.

Chapter 9
It is almost 7 p.m. and time for the big rumble. Ponyboy and his brothers are getting cleaned up for the fight. Darry is worried about Pony. They all go to the fight. They meet up with the other Greaser Gangs. Pony’s gang is pretty good. They are not hoods; they are just a group of good friends. Pony wonders why they even fight-he really doesn’t HATE. He doesn’t feel he has a good reason to fight. The rumble begins and Dally has snuck out of the hospital for the fight. The Socs run and the Greasers win. After the fight Dally grabs Pony and rushes him to the hospital to see Johnny, he is dying. They make it there just before he dies. Johnny tells Pony to “STAY GOLD” (from his poem). He tells him that fighting is useless, and then dies. Dally is very upset!

Chapter 10
Ponyboy wanders around - confused and upset by Johnny’s death. A man picks him up and gives him a ride home. When he gets in the house he tells everyone that Johnny is dead. Pony passes out from exhaustion. He wakes up three days later and finds out his brothers have never left his side. They are all exhausted.

Chapter 11
Ponyboy remains in bed. His friends come to visit. The Soc, Randy, comes to see if he is okay. He reminds Pony about going to court to testify. He tells Pony to tell the truth. Pony does not want to believe that Johnny is dead. Pony is trying to convince himself that He killed Bob.

Chapter 12
Pony decides to go to Juvenile Court. Randy and Cherry and a few other Socs tell the Judge the story of what happened. The Judge doesn’t ask Pony any questions about that night. He just asks him if he likes living with his brothers. A little later Pony returns to school and is struggling with his grades and emotions. He is forgetting things and his favorite English teacher tells him the only way he can pass the class is if he writes a good last essay. When Pony gets home he and Darry argue about school. Darry is concerned about Pony. Soda is sick of the arguing and runs out of the house. He is sick of being in the middle of Darry and Pony. They go after him. They return home and Pony decides what he will write and begins is essay. The story he writes is “The Outsiders”.