The outsiders

Chapter 7 The reporters and police come and ask too many questions. Soda loves the attention and makes them all laugh. Dally will be let out in two or three days – ‘He could take anything.’ Johnny is in critical condition – broken back; severe shock; third degree burns… He might not live. The Curtis boys return home. Two-Bit and Steve come to visit the next day. Two-Bit tells Pony that he made it into the newspaper: ‘JUVENILE DELINQUENTS TURN HEROES’ (p.130). The article tells the whole story, from the church fire to Bob’s death. Cherry Valance and Randy Adderson, Bob's friend, were both quoted as saying that Bob was drunk, and that Johnny acted in self-defense. Johnny is still being charged for manslaughter. Both Johnny and Pony have to appear at the juvenile court for running away.

The paper says that the courts might separate the Curtis boys and send Pony and Soda to a boys’ home.. ‘Darry has never really gotten over not going to college…’ (P.133) Pony had his nightmare again – he can’t remember what happens in his nightmares, but they started on the night of his parents’ funeral. Soda tells Pony that they're planning a big party, after which there will be a rumble and the Greasers will run the Socs out of town. Pony asks if Sandy will be Soda's date for the party, and everybody gets uncomfortable. When Sandy's parents heard about Soda's marriage proposal, they sent her to live with her grandmother. Darry and Soda leave for work, Two-Bit looks after Pony. While Pony and Two-Bit are walking, the blue Mustang pulls up to them – the Socs who had jumped Pony and Johnny appear. Randy talks to Pony (p.140-144)  very important conversation, read it carefully.

Randy: “I just know that I’m sick of whole mess.” ‘Randy was supposed to be too cool to feel anything, and yet there was pain in his eyes.’ (p.141) ‘That was what [Bob] wanted. For somebody to tell him ‘No’. To have somebody lay down the law, set limits, give him something solid to stand on.’ (p.142) Randy: “I just know that I’m sick of whole mess.” Randy: “Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs. Sometimes I think it’s the ones in t he middle that are really the lucky stiffs…” (p.143) Pony: ‘Socs were just guys after all. Things were rough all pver, but it was better that way. That way you could tell the other guy was human too.’ (p.144)

Chapter eight Two-Bit and Pony see Johnny…Pony realises Johnny is dying. They fill Johnny in on the news – the rumble, etc. Johnny asks them for hair grease and another copy of Gone with the Wind. Johnny can’t feel anything below the middle of his back. Pony says, “We couldn’t get along without you.” (p.147) Johnny: “I don’t want to die now. It ain’t long enough. Sixteen years ain’t long enough…” (p.148) ‘Years of living on the East Side teaches you how to shut off your emotions. If you didn’t, you would explode. You learn to cool it.’ (p.148) Johnny’s mother comes to visit him but he doesn’t want to see her. Johnny passes out and Pony and Two-Bit have to leave; they bump into Johnny’s mother who blames them for everything.

They go visit Dally who is arguing with the nurse to let him smoke They go visit Dally who is arguing with the nurse to let him smoke. Dally asks Two-Bit for his switchblade Dally: “We gotta win that fight tonight…We gotta get even with the Socs. For Johnny.” (p.153) They take a bus home and Pony doesn’t look well, but he doesn’t want Darry to know or he won’t let Pony join in the rumble. “You know, the only thing that keeps Darry from being a Soc is us.” (p.154) “Darry was too smart to be a greaser…” Pony is worried about the rumble: ‘I had the same deathly fear that something was going to happen that none of us could stop.’ (p.154-155). Two-Bit: ‘He seemed to feel that if you said something was all right, it immediately was, no matter what. He’s been that way all his life, and I don’t expect he’ll change.’ (p.155) Pony sees Cherry Valance and talks to her. She tells them, “[the Socs] play your way. No weapons, fair deal. Your rules.” (p.156) She doesn’t want to go see Johnny…Pony gets upset and tells her not to feel sorry for them (p.157- 158)