Johnny, Ponyboy, Soda Pop Darry, Cherry, Bob, Randy, and Dally have been gracing the pages of the S. E. Hinton's young adult novel since "The Outsiders" was first published in 1967.
Even though Hinton published it during her freshman year of college, this novel still made the 1990's American Library Association's list of "most frequently challenged books." It definitely gives young students something to talk about in class.
In your assigned group choose two of the following questions and spend 15 minutes discussing each topic. Assign a secretary to take notes of the discussions. As a group fill in the boxes below with your responses. Make sure you list the names of your group members in the appropriate box before submitting your responses.
- In the 60's in Tulsa there were Greasers and Socs. Does your school have similar social groups? What are they called today and how are they similar? How are they different?
- When thinking about gangs in school, are the Greasers and the Hoods different or similar? How and why?
- Cherry loved Bob and helped Ponyboy's group. What do you think of her? Why? Would you do the same thing? Why?
- Darry was raising Ponyboy and Sodapop because their parents were dead. Do you think this is right? Would the boys have been better off in foster care? Why?
- Was it too much for Darry? Would he have gone to college if he did not have to care for Ponyboy?
- Sodapop has quit school. What does this mean for his future? Why do you think he did it?
- Should Johnny be punished for Bob's death when it was in self-defense? Why?
- Were Johnny, Ponyboy and Dallas heroes of the fire incident even though the fire was probably started by one of their cigarettes? Why?
- Randy is tired of fighting at the end. Could he have done things differently?
- Dallas pulls a toy gun on the police in the end. Why? Do you think that Dallas could have lived a happy life without Johnny? Why?
- Do you think Ponyboy will be okay in the end? Why? What do you think his future will hold?
Role Play Activity
