Ponyboy recites a poem he learned by Robert Frost called “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” about impermanence in nature, from flowers to sunrises. Ponyboy is not sure what the poem means, but Johnny tells him the poem expresses exactly what he Read more…
What information did Ponyboy learn from the newspaper? He learned that he and his brothers may be put into a boy’s home. Why did Randy want to talk to Ponyboy? He wanted to say how he might run away and Read more…
This line refers to the metaphor that something new and pure is rare and valuable. That rare and valuable purity is personified as always leaving. The use of figurative language in this line of the poem brings home the theme Read more…
While sunsets are a literal end to a day, they’ve also become symbols of peace, harmony, and the promise of renewal. Sunsets are a great reminder to rest and reset our hearts and minds at the end of each and Read more…
One reason why Ponyboy wants to fight in the rumble is, he is loyal to the greasers. Even though Pony knows that the fight would be bad, Pony would do it for his gang. This shows that Ponyboy will always Read more…
The Socs lose the rumble because they run first. Everyone in Pony’s gang is banged up, but the greasers win and that is all that matters. Dally grabs greasers and says that they have to quickly go to the hospital Read more…
Ponyboy feels that it is necessary for him to fight in the rumble against the Socs for several reasons and refuses to sit out. Ponyboy believes that it is important for him to fight in the rumble, because he realizes Read more…
Darry isn’t sure if Pony should fight in the rumble tonight. He knows Pony’s a good fighter, but he’s been through a lot over the past week and might not be in prime fighting mode. But Pony has to fight Read more…
Who did Darry first take on in the rumble? Why is this person significant? Darry first takes on Paul Holden in the Rumble. Paul is significant because “he and Darry used to buddy it around all the time” (142). Why Read more…
This novel portrays how violence leaves physical and emotional scars. SE Hilton explores the effect of living in a place where a teenager can’t even walk home by himself and where fear is the foremost emotion. Gang violence, shooting, stabbing, Read more…