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The introduction of the Greasers and their relationship.
A description of all the Greasers. It makes us understand their relationship more clearly. Ponyboy has two brothers, Sodapop and Darry. Comparing these two brothers, Ponyboy loves Sodapop more than he has ever loved anyone, even his Mom and Dad. As Soda always tries to understand everything and never hollering at Ponyboy all the time the way Darry is, or treating him as if he was six instead of fourteen. -
The Greasers' antagonists, the Socs.
The Greasers are protagonist and the Socs are the Greasers' antagonists in this novel. It's the abbreviation for the Socials, the West-side rich kids. The Greasers are pooer than the Socs and study in the middle class on the East Side. Greasers can't walk alone too much or they'll get jumped by the Socs. -
Ponyboy gets jumped walking home from the movies.
Ponyboy walks home alone from the movie house and gets jumped by five Socs. They ask if Ponyboy wants a hair cut in an over-friendly way. They surround him, one of them pulls a knife and flips the blade open. When Ponyboy answers 'No', they have his arms and legs pinned down, and one of them is sitting on Ponyboy's chest with his knees on Ponyboy's elbows. Then the Socs jump up and leave Ponyboy lying there. This is because Darry comes and saves Ponyboy. -
Cherry and Ponyboy have a deep discussion between the Socs and the Greasers.
Cherry and Ponyboy have a deep discussion about the differences between the Socs and the Greasers. They discuss what separates the Socs and the Greasers. Ponyboy thinks it is money that separate them; however, Cherry doesn't think so. She thinks it's not just money. Part of it is, but not all. She thinks that all the greasers have a different set of values. Greasers are more emotional, but Socs are sophisticated—— cool to the point of not feeling anything. Nothing is for real with them. -
Darry hits Ponyboy.
Ponyboy falls asleep outside and goes back home very late. He thinks that perhaps Darry and Sodapop both go to sleep. Actually, Darry is in the armchair and waits for Ponyboy. He is angry and getting mad, roaring at Ponyboy and doesn't listen to what Ponyboy has explained to him. This makes Ponyboy so scared, he feels hot tears of anger and shout back at Darry. Darry gets more angry and even yells at Soda. Darry slaps Ponyboy so hard that it knocks him against door. Pony runs out the door fast. -
Johnny and Ponyboy get jumped by five Socs at the park.
Johnny and Ponyboy walk to the park in order to cool off enough to go home. Socs come and get jumped of them as they pick up their girls. They laugh at greasers and say that they are white trash with long hair. Pony feels angry and laugh back. Because of that, Socs shove his face into the fountain. Johnny tries to save Johnny and also have beat up, so he loses his mind and kills Bob. -
Johnny and Ponyboy head to Windrixville to hide in a church from the police.
As Johnny has killed Bob, they need to run away from the police. But they need money, a running plan and perhaps a gun. So they ask Dally for help. He hands Ponyboy a dry shirt and gives them a gun and a roll of bills. Pony and Johnny pull themselves into an open boxcar of the train and hide into an old abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain which Dally has told them. -
Ponyboy and Johnny read 'Gone with the wind' in the church and get a letter from Sodapop.
They hide in the church every day and have nothing to do. Because of this, Ponyboy remember things in spite of himself. He could even remember every detail of the whole night of Bob's been killed. Johnny brings him food and a paperback copy of 'Gone with the Wind' to help kill time or something. They read it together and Ponyboy finally understand the meaning of 'Nothing gold can stay'. Dally goes to see them and brings a letter from Sodapop to Ponyboy. -
Ponyboy has his hair cut and bleached.
Johnny brings a knife back from the outside and ask Pony to have his hair cut as the police will have their description in the paper. Ponyboy doesn't want to cut his hair as it is his pride. All greasers has long and silky hair, doesn't have to use much grease on it, it's a symbol of them. Their hair label them greasers, it's their trademark. Having a hair cut seems like a way of trying to break Pony. In order not to be caught by the police, Ponyboy finally agrees to cut his hair and bleach it. -
The church gets set on fire and Johnny and Ponyboy run in to save some little kids, and then Dally runs in after to save Johnny.
Ponyboy jumps out of the car and runs to the church to see what happens. Pony thinks that the fire is caused by the lighted cigarette they have dropped. He slams a big rock through a window and pulls himself in. Johnny follows him. They pick up the children, lean out the window and drop them as gentle as they could. They drop the last kid out, the church starts to crumble. Johnny lets Pony go first. When Pony lean out the window, he hears Johnny scream. Dally runs in after to save Johnny. -
Randy has a conversation with Ponyboy.
Ponyboy, Johnny and Dally appear in the newspaper as a hero by saving the children in fire in the church. Randy reads this and he tells Pony that he would never have believed a greaser could pull something like that. Then they talk about Bob. Randy told him that Bob is a good guy, a good fihter and tuff. Bob keeps trying to make his parents say 'No', but they never did. He wants to have someone lay down the law, set the limits, give him something solid to stand on. That's what Socs all want. -
The big Rumble.
Although Ponyboy isn't well, he still want to join in the big rumble with the Socs tonight. He wants to use his own strength to fight for his friends and his gang. The most important thing in Ponyboy's life is helping his gang whip the Socs. Dallas gets out of the hospital and join into the fight. Ponyboy and his gang beat the Socs. They win the Socs at last and all the Socs run away. -
Johnny dies.
Dallas asks Ponyboy to go with him to see Johnny and tells him the good news as they have won the Socs just now. He tells Ponyboy that Johnny was getting worse when he left, and Johnny wants to see him. Dally says that he is wrong. If Johnny can be as smart and tough as him, Johnny won't run into that church and get hurt. The last word which Johnny leaves is 'Stay gold,' As he wants Ponyboy to follow his heart and continue helping others when they are in trouble. Don't be as cold as Dally. -
Dallas dies.
Because of Johnny's death, Dally gets mad and feels really hurt as Johnny is the only thing he cares about in this world. He robs a grocery store and the cops are after him. When Ponyboy and the other greasers come, they see Dally raising the gun to the police. The policemen don't know that he is only bluffing. He is dead before he hit the ground. However, Ponyboy understands that what he wants, Dally Winston wants to be dead and he always gets what he wants. -
Sodapop recieves his letter to Sandy back and unopened, then he can't stand Darry and Ponyboy bickering and runs out.
Darry has an arguement with Ponyboy again. Sodapop tries his best to stop it. Pony knows from Darry that Sodapop recieves a letter from his girlfriend, Sandy. She is pregnant and her parents take her away. Sodapop gets a shock and feels sad. Nevertheness, he still need to pretend that there is nothing happen to him and becomes a middleman between Ponyboy and Darry, to stop them arguing and fighting with each other. -
They all go to court and Ponyboy is allowed to stay with Darry.
During the court, the judge doesn't ask Ponyboy anything. He only ask the Socs questions and gets answers from them. First Randy is questioned. Then Cherry is the second to tell the judge what had happened. The judge questions every Socs carefully, but only asks Darry and Soda a little bit about Dally. He wants to check their background and find out what kind of guys we hang out with. Finally he asks Pony to choose if he wants to stay with Darry or live in school by himeself. Pony chooses Darry. -
Ponyboy goes back to school and writes a story about all the Greasers.
Ponyboy finally goes back to school and his English teacher Mr Syme wants him to write a theme which is not less than five pages. Ponyboy gets an idea that he wants to tell their story to be understood by other people and won't so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wear. There should be some help, someone should tell them before it was too late. It's important to Ponyboy. He thinks that he could tell people, beginning with his English teacher.