Chapter 12: Theme

Chapter 12: Theme

Part 1 Close Read

• “But schoolwork’s not the point. You’re living in a vacuum, Pony, and you’re going to have to cut it out. Johnny and Dallas were our buddies, too, but you don’t just stop living because you lose someone. I thought you knew that by now. You don’t quit! Anytime you don’t like the way I’m running things you can get out.”

  I went tight and cold. We never talked about Dallas or Johnny. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You’d like me to just get out. Well, it’s not that easy, is it Soda? “ But when I looked at Soda I stopped. His face was white, and when he looked at me his eyes were wide with a pained expression.

  …

  “Don’t….Oh, you guys, why can’t you…” He jumped up suddenly and bolted out the door. 

Open Ended

Darry tells Ponyboy, “You don’t stop living because you

lose someone. I thought you knew that by now.” What is Darry trying to tell Ponyboy

here? How would Ponyboy have known this?

Open Ended

How does Ponyboy respond to Darry when he brings up

Johnny and Dally? (Think back to

the stages of grief we read about.)

Part 2 Close Read

• “Ponyboy, I’m telling you the truth. I dropped out because I’m dumb. I really did try in school, but you saw my grades. Look, I’m happy working in a gas station with cars. You’d never be happy doing something like that. And Darry, you ought to try to understand him more, and quit bugging him about every little mistake he makes. He feels things differently than you do. He gave us a pleading look. “Golly, you two, it’s bad enough having to listen to it, but when you start trying to get me to take sides…” Tears welled up in his eyes. “We’re all we’ve got left. We ought to be able to stick together against everything. If we don’t have each other, we don’t have anything. If you don’t have anything, you end up like Dallas…and I don’t mean dead either. I mean like he was before. And that’s worse than dead. Please” –he wiped his eyes on his arm—“don’t fight anymore.” 

  Darry looked real worried. I suddenly realized that Darry was only twenty, that he wasn’t so much older that he couldn’t feel scared or hurt and as lost as the rest of us. I saw that I had expected Darry to do all the understanding without even trying to understand him. And he had given up a lot for Soda and me.  

Open Ended

What does Ponyboy realize as a result of the conversation with Sodapop and Darry?

Open Ended

What theme does this excerpt from the text suggest?

Part 3 Close Read

• I took a deep breath and opened the book. A slip of paper fell out on the floor and I picked it up.

  Ponyboy, I asked the nurse to give you this book so you could finish it. It was Johnny’s handwriting. I went on reading, almost hearing Johnny’s quiet voice. The doctor cam in a while ago but I knew anyway. I keep getting tireder and tireder. Listen, I don’t mind dying now. It’s worth it. It’s worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came by to thank me and I know it was worth it. Tell Dally it’s worth it. I’m just going to miss you guys. I’ve been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you’re gold when you’re a kid, like green. When you’re a kid everything’s new, dawn. It’s just when you get used to everything that it’s day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That’s gold. Keep that way, it’s a good way to be. I want you to tell Dally to look at one. He’ll probably think you’re crazy, but ask for me. I don’t think he’s ever really seen a sunset. And don’t be so bugged over being a greaser. You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There’s still lots of the good in the world. Tell Dally. I don’t think he knows. Your buddy, Johnny.  

Open Ended

Why does Johnny think the kids’ lives are worth more

than his? Do you think Dally would agree with his conclusion? Do you

agree?

Open Ended

According to Johnny, what makes Ponyboy “gold?” How does this relate to Johnny’s final

words? (Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.)

Open Ended

What theme does this excerpt from the text suggest?