Chapter 1 ((:

Q1: Describe each of the characters in this chapter and thier relationship with one another.
A1:
PONYBOY --> Pony for short
youngest of the gang
doesn't use his head
has two brothers in the gang
likes things such as movies and reading, that the others in the gang don't
very smart, skipped a grade
greased hair

SODAPOP --> soda for short
understands almost everything
16 years old
very good looking
always there for other members of the gang, especially his younger brother
greased hair

DERRY --> 20 years old
works hard and long
people in the gang call him hard and firm
uses his head
over protective of those who mean most to him in the gang
fatherly
greased hair

TWO-BIT MATHEWS --> real name is Keith, but no one every uses it
always making jokes
stocky build
can't shut him up
helps to make member feel better by making them laugh
shop lifts on a daily basis

JOHNNY --> was jumped at the age of 16 by the Socs
scared of everything
barley speaks a word
nervous and suspicious
though home life
everyone's kid brother in the gang
gang gives him love and affection
greased hair

STEVE --> best friends with Sodapop for a very long time
him doesn't like Pony
works at gas station with Soda
tall, lean, cocky, smart
greasy hair

DALLAS --> toughest of the bunch
always going to jail and breaking the law
cold, mean, wild
got into fights
talks dirty
greasy hair

Q2: Who are the Socs? Who are the Greasers?
A2:
SOCS: abbreviation for the socials, the jet set, the west-side rich kids. Cause damage to property/ people for fun especially the Greasers

GREASERS: East-side boys who are poorer than the Socs, almost like hoods. Steal things, carry knives, drive old cars, hold up gas stations, gang fight, wear greasy long hair. Are all each other has, give each other love and affection

Q3: How did Ponyboy's relationship with Darry and Sodapop differ? Explain.
A3:
Pony's relationship with Soda is very different than his with Darry. They both love Pony very much, they just show their affection in different ways. Soda cares for Pony and stands up for him. He helps Pony to be accepted within the group. Soda always stands up for Pony and Pony looks up to him for that.

Darry loves Pony a lot also and thats why hes so over protective of him. He wants Pony to do good in life and keep his grades up, that's why he may come off controlling. He feels that he has to play father over his brothers. Pony doesn't like Darry for it, but he knows in his heart that Darry has his best interest in mind.

Q4: Why is the 'gang' important to Johnny?
A4:
The gang is important to Johnny because its basically the only good thing or thing that he has to look forward to in his life. His father is very abusive and his mother doesn't care and is rarely home. The gang gives Johnny love and affection. Without the gang, Johnny would have no one there for him, no one to talk to, nothing really positive in his life. I think the same goes for the rest to the gang members.

Q5: How does Ponyboy react to what Sodapop tells him about Darry?
A5:
Sodapop told Pony to not let Darry's yelling and nagging and controlling behavior shouldn't bother him becasue Darry is really proud of him and gets worried a lot. Pony didn't quite understand what Soda meant about Darry. Pony felt that Darry thought of him as just another somebody and that Darry couldn't possible love him. Pony thought that Soda was wrong. Deep down he knew that Darry truly did, a lot. He just told himself that Darry didn't to make himself feel better about how Darry treated him.

Q6: Do you think that Darry loves Ponyboy? Why does he treat him the way he does?
A6:
I think that Darry loves Pony a lot. Darry is very over protective of Pony because he cares and wants the best for Pony. Darry shows his love in a tough love kind of way. He knew that Pony could possibly amount to something, so he pushed him and asked more of him because he knew Pony could do it. Darry loves Pony a lot and Pony knows it, he just can't see it, so sometimes he doesn't believe it's there.

Q7: What does Ponyboy mean on pg18 when he says "I lie to myself all the time." Do you every lie to yourself? Why?
A7:
When Ponyboy says, "I lie to myself all the time," he means that he tells himself things that aren't true but he wants them to be true to make himself feel better. People tell themselves things that their mind wants to hear, but they know in the back of their head, that it isn't true. Just like Pony says, "I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me." He saying that he tells himself untrue things to make him feel better, but all along he knows it isn't the truth. Yes, somtimes I do lie to myself to make myself think that what I want to happen can actually happen. For example: When someone buys a lottery ticket, they tell themselves, "yeah, i could actually win this," but they know deep down the chances are very very slim.

Written by: Alyssa Petruniak :)