"The Outsiders" Timeline of Events Quiz

Although this event happened before the story really began, it was significant to the narrative. The boys' parents were killed in a car accident after being hit by a drunk driver. This left the three of them - Darry, 20, the oldest, who worked two jobs to support the family, Sodapop, 16, who worked at the local gas station after dropping out of school, and Ponyboy, 14, who was a good student and on the track team - to be on their own and take care of each other. They seemed to live in constant fear of being separated.

Throughout the story, small details regarding their prior life were told. Darry looked like his Dad, who really did name his boys Sodapop and Ponyboy because he liked unusual names. Mom baked the boys chocolate cakes, a tradition the boys continued after her death. It appeared that while the family was poor, they lived in a loving home. Ponyboy, however, thought Darry disliked him because he was always on his case about something.

The story began with Ponyboy leaving a movie theater by himself, "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house I only had two things on my mind...." One of the things on his mind was how he would get home; he decided to walk home rather than call for a ride, which ultimately was a poor choice. Ponyboy described himself as a Greaser, a member of a gang of boys who were poor and wore their hair long. Greasers were at odds with the Socs, the rich kids who were hoodlums who got away with their poor behavior.

When he was close to home, Ponyboy was attacked by five Socs. His brothers heard him screaming for help, and all the Greasers rushed to help. This was where some of the other Greasers were introduced. There was Dally, who was the toughest and meanest of the group, the jokester Two-Bit, who was known for his switch-blade, Steve Randle, who worked with Sodapop and was his best friend, and Johnny, whose parents neglected and abused him; Johnny had recently been beaten pretty badly by some Socs.

After Ponyboy was rescued, Dally asked if anyone would like to go to the Nightly Double with him at the local drive-in the following night. Ponyboy and Johnny agreed to join him.

Cherry and Marcia were Socs who Dally, Ponyboy, and Johnny met at the Nightly Double. This event was important to the story for three reasons. First, Cherry and Marcia were nice in spite of the fact that they belonged to the rival group. Johnny and Cherry connected while talking about literature and sunsets. The conversation caused Ponyboy to begin to see that people were more alike than what he previously had thought.

Unfortunately, it also set the stage for the chain of events that followed. The girls left with their drunk boyfriends in order to avoid a rumble with the Greasers, but that did not prevent an attack as the boys walked home. The chance meeting did, however, establish Cherry as a friend and ally. Her future testimony to the police would help to clear the boys of the charges they eventually faced.

When Ponyboy finally returned home from the Nightly Double, Darry was furious. During the ensuing argument, Darry lost his temper and slapped Ponyboy, who left the house, intending to run away. After he found Johnny, the two boys went to the park.

The Socs, fueled by their consumption of alcohol and the need for revenge - the Greasers had shown a lot of nerve by talking to their girlfriends - attacked the boys. Bob, a Soc who Johnny recognized as being the one who had previously beat him up, was drowning Ponyboy in a fountain. Johnny pulled his switchblade and fatally stabbed Bob in self-defense.

Terrified, Johnny and Ponyboy ran to Dally for help, thinking that, with Ponyboy's current family problems, he was the most likely one to help. Dally gave the pair money and a loaded gun; he also suggested that they hop a train to Windrixville. There was an old abandoned church there where they could hide for a while.

Johnny and Ponyboy both cut their hair, and Ponyboy bleached his, hoping to disguise their appearance. Johnny went to the local store and brought back baloney sandwiches, cigarettes, and a copy of "Gone with the Wind". They passed the time by reading the book out loud, discussing passages and a poem by Robert Frost, playing poker, and watching the sunrise.

About five days later, when Dally came to check on them, he took them to the local Dairy Queen for "real food". He also told the boys about some targeted attacks that had occurred while they were gone, and that Cherry was trying to act as an intermediary between the two groups. Then Johnny asked to go back home. He came to the conclusion that he would be cleared of murder charges. Dally agreed.

As the three friends were leaving Windrixville, they noticed that the old church that they had been using as a hideout was on fire and there were some school children stuck inside. Fearing that they might have caused the fire by failing to extinguish a cigarette butt, Johnny and Ponyboy rushed inside the burning building to rescue them. Dally did his part by trying to save Ponyboy, whose coat caught on fire, and Johnny, who was caught in the building with the roof about to cave in.

Their rescue of the children changed the boys from felons to heroes. While all three of them were badly injured, Johnny's condition was the most critical since he suffered from severe burns and a broken back. They were all taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Johnny hung on for a few days, but his condition never really improved. He did ask Ponyboy to get a new copy of "Gone with the Wind" to read to him, as the other copy had been destroyed in the church fire. He also refused a visit from his neglectful mother.

Dally had a badly burned arm, and was supposed to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. He ended up escaping early to participate in a rumble with the Socs.

Ponyboy was treated, but not admitted as a patient. After being reunited with his two brothers, he came to realize how much Darry loved him, and why he was always on his case. He participated in the planned rumble with the Socs even though he was unwell, and suffered a concussion.

After the rumble with the Socs, Dally and Ponyboy returned to the hospital to tell Johnny about their victory. It was obvious that he was dying, which he did after he told Ponyboy to "Stay gold", a reference to the Robert Frost poem they had discussed while in hiding. Ponyboy then fell into a period of denial, constantly arguing with his brothers, and suffering serious problems from a concussion sustained during the rumble.

Dally, overcome with grief, left Ponyboy at the hospital to find his own way home, and robbed a grocery store. Chased by the police, he pulled out the unloaded gun he always carried, and they shot him on the spot. There has been a lot of discussion regarding Dally's actions. Many have said that he was crazy with grief because he saw Johnny as a brother - the only person he really cared about. He might have been the toughest member of the Greasers, but he just could not cope with Johnny's death.

When he recovered from the concussion, Ponyboy had a court date, and the judge treated him with great kindness. Many Socs, including Bob's friends, Randy and Cherry, testified regarding what happened at the park the night Bob was killed. The judge talked to Darry and Sodapop, and asked Ponyboy questions about his home life.

Even though the judge closed the case and allowed the Curtis brothers to stay together, Ponyboy still suffered from depression and the shock of all he had been through. His grades suffered at school, and he continued to fight with Darry until Sodapop said he just couldn't stand it anymore.

Ponyboy was typically a decent student at school until all this happened. By the time of his hearing he was failing English, a class he usually aced. His teacher told him if he could write a decent essay, he would pass with a C. Finally, the brothers resolved their differences, and that helped Ponyboy turn things around.

It also helped that he opened the "Gone with the Wind" book that Johnny had asked the nurse to give to Ponyboy before he died. It contained a letter that Johnny had written; he told Ponyboy that he didn't mind dying because saving the children made it worth it. Johnny also asked that Ponyboy tell this to Dally, and to ask him to have a look at a sunset.

Although it was too late for Dally, Ponyboy was inspired by the fact that Johnny told him that he still had time to make himself whatever he wanted. He finally began writing his essay, beginning with, "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house I only had two things on my mind...."