PRESENTATION OUTLINE
A is for automobile accident. Ponyboy, Soda pop, and Darries parents got into an accident and died. This changed there lives for ever. Darry is now the parent and has to take care of soda and ponyboy. If they get into trouble they could be taken away to a different family. This has forced Darry to grow up way before anyone should have to. Life is now very different for them since there parents have died.
B is for blade. The socs use blades when they are beating up the greasers. They threaten them by saying "let me help you out there by given you a hair cut." The greasers have also started carrying around blades as a form of self defense if they get jumped by the socs. This shows how bad the socs and greaser hate each other and what it has lead to because of it.
C is for common sense. Darry always says that Ponyboy doesn't use an common sense. Like when Ponyboy went to the movie by himself and didn't bring a switch blade. I believe that Darry just thinks that one day something bad is going to happen to Ponyboy if he doesn't start using his head. You never know what the socs will do next time they see a greaser.
D is for Darry. Darry is Ponyboys older brother. Ponyboy feels as though Darry hates him because he is never happy with just him. Ponyboy just doesn't realize that Darry just wants him to do his best, that's why he pushes him. He also doesn't want this to get hurt like there parents did. He can't go through another big lose like that.
E is for exciting. It's seems that the greasers never have a dull moment in there life. Between all there fights and people getting injured. They always have to be on there toes so there don't end up being seriously injured or worse dead.
F is for feeling. Cherry stated that the only thing that separates the greasers from the socs is feeling. The greasers have deep feeling for each others as friends and even more as family. The socs could care less they don't think about feelings they just do the stuff they do for fun and to pass the time.
G is for greasers. The greasers are from the east side. They treat each other more like family then friends. They always stick up for each other unlike the socs. They are really loyal and will help each other out if you gets into trouble. That's true friendship.
H is for hate. The greasers and the socs hate each other. The greasers think that the socs have it made out for them and they have so much time on there hands that they can just beat up the greasers. The socs don't realize how much they effect and hurt the greasers because they have know feeling.
I is for injured. Both Dally and Johnny where injured when the church burned down. Johnny was injured more seriously and could either die or be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Dally only has a burnt arm. This means that, for both of them, that they can't fight in the rumble. Even though Dally wants to fight he has to keep in mind his injures. There is know way that Johnny can fight because he can't sit up and he can't walk or talk (talk very well that is).
J is for jacket. The oversized jacket that Ponyboy was wearing was what saved his life. The jacket ended up burning from the flames not him. He could be in as bad as shape as Johnny if he took it off like he wanted too because the flames were to hot. Good thing he was still wearing it.
K is for killer. Some of the socs think that Johnny is a killer because he killed Bob. Technically he is, but he only is because Bob and his friend were drunk and going to kill Ponyboy and him. Now because of the actions that the socs were going to take Johnny has to walk around for the rest of his life know that he killed Bob. In my opinion it's the socs that should be caring around that guilt because it never would have happened if they didn't get drunk and go looking for a fight.
L is for love. Soda pop loved Sandy so much that he asked her to marry him. Her parents didn't like that so they sent her the live with her grandparents in Florida. I think that her parents didn't think that he could afford everything and keep a house. They also might not have like him or who he hangs out with. They are just protecting there daughter from getting hurt in the long run, even if it means not seeing her again.
M is for manslaughter. Johnny was charged for manslaughter in stead of murder because it was self defense. They only believed that it was self defense because 2 socs told the police (or fizz) that it was. Manslaughter is forgiven more easily then murder because it wasn't planned it just happened in the moment. This is good for Johnny because he most likely won't have to go to jail.
N is for naughty. While Bob was still alive all he wanted was for his parents to say no to him, to lay down the rules so he would know not to cross them. One time he came home drunk and his parents blamed themselves saying it was there fault not his. Johnny and him were in similar situations. Both of them just wanted there parents to care about them and love them. Because if this it makes Bob act naughty and take actions that are uncalled for.
O is for observation. At the hospital when Darry comes and gets Ponyboy he starts to cry. This is the first time that Ponyboy observes that Darry cares about him. He finial sees why Darry is so tough of him. This helps strengthens the relationship not just between Darry and Ponyboy but between Soda pop and them as well.
P is for pity. The greasers all pity Johnny because of his injury. If he lives he will have to be stuck in the house with his parents who abuse him. He might also die which he doesn't want either because there is so much he hasn't seen or lived through yet. Either way it would be bad for Johnny so his boys, the greasers, feel bad for him know matter what the outcome is.
Q is for quick. Johnny and Ponyboy were quick to save the children. They didn't even stop to think about that they were getting themselves into or about themselves. They just wanted to save the kids not thinking about the consequences or the outcome. This is what makes a true hero and they weren't even trying to become a hero. They thought that they couldn't be because they just killed Bob and they aren't socs but this time they did become the heroes not the criminals.
R is for rejection. Soda pop was in love with a girl named Sandy. He asked her the marry him but she didn't love him the same way because there was someone else. So she had to move to Florida. This upset Soda pop and he couldn't handle the pain of the heartbreak. So him losing Dally, Johnny, and now this in the same week made him very tense. Now he slowly works through the pain.
S is for suicide. They stated in the book that robing the store and then getting shot at was Dallies way of committing suicide. Dally committed suicide because the only thing that he had left in the world for him was Johnny and he died. He couldn't handle dealing with the pain for Johnnies death. There was nothing left for him in the world so there was no reason for him to be in the world anymore in his mined.
T is for teeter-totter. Soda pop is the middle child and always feels like he is teeter-tottering over the edge between Ponyboy and Darry. Ponyboy and Darry are always fighting and pulling Soda pop into the fights, asking him to chose a side. This hurts Soda pop because he can see both way/sides. As he stated in the book "we are all we have left and if we keep fight the we have nothing" so he is sick of them making him teeter-totter over the edge.
U is for unstable. After Ponyboy finds out that Johnny is dead his way of grieving is make him unstable. He is in denial that Johnny died at first then once he realizes that Johnny is gone he makes him self believe that he killed Bob. This unstables him because he believed himself so much that he was going to tell the court that he killed Bob. The court never ask him though so when they ask other people Ponyboy was confused on why they said that Johnny killed Bob not Ponyboy. He was only this confused because he was messing with is brain, kinda of like mentally abusing himself. Finally he realized that Johnny real killed Bob not him, Ponyboy.
V is for vacuum. In this context, vacuum means an empty area or space. Darry shouts this to Ponyboy durning one of there fights. He is referring to how Ponyboy stop trying, caring and even living after Johnny and Dally died. Darry thought that Ponyboy knew by now that you have to keep living like you were when they were still alive. That's what they'd want you to do. Darry just doesn't want Ponyboy to miss out of the the opportunity he could receive in the future. He wants him to keep living his life to the fullest and not let these few bad things ruin a bunch of good things.
W is for writing. At the end of the book Ponyboy has to write a theme paper about whatever he would like to write about (has to be a personal experience). He decided to write about the whole situation. He started the theme the same way the book started. So the book all ready happened. This adds a drama effect to the book and answers why everything is writing in pass thence.
X is for xylophone. The keys represent life and how it has it's ups and downs. Like becoming a hero but losing a part of your family. It also represents how life can make music some good some painfull. The greasers and the socs both have a tough way of living but life goes on with its ups and downs. Don't fight it just live it, imbrues life to its fullest.
Y is for years. Ponyboy stated that it's hard to know a guy for year, like really know him, and then one day wake up and realize that he is gone. It going to take them possible years to truly get over the loses that they had encountered within a week. They will never be the same again but they can try. It's hard to lose someone that you have known for years in a matter of a couple days.
Z is for zebra. Each zebra has a different strip pattern. Like how the socs and greasers are different. They also each have a different story and background. This makes them who they are today and creates there individual personality. That's is what makes Darry tough, Soda pop funny, Dally hateful and Ponyboy smart.