Chapter 7 Questions
Explain what Pony means when he says Soda "reminds me of a colt"
Soda reminds Pony of a colt because Soda likes attention and is very handsome. A colt is another name for a horse, and horses are very beautiful animals. When the boys were surrounded by reporters, Pony said that they all looked at Soda admiringly, like he was a movie star, which is what he compared his brother Sodapop to earlier on in the story.
What condition is Johnny in after the fire?
After the fire, Johnny's condition is not very good. In the fire, he had received third-degree burns on most of his body, and his back is broken because large pieces of timber fell on top of him. The doctors tell Darry and Pony that if Johnny does survive his injuries, he will be paralyzed.
Why would being crippled be worse for Johnny than someone else?
Being crippled would be worse for Johnny than anyone else because his family is not very supportive. His father usually beats him when he is at home and his mother usually ignores him, so if he does get out of the hospital, he will be treated the same way, and he wouldn't be able to defend himself like he used to. Johnny also wanted to travel an see the world, because he had only ever been to his home town. It would be much harder to travel while being crippled.
"Maybe people are younger when they are asleep" What do you think about this comment?
When Ponyboy says "Maybe people are younger when they are asleep" he sees his older brother Sodapop asleep, an he thinks that he looks younger than 17 years old. He also noticed that Johnny looked younger when he was sleeping too. The Greasers have had to grow up quickly, and had to take on responsibilities that normal people their age wouldn't have to deal with for a long time. The stress definitely shows on their faces, and when they are sleeping they don't have the pressure of all those responsibilities, so they look younger and more at peace.
What is a juvenile delinquent?
A juvenile delinquent is a person that is between the ages of 10-18, who has committed some act that is against the law. These acts are not defined as "crimes" as they would be for adults, but these acts are sometimes defined as "delinquent acts".
Why would Two-Bit think Johnny, Dally, and Pony were heroes all along; before they saved the kids?
Two-Bit would think that Johnny, Dally, and Pony were heroes all along because they are his friends, and he believes in them. When Two-Bit read the newspapers headline "Juvenile Delinquents Turned Heroes", he thought they were heroes way before they saved those children, and said that people didn't "turn" all of a sudden.
What was Bob's 'real' problem, according to Randy?
According to Randy, Bob's "real" problem was that his parents never stopped him, even when he did bad things, and they never got mad at him. His parents spoiled him, like all Soc parents do with their kids, but Bob never appreciated any of it. Bob was just a very ungrateful Soc.
Why did Pony think it was better to see socs as "just guys"? What do you think he means by this?
Pony thought it was better to see Soc's as "just guys" because he has realized that the Soc's have to deal with some of the same things that Greasers have to deal with. When he talked to Randy, he found out that Soc's can actually have human emotions, but they just don't like to show them. He learned that some of them were actually nice guys, and they wouldn't be that bad to hang out with. If the Greasers and Soc's thought the same way as Pony, there wouldn't be any more fights or Greasers being jumped.