[chapter 12]

1. Q: What 'circumstances' do Ponyboy's teacher refers to? What circumstances does Ponyboy think his teacher is referring to?
A: The 'circumstances' that Ponyboy's teacher refers to is that everything that he had been through. Pony’s teacher can see all that this 14 year old boy has seen and was involved with and really feels for him. The circumstances that he thinks his teacher is referring to is that since he’s previously been in a lot of trouble that school is now a joke and that Pony’s just goofing off.

2. Q: Why doesn't Ponyboy feel scared when the Socs approach him and he threatens them with a broken bottle (p.170-171)? How is this a dramatic change from the Ponyboy we have seen up until this point?
A: Ponyboy doesn’t feel scared when the Socs approach him because of all the dreadful things that had happened directed off the Socs, he feels that’s its just enough. He feels nothing, nothing for the Socs, he didn’t want to waste one bit of emotion on them and was sick of their existence. He had zero tolerance for any of the stunts they were going to pull, there fore he threatened them with a broken bottle. This is a dramatic change from the Ponyboy we have seem because normally he would have been scared and anxious of what the Socs were going to do to them and be waiting back and worried about what was going to happen next. Instead he took action, he was the leader and he made the first move. He handled the situation with no hesitation. Before he didn’t have a weapon nor the guts to step forward and take charge and now, its much different.

3. Q: What does Darry mean when he says, "you don't just stop living because you lose someone" (p.173)?
A: When Darry says, "you don't just stop living because you lose someone" he means that just because someone you know and care about dies, it doesn’t mean your dead to. It doesn’t mean that you stop your daily routines, give up and stop trying. Life is just way to short for you to let it pass you by and you need to embrace what is good and keep those who are gone in your heart. You have to carry on and keep yourself ‘alive’ or you’ll just end up like that other person.

4. Q: How do we know Sandy didn't love Soda as much as he loved her?
A: We know that Sandy didn’t love Soda as much as he loved her because when she left to Florida she didn’t think twice about Soda and worry about not seeing him again. He took it very badly and missed her very much. He wanted to marry her and spend the rest of her life with her. She doesn’t love him very much since she just sent back the letter that Soda sent her unopened. He had poured his heart and soul into that letter and the showed the most love he had ever expressed in his life. So she didn’t really care for Soda and wasn’t interested in giving her heart to him if she couldn’t even spend the time to read his letter.

5. Q: Explain how Darry and Ponyboy play tug of war with Soda.
A: Darry and Ponyboy play tug of war with Soda by fighting with each other causing him to be caught up in the middle. He can’t stand to see them argue with each other and an even worse feeling when he has undergo the choosing of sides. Soda loves both of his brothers very much and doesn’t want to choose between the two. He feels himself being stuck in-between the two constantly pulling one side then to the other.

6. Q: What do we learn was so special about Johnny (p.178)?
A: We learned about Johnny that he was special, very rare and hard to come by. Along with all the problems of his own he doesn’t complain. He not criticized his own problems and complained about them. Instead he was a guy who will really listen to you and care about your problems and what you are saying. To be like this and have this quality makes Johnny truly rare.

7. Q: What does Ponyboy end up doing for his English assignment?
A: After a couple considerations for his English assignment he decides to do it “novel style” on his life from where everything all started to happen. And it turns out at the end of this novel you realize that this story is his English assignment. He begins the assignment as this book “the outsiders” begins.