As you know, The Outsiders is told from one person's point of view--Ponyboy's. But what if someone else were telling the story--say Dally or Cherry? How would that person view events differently? What insights would that person have? How would he or she feel, and what reasons might that character have for behaving in certain ways?
When an author uses the first-person point of view, he or she really gets into the mind of the narrator and uses that person's thoughts, emotions, and worldview to relay important messages that the writer wants to communicate. While the narrator's perspective is always valuable, sometimes events in a novel are worth viewing from other characters' vantage points, too.
In an activity on the next page, you'll have the opportunity to switch points of view from Ponyboy to some other character. But before you do, practice doing this in the activity below.
Skim and reread important passages from Chapter 8 that focus on Johnny's perspective on his condition. Pay close attention to what he says and does and how Two-Bit, Ponyboy, Dally, and the hospital staff react to him. Then, answer the questions below. Once you've written your responses, check your answers against ours.
1. Based on what you learned in the details, what is Johnny's view of his condition?
2. What inferences can you make about Johnny's situation and outlook?
3. What conclusion can you make about Johnny's perspective on his injuries?
4. Describe the scene in which Ponyboy and Two-Bit visit Johnny in the hospital from Johnny's perspective. Be sure to use I, me, and my to refer to Johnny.
| Your Responses | Sample Answers |
|---|---|
| He knows he's paralyzed and badly burned, and he thinks he might die. Everyone else who interacts with him also knows he's in serious condition. Dally, who hasn't seen him yet, is very worried about him. | |
| He realizes he may not recover from his injuries, and he's afraid of dying so young. | |
| One conclusion might be that Johnny is honestly looking at the fact that he may not recover and he knows he's not prepared to face death. | |
| I was just wishing I had something to take my mind off my fear when I heard the door open--again. Probably just a nurse coming to poke me with yet another needle. Then, I heard Two-Bit's voice. I was thrilled to see Two-Bit and Ponyboy, but I hated for them to see me like this. Ponyboy looked scared, but Two-Bit, as usual, was ready to crack a joke. Right off the bat, he asked how they were treating me, but I could barely get the words out in response. Old Two-Bit's pretty smart. He knew I was weak, so he told me not to talk. Then, he started telling me about the upcoming rumble with the Socs and how I got my name in the paper. I can't believe it! I'm famous. All this time, though, Ponyboy never said a word. He looked so sad.
When Two-Bit left to buy another copy of Gone with the Wind, I tried to tell Ponyboy how I felt--I'm going to die, and I'm terrified! I'm way too young to die! I can't die now! There are so many things I've never done! I'm just a kid! I wanted to yell at him to help me, but I could tell he was just as afraid as I was. |
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