CHAPTER 7 Notes

THE PROGNOSIS  Ponyboy, Darry, and Sodapop wait in the hospital room for news about Johnny and Dally.  Reporters and police ask them questions and take photos.  The doctor delivers the news.  Dally has a badly burned arm, but will be able to use it in a few days.  Johnny is in critical condition. His back is broken, he is in shock, and he has third degree burns.  Could not feel anything below the waist; may die; even if he lives, he will be crippled  Johnny’s vulnerability is once again revealed, in contrast with Dally’s toughness.  Ponyboy reacts in a manner we’ve come to expect – he tries to convince himself that he’s dreaming, even though he says “I didn’t believe myself.”  The reality of Johnny’s condition is too difficult for him, so for a moment, he wants to pretend it isn’t real.  Even though he is so upset, Ponyboy holds back his tears.  “... greasers don’t cry in front of strangers.” (Some have even forgotten how to cry, according to Pony)  This reveals that being a greaser can harden a person, and make them less sensitive to physical and emotional pain (i.e. Dally).  Ponyboy is aware that, as a greaser, he is expected to keep it together, but he cannot ignore his grief.  Pony’s sensitivity once again sets him apart from the other gang members.

THE NEWSPAPER  When Two-Bit visits the Curtis house, he announces that there is an article in the paper.  “Juvenile Delinquents Turn Heroes”  Two-Bit takes issue with the word “turn”, which implies that Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally were not heroes before the fire. He states that they were heroes all along; they didn’t suddenly “turn” into one.  The article gives the boys credit for saving the children’s lives  It quotes Cherry and Randy regarding Bob’s murder – both insist that Johnny acted in self-defence.  Pony learns that Johnny is being charged with manslaughter  Killing someone without malice, deliberation, or planning  Pony himself has to appear in juvenile court for running away  The article finishes by saying that the Curtis brothers should be allowed to stay together.  This panics Ponyboy; he had not realized that there was a chance he might be separated from Sodapop and Darry.  The community may decide that Darry is an unfit guardian despite Ponyboy’s courageous actions. It wouldn’t be the first time that a greaser was dealt a poor hand.

SOCIETY’S CONCEPT OF HEROISM  The news article highlights society’s concept of heroism.  Before the church fire, greasers would never be considered heroes to society. They were seen as criminals and delinquents. (Since many greasers have few other choices, they become exactly that).  When the fire occurs, the newspaper implies that the greasers have turned into heroes; in other words, they were not heroes all along.  “Juvenile Delinquents Turn Heroes”  Since greasers are not capable of honorable behavior in the eyes of society, the news article removes the greaser identity from Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally.  To society, their courageous actions must mean they have abandoned the greaser persona and “turned” into something else – heroes. (Note: This is a false interpretation. Yes, the greasers are heroes but they still identify themselves as greasers).  The article is very positive; it glamorizes the greasers like characters from a soap opera or movie  “The article told how Johnny and I had risked our lives”  “…they would have all burned to death if it hadn’t been for us.”  “Cherry Valance said... Bob had been drunk”  “Randy Adderson... said it was their fault”  This is the opposite of how they would normally be characterized by the media (criminals, hoods, JDs, etc.).

THE NIGHTMARES  The morning after his return home, Ponyboy reveals that he had “one of those dreams”.  Has had them before (when his parents died)  Can’t remember what they are about, but knows they are nightmares  Darry is very concerned  The nightmares seem to occur whenever Ponyboy faces tragedy – first, his parents’ deaths, and now Bob’s murder.  In other words, when he is experiencing real life nightmares, he has dream nightmares as well.  Are the nightmares foreshadowing something bad to come? A permanent separation from his brothers? A decline in Johnny’s medical condition? This is meant to draw readers deeper into the story.  Emotionally, Pony is struggling to cope with Bob’s murder, Johnny’s injuries, and the threat of being separated from his brothers. Thus, the nightmares may occur as a sign that his subconscious is also in turmoil.  Darry’s concern for Ponyboy is not surprising – he has always wanted to protect and care for his brother. Pony’s decision to confide in Darry, however, suggests that the rift in the Curtis family is mending.

SANDY  The announcement that Sandy has suddenly moved to Florida to stay with her grandmother surprises Ponyboy.  Soda is clearly upset and does not want to say much.  Steve, however, hints at the reason why she left:  “Look, does he have to draw you a picture? It was either that or get married…”  Hints? Clues? Why did Sandy leave?  Sodapop and Sandy make up another divided community in the lives of the greasers.  More will be revealed on this small sub-plot.

RANDY  When Two-Bit and Ponyboy go down to the Tasty Freeze, they meet up with a group of Socs. Ponyboy has immediate feelings of hate toward them. Randy wants to talk to him.  Randy asks Pony why he helped the kids in the burning church, and says he is surprised that a greaser would do that.  Pony responds that his actions had nothing to do with being a greaser; it’s all about the individual. In other words, anyone is capable of being a hero – Soc, greaser, or otherwise.  “Greaser didn’t have anything to do with it... It’s the individual.”  Recall previous moments were Pony focuses on the individual instead of their group identity (Cherry, for example). He is able to separate a person from the label to which they belong.  Randy tells Pony that he is tired of the tension and violence between the Socs and greasers.  He says the upcoming rumble is pointless; even if one group comes out on top, there is no real winner.  The greasers and Socs will still be divided by social class, with the greasers getting the rough breaks and the Socs getting the easy ones.  Randy says he’ll hate himself if he takes part in the rumble, but will be called a chicken if he backs out.  Pony finally sees what Cherry meant when she said, “Things are rough all over.”  The Socs have standards and expectations to meet or they risk being ostracized (excluded) from the group.

RANDY AND BOB  Pony notices that Randy looks old, like Dally.  He has been through a lot with Bob’s murder; he has lost his best friend.  Pony empathizes with Randy (empathize: to understand and share the feelings of another)  Randy is under stress and emotional turmoil, both of which make you look older than you are.  Socs are supposed to be “too cool to feel anything”, but Randy is clearly in pain  Randy tells Ponyboy about Bob’s family life, which is privileged but troubled.  He was spoiled rotten; parents gave in to him  He was never told “No” even though he wanted to be  He desired rules, restrictions, and responsibilities, but got none; perhaps if he was given boundaries, he would not have acted the way he did (and would therefore still be alive)  Everyone needs some limits set on his or her behaviors and to be held responsible if expectations are not met  Darry set limits for Ponyboy and now Pony understands that Darry only wants what’s best for him. He wants Pony to understand that there are consequences for his actions.

A NEW UNDERSTANDING  The conversation between Ponyboy and Randy ends on good terms  “Thanks, grease. I didn’t mean that. I meant, thanks, kid.”  “My name’s Ponyboy. Nice talkin’ to you Randy.”  Both boys have matured immensely because of what they’ve been through.  They are able to see each other as individual people, rather than representatives of rival gangs (greaser vs. Soc).  The boys have a new understanding of each opposing group.  In fact, they have a new understanding of humanity in general – Socs are just guys. Greasers are just guys. They’re all human.

PONY NOT FEELING WELL  In this chapter, the reader is told several times that Ponyboy is not feeling well, or not feeling quite right.  “I wasn’t feeling real good”  “I was kind of short on wind”  “I didn’t have my usual strength”  “I had a terrific headache”  Are these health clues foreshadowing something? A clear outcome is not known at this point.  Perhaps the mental stress of what Pony is going through is manifesting itself physically too.  Either way, Hinton is hinting (ha!) that there is more going on than what is being expressed directly on the page. She sets up readers so they will not be surprised by future events.