1. The Outsiders
TOWN MEETING

2. Please find your name tag and put it on
After you have done this, sit at your “assigned” seat and get out your crime and punishment packet

3. I will be S.E. Hinton in this situation—it’s up to me what punishment each character gets because I wrote the book
These are the offenses we will be discussing today:
Johnny: loitering
Johnny and Two-bit: carrying a deadly weapon
Ponyboy: loitering
Dally: slashing tires
Two-bit: getting in a bar fight
Two-bit: shoplifting
Randy and Bob: driving with beer in their car
The Soc gang: harassing and assaulting Johnny
Irresponsible parenting: Darry
Dally: harassment
I will always rule with a vote that is 2/3 majority
Those presenting evidence, must reference specific parts of the book—exact quotes make for even stronger arguments
After we finalize each sentence, record it in your packet, and write your reaction to that sentence
Each crime will get five minutes on the floor. No one should speak for more than 30 seconds at a time

4. Johnny and Ponyboy: loitering in the empty lot
No sign of defacing or graffiti
Several neighbors reported the two boys were hanging around the lot, which is close to several homes with small children
Repeated offenders

5. Johnny and Two-bit: carrying a deadly weapon
(Pennsylvanian law specifically prohibits switchblades)
Johnny (16 years of age): 6-inch switchblade
Two-bit (18 years of age): standard size switchblade

6. Dally: slashing tires
Dally (age 17) was seen slashing the tires of a parked vehicle

7. Two-bit: getting in a bar fight
Two-bit (aged 18): was publicly intoxicated when the police arrived to break up the fight
No use of weapons

8. Two-bit: shoplifting
Two-bit (18) caught stealing 2 packs of Kools cigarettes
Another customer reported this to the store manager after he had left the shop with a group of younger boys

9. Randy and Bob: driving with beer in their car
The boys (both 17 years of age) were pulled over driving around town, they reported they were looking for their girlfriends and claimed that the empty beer cans in their car were from weeks ago when they drank in it while parked
Cherry and Marcia, who were with the boys earlier that night, claim that they boys did not drink while they were together, but did not explain why they separated

10. The Soc gang: harassing and assaulting Johnny
Several reports by members of the Greaser gang including reports by Dallas Winston, Two-bit Matthews, Darry, Soda-pop, and Ponyboy Curtis that Johnny had been attacked by “The Socs”
No specific individuals were named
A blue mustang was identified as the vehicle the assailants drove, but none of the reporters could admit to seeing the car or the attack first hand.

11. Irresponsible parenting: Darry
Both Soda-pop (17) and Ponyboy (14) seen roaming around late at night with questionable characters
Soda-pop dropped out of school to help support the family

12. Dally: harassment
Reported harassing Cherry and Marcia at a drive in movie
Reported by a drive-in movie theater employee who overheard some of Dally’s colorful and offensive comments
Heard making implications, specifically, of a sexual and sensual nature

13. Homework
Please reflect on the town meeting as a whole on the given worksheet