The Outsiders

That evening, police and reporters interview the Curtis brothers at the hospital while they wait for news on Dally and Johnny. Their many questions overwhelm Pony, who is starting to feel ill, but Soda enjoys the attention and keeps everyone entertained. Darry finally assures the doctor that they are as much family as Dally and Johnny have, which convinces the doctor to share an update on the boys’ conditions. Dally will be fine as soon as his burnt arm heals, but Johnny is in critical condition with a broken back and will be “crippled for life.” Feeling helpless, the Curtis's return home for the night.

Pony is the first to wake the next morning and begins to cook his brothers some breakfast. Two-Bit and Steve arrive and are excited to see Ponyboy. Steve shows him the morning paper; the front-page is celebrating Johnny and Pony: “Juvenile Delinquents Turn Heroes.” The reporters also interviewed Cherry and Randy, who defended Pony and Johnny, but they would nevertheless have to appear in court for the murder trial. The paper published a separate column praising the Curtis boys, their achievements, and their work ethic, and Pony realizes the brothers might get separated. Steve assures him that “‘They don't do things like that to heroes’” (109).

When his brothers wake, Pony tells Darry he had “one of those dreams” last night (109), which terrifies Darry. Pony had night terrors as a child and has never been able to remember what scares him in the dreams. Darry once took him to a doctor who told him he had “too much imagination” (110) and recommended that Pony mentally and physically exhaust himself to keep from dreaming. To change the subject, Pony asks about Soda's girlfriend Sandy, and he awkwardly finds out that she moved to Florida because her parents did not approve of such a young marriage.

Darry worries about leaving Pony alone, so Two-Bit offers to babysit him. They clean the house in case any more police officers or reporters come by. Afterward, they go to get Cokes and the same blue Mustang follows them. Pony recognizes Randy and David in the car, and he “[hates] them as bitterly and as contemptuously as Dally Winston hated” (114). Randy invites Pony into his car to speak privately. 

Randy admits he was shocked to hear greasers were capable of saving children’s lives, and Pony explains that it was a matter of individual choice, and that their actions had nothing to do with their labels (115). Randy confides that he is not planning to attend the rumble, because he is “sick and tired” of the fighting and violence. He tells Pony what his best friend Bob was like and knows that the gangs’ continued fighting will never truly avenge someone or solve anything; regardless of who wins, “‘Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs’” (116). After their conversation, Pony concludes that “Socs were just guys after all. Things were rough all over, but it was better that way. That way you could tell the other guy was human too” (117).

Two-Bit and Ponyboy head to the hospital to visit Johnny and Dally, where after much pleading, the doctor finally allows them to see their friends. Two-Bit tells Johnny about the rumble and about the boys’ feature in the paper. It is apparent that Johnny is not doing well, but he nevertheless requests that his friends buy him some hair grease and a copy of Gone with the Wind. While Two-Bit is at the store, Pony tries to convince Johnny that his condition will improve, stressing how integral Johnny is to the gang. Johnny admits that death terrifies him, because “sixteen years ain’t long enough” to fully experience the world (121).

A nurse announces that Johnny's mother has come to visit him, but he is adamant that he has no desire to see her. The stress of this moment causes Johnny to lose consciousness. When Two-Bit returns, the nurse refuses to let the boys back in, so he gives her the novel to pass along to Johnny when he wakes. In the hallway, Mrs. Cade blames the boys for the accident, but Pony shoves Two-Bit along before the altercation escalates.

They visit Dally next, who has returned to “his usual mean, ornery self” (123), much to the boys’ relief. He regrets not being able to fight in the rumble that night, and his mood instantly darkens when the boys tell him about Johnny’s worsening condition. Dally asks for Two-Bit’s prized switchblade, which he places under his pillow. Two-Bit and Pony sense it is time for them to leave and take a bus home.

Two-Bit worries that Pony has a fever, as he has continued to feel worse throughout the day. Pony makes Two-Bit promise not to tell Darry, afraid his brother will keep him from fighting in the rumble. Pony “[has] the same deathly fear that something was going to happen that none of [them] could stop” (126), but Two-Bit convinces himself it will be an ordinary fight. On their way home from the bus stop, the boys run into Cherry at the vacant lot. She assures them that the Socs are going to play fair, without any weapons. Cherry and Pony have a private conversation, in which Cherry blames Bob’s actions on his alcoholism, and tells Pony about Bob’s positive qualities. Pony resents that she is still better off than they are and feels that she pities the greasers. She assures him that her spying was simply a desire to help because Pony is “a nice kid” (129). Before they part, Pony reminds her that he has a beautiful view of the sunset in the East side too, which Cherry appreciates.