Grade 8 ELA Dialectical Journal Name: ____________________________

The Outsiders
Chapters: _______________

Directions: Complete this reader response log after reading each chapter of The Outsiders (both in class and while you read
independently). This format will guide you through the reading & thinking process to help develop your ideas and express them on
paper so that you can better participate in the discussion board with your team. –

Big Idea: Societal structure has the power to promote or limit freedom, choice, and desire.
● Essential Questions: How do societal divisions affect communities?
● Do social class and wealth affect happiness?
● How do cliques and gangs affect our worldview?
● What makes up a person’s identity?
● What are the limitations of friendship?
● What does our response to conflict teach us about ourselves?

Chapter & Choose Quotes: Analyze:

Page
➢Ch #; Pg # ➢ Pick a quote that has meaning or significance to you. A good ➢ Explain why this quote is significant by
quote will make you stop and think. connecting the quote to the Big Idea or an Essential
Question.
Ch1 “Tough and tuff are two different words. Tough is the This quote answers the question, “ How do
same as rough; tuff means cool, sharp- like a cliques and gangs affect our worldview.” In
tuff-looking Mustang or a tuff record. In our this quote, Ponyboy shares what he thinks is
neighborhood both are compliments.” important based on where he comes from-
being tough and having strength and also
having material wealth, like cars and music.
Ch1 “I finally thought of something to say, No.” “I was This quote answers the question, “What
backing up away from that knife.” does our response to conflict teach us about
ourselves? This quote stuck after me
because after a lot of hesitation, Ponyboy
finally said something. This shows us how
he reacts to conflict and helps us define his
character more.
Ch1 “And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the I believe that this quote answers the
way I do. For a while there, I thought I was the only question,”What makes up a person’s
person in the world that did. So I lined it. identity?” I said this because it reveals the
personality of Ponyboy. It shows us that he
is a person that is isolated and keeps to
himself. I think what makes up a person’s
personality is what they like to do and how
they act.
Ch1 “The minute that I flicked it out- I forgot what I was This quote answers the question,”Do social
doing or else I would have never done it- this girl class and wealth affect happiness.” Because
beside me kind of gasped, and said, “They are right. of Ponyboy's social class or how he carries
You are a hood.” That didn’t make me feel so hot.” himself, people such as the girl judge him.
That affects his happiness because they
aren't the things that he necessarily wants to
hear. Therefore, making him feel down.
Ch2 “But Dally hated to do things the legal way. He liked This quote answers the question,”How do
to show that he didn’t care whether there was a law or cliques and gangs affect our worldview?”
not. He went around trying to break laws.” While this is a little far-fetched, I think that
this shows Dallys identity. It is as if

Ch2 “...Even soda would have gone right along with him, This answers the question, “What does our
just to see if they could embarrass the girls, but that
kind of kicks just doesn’t appeal to me.”
Ch2 “Okay, greasers, you’ve had it” “I almost jumped out This answers the essential question,” How
of my skin. It was like having someone yell “Boo!” at do societal divisions affect communities?”
you.” I fearfully looked over my shoulders…”
Ch3 “It seemed funny to me that the same sunset she saw
from her patio and the one I saw from my steps was
the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we
lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same
sunset.”
Ch3 “Johnny’s eyes went round and he winced as though
I’d belted him. Two-bit slapped me a good one across
the side of the head, and hard. “Shut your mouth, kid.
If you weren’t Soda’s kid brother I’d beat the tar out
of you.
Ch3 “I pulled her to one side. “I couldn’t use this,” I said,
dropping the pop bottle. “I couldn’t ever cut
anyone…” I had to tell her that, because I’d seen her
eyes when Two-Bit flicked out his switch.
breaking the law is what he grew up around
or as if it is all he knows.
response to conflict teach us about
ourselves?” In this specific section,
Ponyboy reveals his feelings towards
Dally’s idea of “fun.” This reveals his
character, he is mature and a humble
person. This could later in the story reveal
to him his character and what kind of
person he wants to be,
I'm typically referring to the division of the
greasers and the Socs. It makes the two
different communities fearful, alert, on their
toes, and wondering what might happen to
them. Mostly negative effects on both sides
as well.
In my opinion, this quote answers the
question “How do cliques and gangs affect
our worldview?” I say that because since
they were of different gangs it affected
where they live, the people they are around,
who they choose to hang out with. But this
quote is saying that even with those
divisions they were as different as it
seemed. To be this means that Cherry and
Ponyboy would be good friends if their
gangs were not in the way.
This quote answers the essential
question,”What are the limitations of
friendship?” I pulled this quote from the
book shortly after the part where PonyBoy
crossed the limits with Johnny by bringing
up his life at home. That caused a negative
reaction in not only Johnny, but also
Two-Bit who knew Ponyboy had blatantly
overstepped the line.
The question,”What does our response to
conflict teach us about ourselves?” is
answered by this quote. In this part the 3
greasers are face to face with Soc’s and
Johnny drops his weapon after Cherry cries
out. This shows that Johnny is a caring
person and that he also takes other feelings
in consideration before anything.
Chapter & Choose Quotes: Analyze:
Page
➢Ch #; Pg # ➢ Pick a quote that has meaning or significance to you. A good ➢ Explain why this quote is significant by
quote will make you stop and think. connecting the quote to the Big Idea or an Essential
Question.