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About This Passage
On the walk to the rumble, Pony asks each friend why he likes to fight. The answers come back fast: fun, hatred, pride, conformity. Then Pony tries the question on himself and finds no answer. This passage is one of the quiet centers of the book. Pony is figuring out that he is not the same kind of person as the gang around him — and the chapter is letting us watch him notice it.
Soda fought for fun, Steve for hatred, Darry for pride, and Two-Bit for conformity. Why do I fight? I thought, and couldn't think of any real good reason. There isn't any real good reason for fighting...
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Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell the story of Chapter 9 in your own words: getting ready for the rumble, the brothers tumbling in the yard, the walk to the lot, the silent arrival of the Socs, Darry recognizing his old friend Paul Holden, the rumble itself, Dally arriving with Two-Bit's switchblade, and the drive to the hospital. End with Johnny's last words.
Discussion Questions
- Pony names four reasons his friends fight: fun, hatred, pride, and conformity. Why might the author have given Pony no reason of his own, and what does this empty space tell us about who Pony is becoming?
- Darry is willing to fight Paul Holden, his old high-school teammate. What does this scene reveal about how class and loyalty can pull friendships apart, and where does the chapter put the blame?
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Vocabulary
Item 1
A very strong feeling of dislike or anger toward someone or something
Item 2
A strong feeling of being pleased with yourself or with people you belong to
Item 3
Acting the same as everybody else, going along with the crowd
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Critical Thinking
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