In chronological order, what are the major events that take place in Chapter 7 of The Outsiders?

Expert Answers

1. Pony, Soda, and Darry wait in the hospital to hear how Johnny and Dally are after the church fire. Pony has a hard time answering the questions of police and reporters, but they find Soda endlessly entertaining.


2. The nurses will not tell them anything. Darry talks to a doctor, who says he will only talk to family. Darry tells him they are “about as much family as Dally and Johnny had.”


3. When they learn about...

1. Pony, Soda, and Darry wait in the hospital to hear how Johnny and Dally are after the church fire. Pony has a hard time answering the questions of police and reporters, but they find Soda endlessly entertaining.


2. The nurses will not tell them anything. Darry talks to a doctor, who says he will only talk to family. Darry tells him they are “about as much family as Dally and Johnny had.”


3. When they learn about Johnny’s condition, it is not good. He is conscious and asking for Dally and Pony.


4. Johnny is in critical condition. His back broke when the piece of timber fell on him. He was in severe shock and suffered from third-degree burns. The hospital staff did everything they could to ease the pain, although since his back was broken he couldn't even feel the burns below his waist.


5. Pony and the others are horrified to learn Johnny might not live. Darry decides they should go home.  Pony is so tired he can’t get out of the car, so Darry carries him inside.


6. Pony wakes up the next morning and starts making breakfast. Eggs and chocolate cake are the usual Curtis breakfast, washed down with chocolate milk or coffee.


7. Two-Bit and Steve walk in. The Curtis door is always unlocked in case a friend needs a place to crash. Two-Bit teases Pony about his hair and Steve asks him how he feels about being a hero. Pony is surprised to read about the story in the paper. Cherry and Randy defended the Greasers to the police, telling them Bob was the attacker. Charges are still being filed, though.


8. The paper says the police were charging Johnny for manslaughter. Pony learns he and Johnny are also expected to appear at juvenile court for running away.


9. Pony worries for the first time that the incident might result in Darry losing custody of Pony and Soda.


10. Pony finds out Soda’s girlfriend was sent to Florida by her parents so Soda cannot marry her.


11. Pony wants to clean the house in case reporters or social workers come to check on them. Darry tells him to take some aspirin because he doesn’t look good.


12. They go to Tasty Freeze, and Randy asks to talk to Pony. Two-Bit reminds him not to fight before the rumble, and Pony doesn’t really want to talk to the guy who tried to drown him. Randy asks about the church fire and tells Pony he doesn’t want to fight any more and won’t participate in the rumble. He says Bob acted the way he did because his parents were too permissive, essentially blaming them and not Johnny for Bob’s death. Pony decides that Socs are “human too.”

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