Skip to main content

Why do the greasers and Socs fight in a vacant lot in The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton?

The fight between the greasers and the Socs in the vacant lot is payback for Bob and Johnny. 


The greasers and Socs are always fighting each other. They are in different social classes, and their different gangs are based on using class differences and territories to target one another. Usually, this involves gang members fighting one or two at a time, but sometimes there are “rumbles” where larger numbers become involved. 


The big rumble...

The fight between the greasers and the Socs in the vacant lot is payback for Bob and Johnny. 


The greasers and Socs are always fighting each other. They are in different social classes, and their different gangs are based on using class differences and territories to target one another. Usually, this involves gang members fighting one or two at a time, but sometimes there are “rumbles” where larger numbers become involved. 


The big rumble at the end of the book comes about as a result of Bob and Randy's attack on Johnny, and Johnny killing Bob. Therefore, both gangs consider it an opportunity for payback. They both want revenge. The greasers blame Bob and Randy for attacking Johnny and Pony, which ultimately leads to Johnny's injuries from the church fire. The Socs blame Johnny for killing Bob. 



[The] big rumble was coming up and we would settle this Soc-greaser thing once and for all (Chapter 7).  



Both gangs meet at the vacant lot to fight. The greasers are assisted by Shepard's gang.  



They lined up silently, facing us, and we lined up facing them. I looked for Randy but didn't see him. I hoped he wasn't there. A guy with a madras shirt stepped up. "Let's get the rules straight—nothing but our fists, and the first to run lose. Right?" (Chapter 9)



Pony’s brothers do not want him to fight because he was hurt in the church fire. He is not a big fighter, but he wants to support his gang. Therefore, it is very important to him that he is there. He goes and survives. The greasers win, and Pony feels proud. Unfortunately, Johnny later dies of his injuries from the fire.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...