Which two characters do you find the most likable? Which is the most interesting to you? What makes those characters stand out? What are readers waiting to find out by the end of Chapter 5 of The Outsiders? What events keep them from learning how the story's conflict will be resolved?

Predict how all of the conflicts in The Outsiders will be resolved. Then, for each conflict, predict a complication that could prevent the characters from solving the problem.

Can characters act as symbols in a novel? What about events? Settings? Identify an element in The Outsiders that is not an object and explain what it could symbolize.

Based on what you've read so far, would you recommend The Outsiders to a friend who is looking for a good book to read? Why or why not?