The Outsiders Chapter 1 Micro CERS Question

Chapter 1

*Spoiler Alert*

PROMPT – Darry scolds Ponyboy, saying, “And if you did have to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade,” (13).  Write a Micro C.E.R.S. on whether you believe that Ponyboy would have been safer or less safe if he had been carrying a switchblade to the movies.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  You can restate what the evidence says in your own words.  You can fill in the gaps or provide details that aren't clear.   Use logic and simple cause-and-effect thinking to break down how the evidence proves the claim. (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS - Provide a short summary of your claim to wrap up. (1 sentence) 

Model Version 1

In the novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, if Ponyboy had gone to the movies carrying a switchblade he would have been even less safe.

“… It ain’t his fault that he likes to go the movies, and it ain’t his fault that Socs like to jump us, and if he’d been carrying a blade it would have been a good excuse to cut him to ribbons,” (13).

Sodapop, Pony’s brother, points out that if Ponyboy had a blade when he was jumped, it would have been a good excuse for the Socs to slice him up even worse.  The idea here is that Pony was outnumbered (five to one) and the Socs were looking for a fight (they had stalked him in their car).  He wouldn’t have stood a chance, and the blade would have been an excuse for the Socs to be even more violent than they were.  Remember, he was grabbed from behind and therefore wouldn't have had a chance to slash out to defend himself.

It's obvious that Ponyboy would have been asking for even more trouble if he’d had a blade on him.


Model Version 2

Ponyboy, the main character in S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, would have made a good choice if he had carried a blade to go to the movies by himself.

“. . . Steve Randle, Soda’s best buddy, had once held off four guys with a busted pop bottle,” (4).

Based upon Pony’s prior knowledge of real world gang fights, a friend had demonstrated the ability to protect himself from Socs with a sharp object, in this case a broken bottle.  A knife would have been either the equivalent, or better.  The Socs would be less likely to be “the first man in” on a grappling attack if they believed they might be stabbed.  Ponyboy would essentially be like a lion tamer with a whip, holding back the first attack by creating fear in the attackers.

Therefore, Ponyboy should definitely have taken the knife to see the film.