The Outsiders Practice Test

Staying gold is about keeping your true, gentle self intact in a world that’s harsh and cynical. In The Outsiders, Johnny—the quiet, caring member of the Greasers—tells Ponyboy this right as he’s leaving the world, a goodbye that urges Ponyboy not to lose his sense of innocence and goodness. Those words capture Johnny’s hope that Ponyboy will hold onto who he is, even after all the trouble around him. Other characters care about Ponyboy, but they don’t deliver this specific message in that moment, so Johnny is the one bestowing this guidance.