In The Outsiders, Johnny says "Stay gold, Ponyboy.Stay gold." just before he dies. These final words are a reference to the Robert Frost poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay," which Ponyboy had quoted as the boys watched a sunrise.
What do Johnny's last words mean? Right before he dies in the hospital, Johnny says “Stay gold, Ponyboy.” Ponyboy cannot figure out what Johnny means until he reads the note Johnny left. Johnny writes that “stay gold” is a reference to the Robert Frost poem Ponyboy shared when they were hiding at the church.
Johnny is dying and is not impressed that the greasers won the rumble: "Useless . . . fighting's no good." He asks to speak to Ponyboy, and, leaning over him, Johnny's last words are "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold." When Johnny dies, Dally bolts out of the room and takes off running.
What did Johnny say about fighting before he died?
Dally tells Johnny that the Greasers beat the Socs. Johnny tells the two that fighting is useless. He looks at Ponyboy and says, "Stay gold, Ponyboy." Then Johnny passes away.
See What the Cast of ‘The Outsiders’ 1983 Looks Like 40 Years Later!
What did Johnny Cade's last words mean?
Stay gold. As he lies dying in Chapter 9, Johnny Cade speaks these words to Ponyboy. “Stay gold” is a reference to the Robert Frost poem that Ponyboy recites to Johnny when the two hide out in the Windrixville Church. One line in the poem reads, “Nothing gold can stay,” meaning that all good things must come to an end.
He doesn't want to die at such a young age, but knows that his life holds little hope for the future. Also, if he does die, he will die with the honor of saving the lives of children. Although Johnny sees death as frightening, it is also an escape from the difficulties of his life.
"I don't want to die now. It ain't long enough. Sixteen years ain't long enough. I wouldn't mind it so much if there was so much stuff I ain't done yet - and so many things I ain't seen." This quote is the most painful interaction between Johnny and Ponyboy.
Bob's bloody corpse is nearby. Johnny says, “I killed him,” and Ponyboy sees Johnny's switchblade, dark to the hilt with blood. Ponyboy panics, but Johnny remains calm.
Answer and Explanation: In The Outsiders, Johnny dies as a result of burns and a spinal injury sustained while rescuing children from the burning church.
After Johnny's death, Dally doesn't know how to live anymore. He cared for Johnny more than the rest of his family with the Greasers. Unable to cope, Dally robs a store and aims an unloaded gun at the police, and forces them to kill him.
Answer and Explanation: In The Outsiders, Darry feels hatred for Paul Holden because he feels jealousy for Paul, but also because ''he was ashamed to be on our side, ashamed to be seen with the Brumly boys, the Shepard's gang.
In his dying breaths, he implores Ponyboy to “stay gold” — to continue to be good no matter the situation and always look for the right thing to do in any circumstance … regardless of how hard it may be. Herein lies our lesson.
He says that "it isn't fair." Another example of his fore-knowledge of his death is that he had the nurse write a note to Ponyboy and stick the note inside his copy of "Gone With The Wind." He tells Ponyboy to look at the sunrise and to stay "golden." It is obvious that Johnny doesn't want to die, and he thinks it is ...
Johnny's last words to Ponyboy was, “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.” What Johnny meant by this was for Ponyboy to stay the way he was, and not to get influenced by other people.
After Johnny's death and Dally's departure, Ponyboy wanders through the hospital's halls in a daze. Pony is in denial about Johnny's death, and keeps repeating that he isn't dead. He leaves the hospital and roams the streets until a stranger picks him up and drives him home.
He took action without thinking through the consequences, driven by his own trauma and anger at the Socs for hurting his friend. Later, he regretted his actions, but by then, the deed had been done.
Why does Johnny smile before he dies? Because Dally was proud of him. How did Johnny die? Johnny went into the burning church (to save the children) and a beam fell on him.
Johnny idolizes gang member Dallas Winston. Dally is living proof that one can survive without parents or family. Johnny needs to follow in the footsteps of someone in his life and Dally, his hero, is the one he chooses. The relationship between these two boys is very interdependent.
Both Ponyboy and Johnny are injured in the church fire. Ponyboy's injuries are not that serious, but Johnny breaks his back after a rafter falls on him, and his injury eventually kills him.
Johnnyboy. Johnny can count on his friends in his gang. But not on much else, besides having a crush on his best friend Ponyboy, who has no idea of Johnny's feelings. At least he knows what to expect when his friends have a different idea of what crushes should be like.
Even though The Outsiders is fictional, the book is based in S.E. Hinton's hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hinton published the book in 1967 and the story takes place in the same time period. Though the book may feel like historical fiction for today's readers, it was a work of contemporary fiction when Hinton wrote it.
