What are Ponyboy's dreams or goals in The Outsiders?

Ponyboy compares himself to Pip in Dickens's novel Great Expectations because, like Pip, he is born into low social standing, but he wants to grow up to be more refined. Ponyboy hates that other people, including the members of the Socs, look down on him when, for example, he uses a switchblade for a dissection in biology class. Still, he has the goal of doing well in school and finding something better. He is a dreamer and relishes sunsets, reading novels, and going to the movies alone. By the end of the book, his goal is to turn the story of what happened to him and to Johnny into a book to let other people know about the experiences they went through and to let the world know that even Greasers have dreams. 

Another of Ponyboy's goals is to remain with his brothers, Sodapop and Darry. Though Ponyboy initially experiences a great deal of friction with Darry, his older brother, by the end of the novel, he realizes that he loves Darry and that Darry truly cares about him. Darry is only tough on him because he wants Ponyboy to achieve something in life. 

While Ponyboy and Johnny are lying on their backs daydreaming about a place with no Greasers or Socs in Chapter 3, Ponyboy mentions that living in the country would be perfect. Ponyboy says that he would love to relax underneath a tree and read. Pony dreams that he would have a yellow dog, and Sodapop would get to ride his horse, Mickey Mouse, in as many rodeos as he wanted. Pony also dreams that Darry would lose his cold, hard look, and that his parents would still be alive. In the country, Johnny would come live with Ponyboy's family, and the rest of the gang would visit them on the weekends. Ponyboy even dreams that Dally would see that there is some good in the world after all.

Ponyboy's short-term goal is to get back into shape and become a track star on his school's team. He also begins to write the novel The Outsiders in order to show other lost, depressed kids that there is still good in the world. Ponyboy's overarching personal goal is to spread the message of hope to kids living rough lives and to show others that they shouldn't be so quick to judge less fortunate individuals.

In The Outsiders, what is Ponyboy's major goal and why is it important to him?

Ponyboy’s major goal in the novel is to win the affection and love of his eldest brother, Darry. Since the death of their parents, Darry has been supporting himself, Ponyboy and their other brother, Sodapop. Ponyboy feels he is a constant let down to his brother, who seems to be a harsh and nagging surrogate parent. Ponyboy is anxious not to be a burden to his brother or their gang, the Greasers.

Ponyboy is accomplished in both the classroom and on the running track – emulating his brother Darry who played football, and who had college potential. After Darry slaps him for coming home late, Ponyboy begins the tragic adventure with Johnny, which leads to the deaths of three young men. It is through these tragedies that Ponyboy learns that Darry is fiercely protective of his family and that he has always been at the centre of his brother’s affection. As the brothers agree at the end of the novel-

if we don't have each other, we don't have anything.

In The Outsiders, what does Ponyboy's premonition about the rumble mean?

In chapter eight, Ponyboy experiences an ominous premonition regarding the upcoming rumble between the Socs and Greasers by having a sick feeling in his stomach. Pony mentions,

I was silent most of the way home. I was thinking about the rumble. I had a sick feeling in my stomach and it wasn't from being ill. It was the same kind of helplessness I'd felt that night Darry yelled at me for going to sleep in the lot. I had the same deathly fear that something was going to happen that none of us could stop. (Hinton, 108)

The sick feeling of helplessness foreshadows Johnny and Dally's tragic deaths as well as the fact that the outcome of the rumble will not solve any of the issues or animosity between the rival gangs. Shortly after defeating the Socs in the rumble, Dally tells Pony to come with him to visit Johnny in the hospital. When Dally and Pony finally arrive at Johnny's bedside, Dally informs him that they won the rumble, and Johnny responds by saying,

"Useless . . . fighting's no good . . ." (Hinton, 126)

Johnny is enlightened and realizes that defeating the Socs in the rumble will not solve anything between the rival gangs. Shortly after telling Pony to "Stay gold," Johnny tragically passes away. Immediately after Johnny passes away, Dally loses his mind and ends up committing suicide by police. Overall, Pony's ominous premonition foreshadows the futility of the rumble and the tragic deaths of Johnny and Dally.

What were Ponyboy's future plans in The Outsiders?

Ponyboy’s plans run along two paths, relating both to his own situation and to society more generally.

As an adolescent in a difficult family environment and a town divided by income and class, Ponyboy dreams of escaping those narrow confines. He wants to spend more time alone with his thoughts, watching movies and reading books. Through his reading he also starts to write. The more he realizes the power of the written word, the more his once-nebulous dream for the future solidifies into a plan: to become a writer.

When his own life brings injury to him and tragedy to those around him, he starts to put the plan into action: Ponyboy writes the narrative that we are reading, positioning himself as the first-person narrator. His goal in writing this book is related to his other, less personal plan: to help other youths understand the negative effects of social divisions so they can avoid going through experiences such as those he and his friends suffered.

Ponyboy is the brainy one in the family. He likes to read and go to movies. But, what makes him different from other teens is that he is a Greaser, a gang member. His life has been hard with both of his parents dead, and his older brother Darry giving up a college scholarship to keep the family together. Pony has dreams of becoming a writer, and that means going to college. He will not drop out like his older brother Soda did. He now understands Darry's tough love toward him and will attempt to keep peace in the family by not arguing so much with Darry. Pony will, in the words of Johnny Cade, will "stay gold" because that is who he is, a good hearted person who will become something bigger than his current life might indicate.

What is Ponyboy's premonition in The Outsiders and how does it foreshadow another event?

In chapter four, Johnny stabs and kills Bob Sheldon in self-defense to prevent him from drowning Ponyboy in the local park's fountain. Following the traumatic incident, Pony and Johnny decide to seek Dally's help and travel to Buck Merril's place to find him. At Buck Merril's place, the boys explain their dire situation to Dally. He gives them a gun, some money, and a plan to skip town. Dally instructs the boys to hop a train and travel to Windrixville, where they can climb Jay Mountain and hide out in an abandoned church at the top of the hill. Pony and Johnny take Dally's advice and immediately skip town.

When they arrive at the abandoned church on Jay Mountain, Pony mentions that the old building gives him the creeps. At the end of the chapter, Pony says that he experiences a premonition, which is defined as an ominous feeling that something bad will happen in the near future. Pony says,

"But this church gave me a kind of creepy feeling. What do you call it? Premonition? I flopped down on the floor--- and immediately decided not to do any more flopping" (Hinton, 58).

The premonition Pony experiences foreshadows the impending church fire, which results in Johnny Cade's serious injury. Dally comes to visit the boys, and when they return from Dairy Queen they are astonished to find the abandoned church engulfed in flames. Pony and Johnny heroically enter the burning building and save the children trapped inside. Tragically, a massive beam falls on top of Johnny and breaks his back during his rescue effort. Johnny is placed in critical condition and eventually dies from his injuries, which confirms Pony's unsettling premonition.