Two-Bit Mathews quotes are funny and highlight the novel’s theme of saving innocence.
Two-Bit Mathews adds humor and fun to the otherwise serious and tense narrative.
He’s a loyal and supportive friend to the main characters, often providing comic relief in difficult situations.
Two-Bit’s presence in the story highlights the greaser gang’s camaraderie and resilience, showcasing the importance of friendship and loyalty in adversity.
The Outsiders Quotes With Page Numbers
Two-Bit Mathews Personality Traits
Two-Bit Mathews, Keith Mathews, is the oldest of the gang and the wisecracker. His constant humor earns him the nickname “Two-Bit.” Even his teachers and friends often forget his real name, Keith.
He’s known for his funny remarks and inability to stop making jokes. Two-Bit’s sense of humor is a defining characteristic of his personality. He sees life as one big joke and can’t help but make funny remarks at every opportunity.
His jokes are so irresistibly funny that he feels compelled to share them, even with the police, to brighten up their dull lives. Two-Bit’s love for humor is evident when Ponyboy states, “He kept us laughing at ourselves as well as at other things.”
Two-Bit’s humor brings levity to the often challenging lives of the greasers.
Aside from his humor, Two-Bit is also known for his love of fights, blondes, and, for some unfathomable reason, school. He is a junior eighteen and a half years old, yet he has not learned much academically. Instead, he attends school for the kicks and enjoys its social life.
Two-Bit’s fondness for fights reflects his rebellious nature and willingness to stand up for himself and his friends. He believes in fair fights and states, “A fair fight isn’t rough.” This shows that Two-Bit values integrity and believes in fighting to blow off steam, not to hurt people.
Despite his tough exterior and involvement in criminal activities such as shoplifting, Two-Bit is a good-natured and supportive friend.
He’s dedicated to the gang and treats the Curtis brothers’ house as his own. Two-Bit’s loyalty is “Ponyboy, listen, don’t get tough. You’re not like the rest of us and don’t try to be…”
Two-Bit’s quote perfectly exemplifies the novel’s theme of protecting innocence. He may want Ponyboy to be like him and the gang, but he doesn’t want Ponyboy to squander his future like them.
The Outsiders Characters List and Ages
Two-Bit Mathews Physical Description
Two-Bit is about six feet tall, stocky in build, and takes great pride in his long, rusty-colored sideburns. He has gray eyes and a wide grin.
Two-Bit Mathews Quotes With Page Numbers
“Soda merely cocked one eyebrow, a trick he’d picked up from Two-Bit.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit and Sodapop (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 1, Page 8
“He liked fights, blonds, and for some unfathomable reason, school.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 1, Page 10
“Two-Bit Mathews was the oldest of the gang and the wisecracker of the bunch. He was about six feet tall, stocky in build, and very proud of his long rusty-colored sideburns. He had gray eyes and a wide grin, and he couldn’t stop making funny remarks to save his life. You couldn’t shut up that guy; he always had to get his two-bits worth in. Hence his name. Even his teachers forgot his real name was Keith, and we hardly remembered he had one. Life was one big joke to Two-Bit. He was famous for shoplifting and his blackhandled switchblade (which he couldn’t have acquired without his first talent), and he was always smarting off to the cops. He really couldn’t help it. Everything he said was so irresistibly funny that he just had to let the police in on it to brighten up their dull lives. (That’s the way he explained it to me.) He liked fights, blondes, and for some unfathomable reason, school. He was still a junior at eighteen and a half and he never learned anything. He just went for kicks. I liked him real well because he kept us laughing at ourselves as well as at other things. He reminded me of Will Rogers—”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 1, Page 10
“Two-Bit went on cheerfully, calling the Socs every name he could think of or make up.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 1, Page 12
“Next time get one of us to go with you, Ponyboy,” Two-Bit said. “Any of us will.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit to Ponyboy), Chapter 1, Page 13
“I was plannin’ on getting boozed up tomorrow night,” Two-Bit said. “If I don’t, I’ll walk over and find y’all.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 1, Page 14
“I thought of Sylvia and Evie and Sandy and Two-Bit‘s many blondes. They were the only kind of girls that would look at us, I thought. Tough, loud girls who wore too much eye makeup and giggled and swore too much. ”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Ponyboy Curtis), Chapter 1, Page 14
“Two-Bit or Steve or even Soda would have gone right along with him, just to see if they could embarrass the girls, but that kind of kicks just doesn’t appeal to me. I sat there, struck dumb…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Ponyboy), Chapter 1, Page 20
“Two-Bit knew better than to scare Johnny like that. I guess he’d forgotten. He’s kind of scatterbrained. Johnny opened his eyes and said weakly, “Hey, Two-Bit.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit and Johnny Cade (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator and Johnny Cade), Chapter 2, Page 27
“I looked fearfully over my shoulder and there was Two-Bit, grinning like a Chessy cat. “Glory, Two-Bit, scare us to death!”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 2, Page 27
“I couldn’t tell if Two-Bit was drunk or not.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 2, Page 28
“Two-Bit stared at her admiringly. “Brother, you’re a sharp one. Where’d you two ever get to be picked up by a couple of greasy hoods like Pony and Johnny?”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 2, Page 28
“Two-Bit grinned, because Johnny didn’t usually get sassy like that. We thought we were doing good if we could get him to talk at all. Incidentally, we don’t mind being called greaser by another greaser. It’s kind of playful then.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Johnny Cade (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 2, Page 28
“He’ll probably find the fight,” Two-Bit stated cheerfully. “That’s why I came over. Mr. Timothy Shepard and Co. are looking for whoever so kindly slashed their car’s tires, and since Mr. Curly Shepard spotted Dallas doing it…
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 2, Page 29
“Two-Bit slapped me a good one across the side of the head, and hard.
“Shut your mouth, kid. If you wasn’t Soda’s kid brother I’d beat the tar out of you. You know better than to talk to Johnny like that.” He put his hand on Johnny’s shoulder. “He didn’t mean it, Johnny.”
“I’m sorry,” I said miserably. Johnny was my buddy. “I was just mad.”
“It’s the truth,” Johnny said with a bleak grin. “I don’t care.”
“Shut up talkin’ like that,” Two-Bit said fiercely, messing up Johnny’s hair. “We couldn’t get along without you, so you can just shut up!”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Characters: Two-Bit, Ponyboy, and Johnny Cade), Chapter 3, Page 43
“A fair fight isn’t rough;’ Two-Bit said. “Blades are rough. So are chains and heaters and pool sticks and rumbles. Skin fighting isn’t rough. It blows off steam better than anything.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 2, Page 29
“the chips are always down when it’s our turn, but that’s the way things are. Like it or lump it.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 3, Page 43
“Then pity the back seat,” Two-Bit said to the sky.
“If you’re looking for a fight…”
Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow, but it only made him look more cool. “You mean if I’m looking for a good jumping, you outnumber us, so you’ll give it to us? Well…” He snatched up an empty bottle, busted off the end, and gave it to me, then reached in his back pocket and flipped out his switchblade. “Try it, pal.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 3, Page 45
“I don’t know why I handed you that busted bottle,” Two-Bit said, getting to his feet. “You’d never use it.”
“Maybe I would have,” I said. “Where you headed?”
“Gonna go play a little snooker and hunt up a poker game. Maybe get rip-roarin’ drunk. I dunno. See y’all tomorrow.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Characters: Two-Bit Mathews and Ponyboy Curtis), Chapter 3, Page 47
“Man, that was a tuff car. Mustangs are tuff.”
“Big time Socs, all right,” I said, a nervous bitterness growing inside me. It wasn’t fair for the Socs to have everything. We were as good as they were; it wasn’t our fault we were greasers. I couldn’t just take it or leave it, like Two-Bit, or ignore it and love life anyway, like Sodapop, or harden myself beyond caring, like Dally, or actually enjoy it, like Tim Shepard. I felt the tension growing inside of me and I knew something had to happen or I would explode.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Ponyboy), Chapter 3, Page 47
“I can lie so easily that it spooks me sometimes— Soda says it comes form reading so much. But then, Two-Bit lies all the time too, and he never opens a book.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 4, Page 65
“But that day…well, Soda can’t sit still long enough to enjoy a movie, much less a sermon. It wasn’t long before he and Steve and Two-Bit were throwing paper wads at each other and clowning around, and finally Steve dropped a hymn book with a bang–accidentally, of course. Everyone in the place turned to look around at us, and Johnny and I nearly crawled under the pews. And then Two-Bit waved at them.
I hadn’t been to church since.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 4, Page 66
“…his teachers thought he was just dumb. But he wasn’t. He was just a little slow to get things, and he liked to explore things once he did get them.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit, stereotypes (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 5, Page 75
“Two-Bit was the only one wearing a jacket; he had a couple of cans of beer stuffed in it. He always gets high before a rumble. Before anything else, too, come to think of it. I shook my head. I’d hate to see the day when I had to get my nerve from a can.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 9, Page 137
“But that day…well, Soda can’t sit still long enough to enjoy a movie, much less a sermon. It wasn’t long before he and Steve and Two-Bit were throwing paper wads at each other and clowning around, and finally Steve dropped a hymn book with a bang–accidentally, of course. Everyone in the place turned to look around at us, and Johnny and I nearly crawled under the pews. And then Two-Bit waved at them.
I hadn’t been to church since.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 4, Page 66
“What I like is the ‘turn’ bit,” Two-Bit said, cleaning the egg up off the floor. “Y’all were heroes from the beginning. You just didn’t ‘turn’ all of a sudden.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Ponyboy and Johnny Cade (Characters: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 7, Page 107
“I’ll baby-sit him,” Two-Bit said, ducking as I took a swing at him. “I haven’t got anything better to do.”
“Why don’t you get a job?” Steve said. “Ever consider working for a living?”
“Work?” Two-Bit was aghast. “And ruin my rep? I wouldn’t be baby-sittin’the kid here if I knew of some good day-nursery open on Saturdays.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders (Characters: Two-Bit Mathews and Steve Randle), Chapter 7, Page 112
“What’s the safest thing to be when one is met by a gang of social outcasts in an alley? …No, another social outcast!”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about stereotypes (Character: 1st: Two-bit, 2nd: Ponyboy), Chapter 7, Page 113
“You oughta see Kathy’s brother. Now there’s a hood. He’s so greasy he glides when he walks. He goes to the barber for an oil change, not a haircut.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about greasers (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 7, Page 114
“You know the rules. No jazz before a rumble.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 7, Page 115
“You know the rules. No jazz before the rumble,”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 7, Page 115
“Two-Bit didn’t notice the expression in his voice. It’s true, I thought numbly, he is dying. We went in, practically on tiptoe, because the quietness of the hospital scared us. Johnny was lying still, with his eyes closed, but when Two-Bit said, “Hey, Johnnykid,” he opened them and looked at us, trying to grin. “Hey, y’all.”
The nurse, who was pulling the shades open, smiled and said, “So he can talk after all.”
Two-Bit looked around. “They treatin’ you okay, kid?”
“Don’t…” —Johnny gasped— “don’t let me put enough grease on my hair.”
“Don’t talk,” Two-Bit said, pulling up a chair, “just listen. We’ll bring you some hair grease next time. ”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Johnny Cade and Two-Bit), Chapter 8, Page 120
“We just left him,” Two-Bit said, and I could tell that he was debating whether to tell Dally the truth or not.
“I don’t know about stuff like this… but… well, he seemed pretty bad to me. He passed out cold before we left him.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 8, Page 125
“Welup,” Two-Bit said cheerfully, cocking an eyebrow, “I see we are in prime condition for a rumble.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 9, Page 135
“Get thee hence, white trash,” Two-Bit said in a snobbish voice. “I am a Soc. I am the privileged and the well-dressed. I throw beer blasts, drive fancy cars, break windows at fancy parties.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 9, Page 136
“Two-Bit was the only one wearing a jacket; he had a couple of cans of beer stuffed in it. He always gets high before a rumble. Before anything else, too, come to think of it. I shook my head. I’d hate to see the day when I had to get my nerve from a can.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Two-Bit (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 9, Page 137
“I would drive us,” Two-Bit said as we walked up the street trying to thumb a ride, “but the brakes are out on my car. Almost killed me and Kathy the other night”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 7, Page 144
“Ponyboy, listen, don’t get tough. You’re not like the rest of us and don’t try to be…”
What was the matter with Two-Bit? I knew as well as he did that if you got tough you didn’t get hurt. Get smart and nothing can touch you…
“What in the world are you doing?” Two-Bit’s voice broke into my thoughts.
I looked up at him. “Picking up the glass.”
He stared at me for a second, then grinned. “You little sonofagun,” he said in a relieved voice.
I didn’t know what he was talking about, so I just went on picking up the glass from the bottle end and put it in a trash can. I didn’t want anyone to get a flat tire.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about identity (Character: Two-Bit and Ponyboy), Chapter 12, Page 171
“The way Two-Bit, after the police had taken Dally’s body away, had griped because he had lost his switchblade when they searched Dallas.
¨Is that all that’s bothering you, that switchblade?¨ a red-eyed Steve had snapped at him.
¨No,¨ Two-Bit had said with a quivering sigh, ¨but that’s what I’m wishing was all that’s bothering me.¨”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Steve Randle and Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 12, Pages 177-78
What does Two-Bit say to Ponyboy?
“Ponyboy, listen, don’t get tough. You’re not like the rest of us and don’t try to be…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit and Ponyboy), Chapter 12, Page 171
What is the quote from The Outsiders about Two-bit’s switchblade?
“The way Two-Bit, after the police had taken Dally’s body away, had griped because he had lost his switchblade when they searched Dallas.
¨Is that all that’s bothering you, that switchblade?¨ a red-eyed Steve had snapped at him.
¨No,¨ Two-Bit had said with a quivering sigh, ¨but that’s what I’m wishing was all that’s bothering me.¨”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator, Steve Randle and Two-Bit), Chapter 12, Pages 177-78
What Are Two-Bit Mathews Vices?
Two-Bit Mathews has several vices, including his love for drinking, partying, stealing, fighting, and socializing. He enjoys indulging in these activities, often prioritizing them over work or responsibilities.
What does Two-Bit say to Johnny’s mom?
“No wonder he hates your guts,” Two-Bit snapped. He was going to tell her off real good, but I shoved him along.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 8, Page 123
What Does Two-Bit love and care about?
Two-Bit loves and cares about entertaining others and being the center of attention. He is known for his constant joking and funny remarks, always trying to make people laugh and have a good time. Additionally, Two-Bit values his prized possession, a black-handled switchblade, which he stole cleverly and took great pride in.
Two-Bit Mathews direct quotes book
“I was plannin’ on getting boozed up tomorrow night,” Two-Bit said. “If I don’t, I’ll walk over and find y’all.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 1, Page 14
“Two-Bit stared at her admiringly. “Brother, you’re a sharp one. Where’d you two ever get to be picked up by a couple of greasy hoods like Pony and Johnny?”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders,(Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 2, Page 28
“A fair fight isn’t rough; Two-Bit said.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 2, Page 29
“the chips are always down when it’s our turn, but that’s the way things are. Like it or lump it.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 3, Page 43
“Then pity the back seat,” Two-Bit said to the sky.
“If you’re looking for a fight…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 3, Page 45
“I don’t know why I handed you that busted bottle,” Two-Bit said, getting to his feet. “You’d never use it.”
“Maybe I would have,” I said. “Where you headed?”
“Gonna go play a little snooker and hunt up a poker game. Maybe get rip-roarin’ drunk. I dunno. See y’all tomorrow.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Characters: Two-Bit Mathews and Ponyboy Curtis), Chapter 3, Page 47
“What I like is the ‘turn’ bit,” Two-Bit said, cleaning the egg up off the floor. “Y’all were heroes from the beginning. You just didn’t ‘turn’ all of a sudden.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Characters: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 7, Page 107
“Work?” Two-Bit was aghast. “And ruin my rep? I wouldn’t be baby-sittin’the kid here if I knew of some good day-nursery open on Saturdays.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders (Characters: Two-Bit Mathews and Steve Randle), Chapter 7, Page 112
“What’s the safest thing to be when one is met by a gang of social outcasts in an alley? …No, another social outcast!”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: 1st: Two-bit, 2nd: Ponyboy), Chapter 7, Page 113
“You know the rules. No jazz before the rumble,”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 7, Page 115
Two-Bit looked around. “They treatin’ you okay, kid?”
“Don’t…” —Johnny gasped— “don’t let me put enough grease on my hair.”
“Don’t talk,” Two-Bit said, pulling up a chair, “just listen. We’ll bring you some hair grease next time. ”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Johnny Cade and Two-Bit), Chapter 8, Page 120
“Welup,” Two-Bit said cheerfully, cocking an eyebrow, “I see we are in prime condition for a rumble.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 9, Page 135
“Get thee hence, white trash,” Two-Bit said in a snobbish voice. “I am a Soc. I am the privileged and the well-dressed. I throw beer blasts, drive fancy cars, break windows at fancy parties.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 9, Page 136
“I would drive us,” Two-Bit said as we walked up the street trying to thumb a ride, “but the brakes are out on my car. Almost killed me and Kathy the other night”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit), Chapter 7, Page 144
“Ponyboy, listen, don’t get tough. You’re not like the rest of us and don’t try to be…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Two-Bit and Ponyboy), Chapter 12, Page 171
¨No,¨ Two-Bit had said with a quivering sigh, ¨but that’s what I’m wishing was all that’s bothering me.¨”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Characters: Steve Randle and Two-Bit Mathews), Chapter 12, Pages 177-78