“I had a sick feeling in my stomach.” Ponyboy was concerned about the relationship between him and his brother. They were always arguing and frustrated towards each other. Later in the novel, the situation only becomes worst. When Ponyboy came home late past his curfew from the movie theater Darry slaps him and he runs away. Another incident was while Ponyboy was terribly sick in the hospital he thought he didn’t call Darry only Sodapop and felt guilty.
Ponyboy was very loyal to the greasers and considered them as his family. Hungout with them at night and did anything they wanted him to do. There were always ongoing disputes between the Socs and Greasers. They hated the Socs and Ponyboy would eagerly participate in fighting them in the rumbles. Sadly the fighting went too far. Soon afterwards he found himself being drowned in the fountain by the Socs. His best friend, Johnny, murdered the Soc that tried to drown him and Ponyboy decided to runaway to the Country with him.
Ponyboy had a stressful nature about him and used a cigarette to relieve his problems. “I want a cigarette. I want a cigarette. I want a cigarette.” The quotation expressed how this tool was the only thing that was a stress reliever for him. In various tense situations it was a very handy pacifier for him such as: When he thought he might go to jail for killing a soc, but not realizing it was really Johnny who had done it; running out of town without telling his brothers; if the judge would send him to an orphanage because he thought Darry wasn’t a good guardian for him; just before rumbles.
Ponyboy had a very sensitive side toward his friends particularly his best friend, Johnny. He was very devastated and grieved over his death. “You read about people looking peacefully asleep when they’re dead, but they don’t Johnny just looked dead. Like a candle with the flame gone.” This quotation describes how sad Ponyboy was about the appearance of Johnny’s dead body. He denied and convinced himself that Johnny wasn’t even dead. Later, Ponyboy had to face reality and realize Johnny was gone forever. Ponyboy was given a book with an unexpected note., “Gone with the Wind” from Johnny after he died. This note, which Ponyboy received, made him think about life and the book made him think about Johnny.
Ponyboy finally feels grateful. At the end of the novel, he becomes a better person and appreciates what he has. He realizes not everyone has a family like he does, which looks after him and takes care of him. Also learns its better to enjoy life and Life is too short to complain!
