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Introduction to the members’ relationship (Especially Darry)
The book told that “Darry pulls Pony to his feet and asks him if he is seriously injured. He then berates Pony for going out unaccompanied.” From this we can infer that although Soda assures Pony that Darry really does love him, the younger brother does not believe him, for Darry never shows him any affection. -
Introduction to Ponyboy Curtis
Pony, the main character, is described in detail in this first chapter. It also becomes obvious that he will often shift his story from the present to the past, using flashbacks to give important background information. -
Pony cannot understand why they have any concerns since they have “good grades, good cars, good girls, madras, Mustangs, and Corvairs.”
Pony think it is unfair Socs having a heigher repetition than Greasers, he wonders why they still being bad since they have a plenty of materials. -
The conversion between Pony and Cherry.
Pony find that not all the socs girl are alike. he finds that he can easily converse with Cherry and shares many things with her .They are being attracted by each others; However, they would never being together because of their social problem. -
End of this chapter: “ I was Wrong”
What make Pony different from others is that he can admit his fault through his own moral judgement. That personality has foreshadows his decision at the church. -
Dally, Johnny, and Pony go to the drive-in movie and meet some girls.(Cherry)
Dally’s rude behaviour, such as sneaked into the drive-in movie, talked abusively to the Socs’ girl, It is obvious that he attempts to gain attention is actually for covering up his sense of inadequacy. When Johnny convince Dally to calm down, Cherry becomes friendly to them, that made her seems to be different from convinced Dally to calm down, Cherry becomes friendly to them.That made her seems to be different from other Socy girls. she has a sense of allegiance to her gang just like Ponyboy. -
Johnny killed Bob at the park.(Part A)
In order to teach Pony and Johnny a lesson of being respectful to Socs girls, bob and some other members jumped them. They made pony almost drowned to his death, at that moment Johnny use his switchblade killed Bob. -
Johnny killed Bob at the park.(Part B)
Pony is panic stricken when he discovers that his friend has committed murder. Dally tells the boys that they must go into hiding and instructs them to hop a freight train to Windrixville. -
The two boys ask for directions to the church. They find it was a very aged place filled with spider webs.
The bleak setting is an appropriate reflection of the bleak mood and foreshadows worse things to come. -
Dally has started carrying an unloaded gun
The tension between the Greasers and the Socs has increased since Bob’s murder. -
Pony recites a poem by Robert Frost, entitled “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” Johnny understands the words and their meaning.
That made he feels that the gold is a symbol of beauty, purity and innocence, qualities that are hard to retain. He is impressed with the charm, manners, and gallantry of the Southern gentlemen. -
Pony realizes that Johnny is very sensitive.
Now Johnny wants to turn himself in, he does not want to hide out for the rest of his life; he also feels guilty that he has pulled Pony into his problems. When Dally arrives, Johnny asks about his parents; he is hurt to learn that his parents have not even inquired about him. -
Pony realizes for the first time that Darry truly cares about him.
He accepts that his oldest brother’s harsh, critical ways have come from Darry’s desire to protect Pony and have him make something of his life. At the end of the chapter, Pony acknowledges, “I had taken the long way around, but I was finally home. To stay.” -
The children and the fire allow both Pony and Johnny to display exemplary courage.
Johnny and Pony see that the church is on fire and notice the children; they run to help in the rescue effort. Both of them quickly go through a window to try and get the children to safety. Johnny is hurt during the rescue and trapped inside. Dally risks his own life to save Johnny, displaying a great deal of courage and selflessness. -
Darry, Soda, and Pony are re-established as a family.
Pony has realized that his oldest brother has always acted towards him out of love and concern, and Darry’s tenderness towards his little brother is captured when he carries him to his bed. -
Some of the Socs redeem themselves.
Cherry tells the truth to the reporters, stating that Bob was very drunk on the night of his murder. Randy admits to the authorities that the Socs caused the fight and that Pony and Johnny were only fighting back in self-defense. Randy also approaches Pony and tells him that saving the children was very heroic. He also says he is sick of the gang fighting and wants to run away from it all. -
Both Johnny and Pony are frightened by the thought that Johnny is close to death.
Johnny does not want to think about dying, for he is only sixteen and wants to see more of the world. In a bitter vein, Pony comments how for sixteen years they have learned and seen a lot, but it has not been the right things. -
Darry is as protective as ever towards Pony in this chapter.
He does not want his youngest brother to participate in the rumble, for he knows Pony is very tense about fighting and fears what will happen to him. During the rumble, Darry watches out for Pony, keeping a close eye on what is happening to him. -
The chapter closes with a sense of foreboding.
Cherry tells them that the Socs will not have weapons at the fight and will play by the rules. In spite of this news, Pony feels that something terrible will take place at the rumble. -
Pony analyzes the reason why all of them fight.
He thinks that Soda fights for the fun and excitement; Steve fights out of hatred; Darry fights because of his pride; and Two-Bit fights so that he will fit in. Pony himself does not like fighting and joins in only for self-defense. He resents the fact that he is branded a hood by society because he belongs to a gang, wears long hair, and fights. -
Johnny’s death
With his dying breath, he tells his friends that fighting is useless. He also encourages Pony to “stay gold,” to remain pure and innocent. Pony is touched by the parting of his friend, but Dally is enraged. Dally pounds on the wall and runs down the hall. Again the chapter closes with a sense of impending doom. -
Pony knows the other gallant side of Dally instead of a hoodlum.
he will always remember how he loaned them his gun even though it might mean jail for him, how he came to the church to check on them, how he tried to save Johnny from the burning building, how he forced his way into Johnny’s room to be beside his friend as he died. -
Pony reaches his breaking point.
After Johnny’s death, he leaves the hospital in a shocked daze, trying to convince himself that his friend is really still alive. He wanders about in a stupor for hours, ignoring the injuries he has sustained during the rumble. -
Dally’s death
Dally pulls out the unloaded gun and points it at the police. Pony realizes that “Dally Winston wanted to be dead and he always got what he wanted.” The police open fire, and Pony watches another friend succumb to death. It is more than he can handle, and he faints. -
Pony tries to analyze the type of person Bob was.
He immediately thinks of him as a typical Soc, who believed he was superior just because he lived on the west side of town. Then he adds that Bob was “a reckless, hot-tempered boy, cocky, and scared stiff at the same time.” He thinks about Bob’s parents and assumes that they hate the Greasers for killing their son. Pony prefers their hate to their pity. He then thinks about the hearing about Bob’s murder; it is coming in the near future. -
Pony realizes that he has lost the capacity to respond emotionally to anything.
When the Socs challenge him outside the grocery store, He did not feel “scared, mad or anything;” he simply broke a bottle and threatened the Socs with it, scaring them away. -
The three brothers reconcile and feel closer than ever before. (Darry, Pony and Soda)
Darry scolds him for his lack of effort, and the two of them get into a fight. Darry tells Pony that he cannot stop living because he has lost Johnny and Dally. Bothered by the shouting between his two brothers, Soda runs out of the house. Darry and Pony go after him. Soda explains that he is sick of being the go-between for them and advises them to patch up their differences. -
Pony decides he must do something to rise above the Greasers and improve his plight in life.
In making this commitment, Pony feels more optimistic than ever before in his life. He will begin his mission by writing about it in his English theme. As the novel closes, there is an upbeat note of hope and optimism. -
Johnny’s words have a profound affect on Pony.
Pony picks up Johnny’s copy of Gone With the Wind, and a letter addressed to Pony falls out. Johnny states that it was worth dying to save the children from the fire. He then again tells Pony that he should remain “gold” and that there is a lot of good in the world.