Themes

Bonding and Companionship

The notion of humanity and companionship is strongly expressed and explored through the novel. While the plot focuses on the differences between the Socs and the Greasers that make them rivals, it also forces the reader to acknowledge the similarities between the two groups that are often overlooked. The first instance of this commonality is the friendship between Cherry and Ponyboy.

Johnny and Ponyboy are surprised by Cherry’s warm demeanor because they are used to Socs mocking them or picking up fights with them. Their time in the drive-in helps to create a friendship between the three of them. Johnny and Ponyboy, however, are puzzled with Cherry’s attitude toward Dally. She defends her actions by saying that Dally is mean and does not respect people around him. This conversation highlights the facts that not all Socs regard Greasers as a homogenous group; further, each Soc has individual traits too. This is instrumental in Ponyboy viewing Cherry, Randy, and Bob as individuals later in the novel.

The commonality that bonds the characters despite their differences is one of seeing each other as unique individuals with their own limitations and challenges. Even though they hail from different social and cultural backgrounds, they are able to look beyond the labels accorded to them by society and forge a companionship.

Nature

Nature is an important trope in the novel that underlines commonality between humans and transience. Natural elements, through the novel, have been deployed to comment on.

Firstly, the act of watching the sunset underlines an important theme in the novel: social and cultural differences might separate individuals and groups but nature remains universal. The act of watching the sunset reminds Cherry and Ponyboy that they do have some common interests even though they belong to different gangs. The sunset also becomes a daily reminder of the commonality that most humans fail to notice in their lives. The fact that both Cherry and Ponyboy are righteous and intelligent humans is established through their ability to see beyond conditioning and immediate opinions of their friends.

In the second instance, Ponyboy and Johnny enjoy Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” During the tumultuous time of their hiding, Johnny and Ponyboy’s friendship strengthens. The poem talks of impermanence and the need to cherish each moment. The phrase “staying gold” strikes a chord with the boys; these are also Johnny’s last words for Ponyboy. His request that Ponyboy stay golden is an affirmation of Ponyboy’s sensitive and beautiful nature and how Johnny hopes that Ponyboy has to trade these qualities to become more like the other gang members..

The mention of natural phenomena such as sunsets and the cyclical nature of seasons helps readers to evaluate what unites all of us and encourages them to side aside the grudges they hold against people.

Family

The concept of family is explored at two levels in the novel: first, the narrative focuses on the Curtis family and, second, on the Greasers as a unit, a family. The complexity of the familial bonds is presented in great detail. The Curtis boys have lost their parents and the consequences of this tragedy on all the brothers are investigated in detail. The eldest brother, Darry, ends up having to adopt the role of a parent to support his younger brothers. While Ponyboy is aware of these sacrifices, he still gets into arguments and fights with Darry. This is symbolic of teenage rebellion, which is aimed at Darry as the parental figure in the house. This conflict between the two brothers acts as a catalyst for Bob’s eventual murder. The concluding chapters of the novel, where the brothers try to resolve their differences, foretell that harmony will eventually be restored in the Curtis home.

On the other hand, the author analyses the bond that exists between the Greasers. The boys in the group are each other’s support system as well as friends. Ponyboy is constantly aware that the basis of this bond is their common social class. Together, the gang has better chances of surviving the Socs’ bullying and violence. When the novel opens, Ponyboy is walking alone, which makes him a soft target for the Socs. The idea of being in the group and being protected by the bond gives the reader an impression that the gangs resemble a herd or a pack. The way in which Greasers look out for each other further confirm this.