Key Passages

Chapter 2:

I really couldn’t see what Socs would have to sweat about—good grades, good cars, good girls, madras and Mustangs and Corvairs—Man, I thought, if I had worries like that I’d consider myself lucky. I know better now. 

“Things are rough all over.”

This quote is relevant to YA readers in that Pony Boy realizes that no matter what part of town you come from "things are rough all over". It reminds the reader to take a better look around and try to see what other people may be going through as well. 

Chapter 3:

It’s okay… We aren’t in the same class. Just don’t forget that some of us watch the sunset too.

Pony Boy says this to Cherry Valance after spending some time with her at the movie. This quote is an attempt to close the social gap between Greasers and Soc’s. Although the two groups have starkly different lifestyles and opportunities, they all live in the same world, under the same sun. Pony Boy is also trying to point out to Cherry that not all Greasers fulfill their rough, unrefined stereotype. Some, like him, have an appreciation for beauty and not just violence.

These are important lessons for Young Adult readers. First is the acknowledgement that we all live under one sun regardless of social status. Second is that not everyone subscribes to their assigned stereotypes. YA readers deal with these issues every day and this passage helps them to navigate the difficulties.




Chapter 6:
That was [Darry’s] silent fear then—of losing another person he loved. I remembered how close he and Dad had been, and I wondered how I could ever have thought him hard and unfeeling. I listened to his heart pounding through his T-shirt and I knew everything was going to be okay now. I had taken the long way around, but I was finally home. To stay.


Here Pony Boy is starting to understand that his big brother does really love him and care about him. Darry may not express his feelings in the best way but that is because he is under a lot of pressure trying to be the parent in this family unit. YA readers all deal with this idea of thinking that their parents are out to do nothing but make their lives miserable. In actuality parenting is a stressful job and we need to take a step back and appreciate what parents go through each day. In this passage Pony Boy is finally able to acknowledge all that his big brother does and appreciate it. 

Chapter 9:
They used to be buddies, I thought, they used to be friends, and now they hate each other because one has to work for a living and the other comes from the West Side. They shouldn’t hate each other...I don’t hate the Socs anymore...they shouldn’t hate...

This one is pretty self explanatory. Pony Boy no longer wants to hate anyone because of a particular group they belong to. He is choosing to see people as individuals instead and then make his judgements which is a good lesson for any reader young or old. 

Chapter 12:

Suddenly it wasn’t only a personal thing to me. I could picture hundreds of boys living on the wrong sides of cities, boys with black eyes who jumped at their own shadows. Hundreds of boys who maybe watched sunsets and looked at the stars and ached for something better. I could see boys going down under street lights because they were mean and tough and hated the world, and it was too late to tell them there was still good in it...There should be some help, someone to tell them before it was too late. Someone should tell their side of the story, and maybe people would understand then and wouldn’t be so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wore.

This passage articulates the Young Adult experience in that Pony Boy comes to a very important realization. He does not belong to the only “Greaser” gang in the world. There were many others like him but they don’t need to feel stuck. Instead of being bitter about his situation, Pony Boy wants to help others which is a great message for YA readers. They can also learn to grow from their experiences and help others.