He went as far as to say “I had the knife. I killed Bob.” (Hinton 165) Ponyboy wasn’t ready for Johnny to die. It was too much for his mind to take in, so he acted like Johnny was still there. Ponyboy’s brain doesn’t want anything bad to happen to Ponyboy.
Johnny is a character most readers love. He is sweet and shy, quiet and weak. Nothing gold can stay, like this poem Johnny doesn’t stay with us long. While most of us love Johnny, he ends up dying after having a burning cross fall on him while trying to save children in a burning church. While he is laying in the hospital bed he said “Stay golden Ponyboy,” these were his final words spoken before he collapsed on the bed and dies.
He asks for a copy of “Gone With the Wind”, which Pony makes Dally go get for him. Soon, they had to leave, and Johnny’s mother was there to see him. Though, Johnny was reluctant about seeing her. Then, Two-bit and Pony went to see Dally who is doing better, and he even asks Two-bit for his switchblade because he plans on escaping the hospital in order to attend the rumble. Pony isn’t feeling well, and begs Two-bit not to say anything so that he can still go to the rumble.
Staying Gold “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold,” are Johnny Cade’s final words to Ponyboy Curtis before he passes away. What did Johnny mean by this? Surely, he doesn’t literally mean stay gold. The Outsiders, written by S. E. Hinton has many themes, including this hidden one.
After Johnny had killed Bob, and they ran away, Johnny says something to Ponyboy in the church that surprises him. After Johnny left to get supplies, he says, “We’re gonna cut our hair, and your gonna bleach yours.” (71) Johnny saying this, shows that he is starting to take action after what had happened at the park. It shows that reality is hitting Johnny, and this actually makes him slightly tougher in a way. Johnny, being a shy person usually doesn’t take action to solve the problem at han, but by doing this, it shows he is less soft and more hardy than we thought.
At the end of the novel, just before Johnny Cade dies he tells Ponyboy to “stay gold”, in saying this, he means that he should stay innocent and to not change who he is as a person. This is an important moment as, after Johnny dies, Ponyboy is very distraught and becomes more like the other Greasers. For example, he starts taking out his anger and sadness and hopelessness by fighting in the rumble, his school grades drop rapidly as he loses interest in school and he begins to fight with Darry a lot more. One evening while Ponyboy is in his bedroom looking for something to read, he notices the copy of “Gone With The Wind” that he and Johnny read in Windrixville. To his surprise enclosed is a
Ponyboy’s feelings and attitude towards the Socs changes in many different ways throughout the novel. His initial attitude towards the Socs was all about looking cool and tuff all the time. It was how things were. The forces behind his change in attitude are the softer sides of the Socs. His final attitude towards the Socs were softened, even though his gang still hate them.
This shows how he gained back his self-confidence and his ability to stand up for himself. Johnny finally found his acceptance from Dally when Dally said, “We’re all so proud of you” (148). When Dally said that Ponyboy noticed Johnny’s eyes glowing, “Dally was proud of him... That was all he ever wanted” (148). In the letter he wrote to Ponyboy, “It’s worth saving those kids...
Johnny shows Ponyboy that the world isn’t corrupt with mean people and that it is still full of good. Johnny stated in the note Ponyboy found in the book Gone With The Wild that it is was worth saving the kids even if it meant his life. He also stated that the poem in the book meant “He meant you’re gold when you’re a kid,like green… and don’t get bugged over being a greaser. You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There’s still lots of good in the world” (Hinton 178-9).
Then he went to talk with Cherry and he ask her If she already went to see Johnny but she said that “she couldn’t never see the person who killed her boyfriend”. Ponyboy got mad and told her “you’re a traitor to your own kind and not loyal to fus. Do you think your spying for us makes up the fact that you are sitting there in a Corvette while your brother drops out of school to get a job”.
(52). This shows that Johnny believed that killing Bob was the only way to save Ponyboy and that he did not kill Bob out of anger and hatred. Also, Johnny risked going to jail and losing his freedom when he killed Bob in order to save Ponyboy from drowning. By risking his life and saving Ponyboy’s life, Johnny proved that when in danger, a Greaser would sacrifice himself to save another, which shows honor among the lawless. Hence, there is honor among the Greasers because risking their life for another shows great love and bravery, which are also honorable
Pony made a risky decision when he ran into the burning church, that he or Johnny might not make it out alive. He was also thinking that the kids’ lives were more
He could take anything. It was Johnny I was worried about.” He knows how frightened and anxious Johnny is after being jumped and how he is not as tough as the rest of the Greasers. Especially without a loving family at home, Johnny only has the gang and is not able to take as much. Throughout the whole novel, Ponyboy expresses how much he cares for others both with Johnny, and
Johnny last words to Ponyboy were “stay gold ponyboy stay gold”,I think Johnny meant that Ponyboy should stay like he is because he isn 't as violent as the other gang members. The text states “you ain’t like the rest of the gang. I mean i couldn 't tell Two Bit or Steve or even darry about the sunrise and clouds and stuff. Just you and Sodapop . And maybe Cherry Valance.
He just hollered at me” (P.12) Around Chapter 5, the beginning of Ponyboy’s realization of his brother true feelings are known. The