The death of a close friend can be so shocking that it can alter your life and put
your moral compass in an entirely new direction. Being a greaser in a bad neighborhood, Ponyboy was exposed to poverty, smoking, and violence at a young age. His parents had died when he was younger, which left his big brother, Darry, to support him and his little brothers. Along with those family complications, he experienced gang fighting, which lead to his close friend’s life being lost. Throughout Ponyboy’s life, the events and struggles he experienced such as death, self sacrifice, and violence forced him to cope with challenges and grow from a childish teen into a mature adult.
It was a late night after Ponyboy had gone to the movies with his buddies, and he and Johnny went to the park. They had stayed there, talked for a long time, and accidently fell asleep. When Ponyboy realized he had to get home, he woke up and rushed back in the pitch black, hoping to not get in trouble by his father-like brother, Darry. Darry knew how dangerous it was to be outside at night near Soc territory, and punished Ponyboy for his immature actions by hitting him when he arrived home. Darry imitated Ponyboy out of anger, “I didn’t mean to... I forgot. That’s all I ever hear from you!” Ponyboy’s immaturity and lack of understanding resulted in him being punished in an unforgettable way, which made him a much more numb person in the sense that he shut himself off
from abusive people. When Ponyboy was abused, he forcefully learned his lesson to be a more serious and mature individual.
After Darry had hit him, Ponyboy ran back to Johnny, who still lay asleep in the park. A gang of Socs walked up to them, and attacked Ponyboy by dunking him into the fountain, attempting to drown him. Johnny stabbed the attacker, and the rest of them ran from the scene. Ponyboy and Johnny fled town, instead of facing their problem, and explaining to people that it was out of self defense. They could have put an end to the fighting, and prevented Johnny from getting injured from their dangerous runaway. Their immature action led to lives being lost, and even more desire for revenge and violence on both gang sides. This event made them realize that they should never run from their problems, even if it requires a unfair self sacrifice to reveal what really happened, further enhancing their mature awareness of self responsibility.
While in hiding, Ponyboy and Johnny do grow from their mistakes, and learn to be selfless. They came by a burning schoolhouse, and while others dared not to even think about the several children stuck inside, Ponyboy and Johnny bravely went inside to rescue them. They managed to get every child out before the building collapsed, however Johnny wasn’t so lucky. The roof caved in on top him, and he was rushed to the hospital with severe burns and a broken back, that later led to his death. Johnny and Ponyboy had sacrificed and risked their own lives to help others who couldn’t help themselves. While in the hospital, Johnny explained why he rescued those kids... he stated, “Listen, I don’t mind dying now. It’s worth it. It’s worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came by to thank me and Iknow it was worth it...I’ve been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you’re gold when you’re a kid, like green. When you’re a kid, everything’s new, dawn. It’s just when you get used to everything that it’s day...You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There’s still lots of good in the world...” This mature action was not only self-rewarding in the fact that they were responsible for the nine young lives still breathing, but that they had done the right thing in a time when nobody wanted to. Nobody else wanted to jump into a burning building, but they did it with no hesitation. This difficult challenge and decision made them humble heroes, and respectable young men in the eyes of society.
When Ponyboy returned back to his town, he was confronted by a Soc, and in his surprise, they simply talked. His name was Randy, and he was one of the Socs that had attacked Johnny and Ponyboy that one night. They had talked about the upcoming rumble fight that both of them were obligated to go to. Randy confessed that he didn’t want to fight anymore, ever since his fellow friend was killed. They both agreed that the violence was bad, and that they didn’t want to take part in it any longer... it just wasn’t worth the pain and anguish it brought. After their conversation, Ponyboy was in rather awe, that a Soc, his enemy, would feel the same way... that fighting was bad, and that he hated it all. Ponyboy had come to the mature conclusion that the enemies weren’t really the enemies at all... they were stuck in the same warfare. After this realization, Ponyboy stated, “Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset.” Ponyboy grew in maturity after this discovery, and had learned that the stereotype for the Socs was not true... he learned to treat everyone with the
understanding and compassion they deserve. They had felt the same pain, the same madness, the same hurt, and the same despair in this battlefield that they called home.
Throughout Ponyboy’s life, the sometimes unfair challenges and decisions he
faced as he grew older changed who he was, from a young teen to a mature adult. Throughout every teen’s life, we all go through stages where we face different adventures, go through many ups and downs, and change our ways to adapt with the new. And as I grow older, I will face similar challenges in the sense of helping others or helping myself, telling the truth or not, and facing or running from my problems. As my future nears, I will face much more serious, and important challenges and decisions that will affect my way of life and career in the future ahead of me. I will be forced to make these important choices and decisions out of the maturity that I have learned from my childish and immature mistakes. These choices I make in the next four years and beyond, will define who I am as an individual, and how I will think, live, and act. As these decisions face me, I will be challenged to my limits, and the choices I make will shape me into the successful independent woman I wish to become.