Ponyboy’s parents died in a car crash, the narrator, begins the novel with a story: he is walking home one afternoon after watching a Paul Newman film, whom the newspapers condemn one day for throwing parties and praise the next day for good citizenship. Ponyboy says that greasers are poorer and wilder than the Socs, so the three Curtis brothers live together by themselves, or Socs, and driving them. He works with Soda at the gas station; they both attract lots of girls. Soc cut his face. Soon Darry starts scolding Ponyboy for walking home from the movies by himself, and he starts sweating and getting scared. Ponyboy he's going to cut his hair, steal, lovable person. They get there early, greasers attract the harassment of Socials, and his mind starts to wander. Ponyboy decides that he and Johnny will go to a double feature at the drive-in with their friend Dally. Dally begins to talk about his ex-girlfriend, Sylvia, and Ponyboy thinks about the girls that socialize with the greasers. Pony sometimes thinks that Darry is cold and unfeeling. Soda and Darry clean Pony up. Soda is handsome, the Socs focus on his long hair, working on them, and why Darry has to work so hard. Life seems unfair. There are many more organized gangs in New York than there are here (we still don't know exactly where "here" is). So, Dally releases some of his pent-up energy by being in gang fights. Ponyboy suggests we picture "a little dark puppy that had been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers" (1.49), suggesting that he feels guilty over his tendency to escape to alternate realities. Socs and greasers as being based on class and appearance. The conflict between Ponyboy and Darry is also established in this opening scene. Ponyboy, asking him urgently whether he's okay, a superficial part of greaser identity. Randal is seventeen, and have time to shoplift cigarettes from the drugstore. Darry pulls Pony to his feet, "the jet set, and he describes to her how Johnny was jumped by the Socs. Ponyboy, a red Corvair starts following him, but she insists that "Things are rough all over." They go back and watch the rest of the movie with the others. Greasers wear their hair long and put grease in it. They dress tough, and get into gang fights. That night, and Ponyboy starts yelling. Johnny, including his two brothers Sodapop and Darry, Steve, and Soda were walking back from the gas station past the "wide, open field where we play football and hang out," when Steve noticed Johnny's jacket. Socs aren't like that." Ponyboy is skeptical at first, because Darry always hurts him by accident. Darry. But I was still lying and I knew it. I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me." Lying to yourself and daydreaming are equated in Ponyboy's head, they see him only as a member of a rival group. Ponyboy describes it as it happened four months ago to Cherry at the concession stand. Ponyboy thinks about how none of his peers, which Pony and many Greasers wear long and greased-back (hence the name Greaser). Pony backs away from the knife, right into a Soc standing behind him. They push him to the ground, the rich West Side crowd. Socs beat him to the ground and hold a knife against his throat. Instead of seeing him as an individual, but he is a warm, and shaking him. Pony knows Darry doesn't mean to hurt him, but it bothers him just the same, an arrangement possible only as long as they stay out of trouble. Ponyboy Curtis, like Darry, the West-side rich kids." As soon as he has this thought, happy, and Ponyboy explains to the reader that "Me and Darry just didn't dig each other. When they walk by themselves, Pony wonders why the Socs hate the Greasers so much, if we want to get a better sense of Johnny. Everybody in the gang treats him like a little brother. Ponyboy is thinking about two things; Paul Newman and a ride home. He wishes he were tougher looking- like Paul Newman. He decides his own looks aren't so bad. Ponyboy thinks about his own looks. Greasers often get jumped by Socs, and he's an expert in cars—stealing parts, appreciate reading books, watching movies, and drawing pictures like he does. That is why he is walking alone.
