Wiley Burt
12/12/12
Lost and Found: The Curtis Brothers
The Curtis brothers lost their parents to a car accident. The oldest brother, Darry, has tried to care for his brothers as his parents did. Even though the brothers love each other and want very much to stay together, they struggle to do so. Part of the problem is they are very 2young. The other part of the problem is they are all different in ways that challenge their loyalty to and acceptance of one another. A close look at these differences, from the youngest boy’s point of view, can yield a greater understanding of the difficulty the brothers experienced living on their own.
Ponyboy is the youngest of the three brothers. He is the only brother who reads books. Sodapop has never picked up a book out of disinterest, and Darry is too busy working to read. Ponyboy is a sensitive, imaginative person. He is, also, very loyal to his friends. This is apparent in his attempt to take responsibility for the actions of his friend, Johnny. Darry finds Ponyboy’s involvement in the mischief and misdoings of his peers and his environment frustrating. Seeing Ponyboy’s integrity is difficult for him since he is really just focused on keeping him out of trouble.
Sodapop is the middle kid in the family. He is at heart a horse-lover. He has been hurt by the loss of his horse, Mickey Mouse. Horse-riding was an escape for Sodapop from the grim reality of his surroundings and situation, much like books and daydreaming are for Ponyboy. Soda is a babe magnet because of his movie star looks and happy-go-lucky personality. Soda is open to Ponyboy and unlike, Darry, is quick to understand the dilemma Ponyboy finds himself in. Although he understands Ponyboy’s anger at and fear of Darry, he is wise enough to understand Darry’s motivations as well. He urges Ponyboy to return home.
Darry cares deeply about his brothers. Their safety is his biggest concern. He saves Ponyboy from the Socs. Even though he has very strong and accurate instincts as a caregiver, he is still young and also very shaken by the loss of their parents. He is tired from work, irritable from the demands of looking after his brothers materially and physically, and frightened of the possibility of losing his family. He is possibly the most misunderstood and conflicted character in The Outsiders. That Ponyboy and Sodapop fail to see his love for them at times is evidence of his ability to protect them from the reality that he lives. Ponyboy and Sodapop are able to develop as adolescents while their brother changes into an adult for their sake.
Despite their differences, the Curtis brothers share many similarities. For example, they are all fiercely loyal to one another and emotionally alive. Their struggle to build boundaries without parents, while still making the ordinary mistakes of growing up, highlights the ways in which they differ. Their love for one another, however, is equal in quality and quantity. It is this love and need for each other that determines their survival as a family.