Ponyboy Curtis:
The novel’s narrator and protagonist. Ponyboy is 14 years old and lives with his brothers, as his parents have died in a horrific car accident. He and his brothers live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, (although the novel never states this explicitly,) and are forced to face the trials of poverty and living in a rough neighborhood.
Darrell Curtis:
Ponyboy’s oldest brother, who takes care of the family in the absence of their parents. Darrell also goes by the names “Darry” and “Superman,” and is the 20-year-old unofficial leader of the Greasers. He was forced to quit school in order to work two jobs to both ensure a decent life for his brothers and to keep them safe.
Sodapop Curtis:
Ponyboy’s middle brother, who has the good looks and charm in the family. Soda also dropped out of school, but that does not make him any less desirable to Greaser and Soc girls alike. Soda is a happy-go-lucky teen whose charisma seems to be contagious.
Keith “Two-Bit” Matthews
“Two-Bit” got his name from being the jokester of the group; he rarely loses an argument and always has to put his “two bits” in, hence the nickname. Two-Bit shoplifts for the fun of it and his prized possession is a black-handled switch blade.Steve Randle:
Steve is Soda’s best friend since they were very young. He holds a lot of animosity toward Ponyboy, because he views him as an annoying little brother to Soda. Steve works as a mechanic with Sodapop, and knows everything about cars. Their mechanic shop is the most visited in the town, and Ponyboy is unsure of whether it is because of Soda’s good looks or Steve’s autobody skills. Steve is tough, and once held off four opponents with only a broken soda bottle.
Dallas “Dally” Winston:
Dallas is the toughest of the Greaser gang; he used to run with gangs in NYC. He is the only one of the gang who does not put grease in his hair. Dally has a criminal record, and his violent outbursts make him the most dangerous of the gang.
Johnny Cade:
Johnny is the youngest of the gang besides Ponyboy, and he comes from a terribly broken home. Ponyboy describes him as, “a little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers.”
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