- No one asked, but I thought this idea was interesting because, for the most part, I try to take a more unique approach regarding the gang (or I do my best to). S.E. Hinton has written the characters a certain way (an excellent way), but there's always room for more depth. So, I made this chapter to clarify how I feel they'd act. This might explain previous chapters actions and chapters to come. Obviously, I can't summarize everything and everyone has different opinions, but these are just some of my thoughts!
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🌟 How I Picture Them When I Write/How I Picture Them As Boyfriends
Slang: none
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Johnny Cade:
To me, Johnny would be the type of boyfriend you could always lean on. He would be trustworthy, caring, kind, etc. He'd always be willing to listen to you and hear your thoughts on things. I don't, however, think he would reciprocate that openness, but he'd absolutely encourage it from you. Johnny is painfully reserved, in my opinion. I believe it would take a lot of trust for him to open up, no matter how supportive you were. It isn't something you could force, even if you did have a special bond with him. He wouldn't want you to see him as damaged goods, so he'd try his hardest to keep you from knowing all of the bad stuff about him and his life. When you do find things out (accidentally, because as I said it would take a while for him to lay everything bare), he'd feel ashamed. He wants to be the knight in shining armor; he wants to be someone else's hero for once, not the other way around. He just wants to appear normal to someone so crazily bad.
Once he does open up, though, it would be absolute bliss. He would feel ecstatic to be completely accepted by someone other than the gang, which is one thing I think he would have always secretly wanted. From there, I believe he'd be a nearly perfect partner. It would be the period where he's reserved that would test your relationship because not everyone could handle his timidness. He knows (and fears) that fact during said time, hoping that you won't leave him every single day. Overall, it isn't a matter of him not wanting you to know his true self, it's a matter of him not wanting his home life to influence yet another outside aspect.
I'd like to point out, however, that I don't think this means Johnny is, at his core, some basket case. He's a sweet guy, yes, but in the book it talks about the gang cat calling and picking fights with people. That includes Johnny! He's fragile, of course, but he's got some might to him after all he's been through. He's not completely innocent, despite the thought that he is. I recently read a chapter of another wattpad book (I apologize for not remembering which it was) that recalled how Pony said Johnny was the most law-abiding, but overall, he's just as much a whoopin' and hollerin' greaser as the rest of them. (P.S. - By that definition, Pony does some bad stuff too!)
Darrel Curtis:
Personally, I think that Darry would be very, I guess, "adult" when it comes to his relationships. He isn't the type of guy to go after a girl solely for her looks. He'd purely be admiring personality, and, admittedly, stability, too. He has his kid brothers to think about and they're his top priority, no matter what. He can't, for lack of a better term, waste his time on someone who is a mess or who can't fend for themselves. As such, he needs a certain degree of independence in his partner. Truthfully, I think Darry would need someone who gives more than they get. I know that sounds terrible, but if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
That's not to say he won't love on his partner or be a good boyfriend, he absolutely would be. He's probably one of the biggest saps in the gang, actually. He'd be a stellar, hard working man for you. He just doesn't have the time to constantly be showering you in affection. I don't like to portray Darry as someone who never has time to do anything except work, but that definitely doesn't mean that his plate isn't much more full than the other boys. He has to balance his time, and like most people, he doesn't balance everything perfectly. If anything, he doesn't ever calculate time for himself. This will show in his relationships, obviously.
Ponyboy Curtis:
One thing that constantly bugs me about some writers, specifically when writing about Ponyboy, is that he doesn't act his age. This isn't meant to diss on anyone because, like I said, everyone has different writing styles and opinions. However, I'm always irked by how grown up he feels in some stories. He's a kid, for crying out loud! There needs to be some realistic aspects to his character in fanfictions, he's human after all. I know he has seen more than most people his age, but still. He is not an experienced lover or a flirting master, despite what many of you fangirls believe. Sure, he has the gang to teach him some things and give him dating tips, but that won't make him an expert. The bottom line is that he hasn't been in serious relationships and he isn't going to be a perfect boyfriend, by any means.
Don't get me wrong, he'd do his darndest to be sweet, romantic, and kind, but Pony would be someone who is learning along the way. He's, quite literally, experiencing love for the first time. I write these characters, for the most part, as the age they are in the book. So, as such, think of any fourteen year old you know; can you genuinely tell me that they're suave? The answer is probably no. Fourteen year olds aren't debonair now, and they certainly weren't in the 60s either, no matter the cultural differences. He's going to be a bit of a ditz and he's going to say things wrong or do things wrong.
Furthermore, he's going to get annoyed by things that more mature teenagers wouldn't. He'll definitely get mad at stupid stuff and that's okay! Teens, especially when they're younger, don't have a grasp on what their boundaries are. They haven't thought about it yet. Like I said, Pony is learning and those awkward, cute moments are what's going to frame his first romantic relationships. As he ages and develops, these things will change, but for now, he's immature in this aspect. Consequently, he should act a bit bolder or even a bit more shy. His actions and emotions should almost be exaggerated because no one has puberty figured out.
Sodapop Curtis:
I truthfully don't even know where to start with Sodapop, as even I haven't completely figured out how I want his character to act. On one hand, Sodapop is the sweet and caring guy that everyone swoons over. That's how he is written in the book, so like the others, I want to keep him as faithful to Hinton's ideas as possible. Therefore, I think of him as charming, attractive, and kind. That's absolutely how I believe he'd act if I had made him and Hinton nailed that.
However, on the other hand, no one can be happy all of the time. We see that when he boils over while Pony and Darry argue towards the end of the book and he runs away. I just don't know how deep his sadness and his more negative emotions go. Sodapop is probably damn good at keeping his unhappiness to himself. I think he only really reveals his negative thoughts to the people he's closest to. Sure, he's sympathetic, but he wouldn't spill everything to a stranger. Soda is all about security, so you'd just have to wait until he trusts you (which I don't think would be extremely difficult because once it's there, it'll never dwindle.) He probably isn't even emotionally equipped to deal with some of the bleakness he feels, so he ignores it. That's what works for him; it's how he copes, despite it being unhealthy. I mean, why waste time worrying about that when there are things to look forward to instead?
A lot of bad has happened to the Curtis boys, like their parent's death, and if they all sulked in their emotions, they would have fallen apart. Soda knows that life goes on and he's great at rolling with it - he embraces it - so I believe he just shoves most of his sadness down in order for it to be dealt with later. That's why he radiates positivity because, in the end, someone had to. In a relationship, he'd likely allow that sadness to come out, but even then, I think he would worry about you more. He wouldn't want his issues to become your problem. He'd let you in for sure, but he'd never dump all of his emotions on you at once. It'd be a gradual process and while he'd inquire for advice, he'd never straight up ask you to fix it for him. You'd just have to wedge your way into the healing process. He's almost so selfless that it's self-destructive, in a way.
Keith Matthews:
If I'm being honest, Two-Bit is probably one of the characters that I have worked on the least. I've always sort of had a grasp on how I think he'd act in a relationship. It's pretty simple: he'd be a complete goofball when you needed a goofball, but he'd be serious when you needed a serious guy. He'd just sort of know when each was called for. That would make him an excellent boyfriend; the perfect balance of stupid and intelligent. He'd be fantastic at cheering you up, knowing just what to say, too.
I know that doesn't seem very correct, as he's usually the jokester, but hear me out. I believe he'd naturally gravitate towards someone who demanded the funnier side of him more than his stern side. As such, there'd be plenty of room to make jokes. He's the gang's personal wisecracker after all. At the end of the day, he wouldn't just stop making jokes because of some blonde who needed him to be serious all the time. He'll always be naturally nutty and his partner would need to appreciate that.
However, as we're all aware, Two-Bit likes to drink and alcohol makes people think and act different. So, I believe this "compass" would fade after a few drinks. That isn't to say that when he's drunk, he's a bad boyfriend. I just think he wouldn't be as self-aware of your relationship (and no, I don't mean that in a cheating aspect. Two-Bit wouldn't cheat.) If anything, he'd just be a little bit more annoying when he's drunk. His drunk responses wouldn't be as calculated as his sober responses. Overall, he'd absolutely be the Keith we know and love, but he'd definitely be able to get serious when the moment called for it. I think that's what people don't realize or take advantage of.
Steve Randle:
Steve is absolutely one of my most favorite people to write about throughout any fandom. This is because he is one of the least described and explored characters in the book. This leaves a lot of room for personal creativity. I think that Steve would make an excellent boyfriend, even if he's one of the most underrated boys in the gang. On the outside, he's loud, mouthy, and rude. He'd be a jerk if you were on his bad side and he certainly doesn't tolerate anyone's crap, plain and simple. Yet, as you get to know him, you break past that gruff exterior. On the inside, you have an insecure and genuine person. His cocky and tuff outer appearence would do well at hiding his true personality, which is the opposite.
In greater detail, I don't think Steve would intentionally want to seem standoffish just for the hell of it. If anything, he'd probably be excited to share his inner thoughts and ideas. He's a deeply emotional and intelligent dude. It's just a matter of people asking or even caring. That's why this shell works. By no means does it help him express how he feels on the inside, but it's a (defense) mechanism that is used to show him the people he can trust. Those who look past it typically stay, and staying means learning about how big of a softie he is. I can't stress it enough: Steve's a smart guy. He knows what he's doing and he knows how to make good friends because of this "method."
However, like I said, he's probably an insecure person, so those people on the inside see how kind hearted he is while he still appears brash on the outside. That's why he's rude to people who flirt with or harm you. He doesn't want you to leave and he wants to protect you, like you deserve to be, in his opinion - and, yes, it does partly stem from a place of insecurity, as I said. He's in touch with how others perceive him and he has emotional responses towards that as most normal human beings do. Think about it this way: Soda trusts him and Soda is someone who is very emotional (again, probably not in the most healthy way). Do you really think they would have become best friends if Steve were some unprecedented asshole? No! They probably confide in each other. Steve needs other people to realize he doesn't have thick skin, too!
Dallas Winston:
Honestly, Dallas is a very divisive character, with some people thinking he's nothing but a cold, hardened criminal or others thinking he's a huge softie on the inside. Personal thoughts aside, he's extremely complicated in the book, too. In my opinion, similar to Steve, Dallas has an outer appearance that doesn't necessarily reflect his personality. I agree with the fact that he's your stereotypical "bad boy" and that his criminal record is important to him, but I don't believe that's the end of his personality. He may exemplify what it's like to be a "dirty greaser" (those are Socs words, not mine), but people always have more substance than that.
I tend to lean more towards the side that Dallas has a soul and that, just like most people, he wants to be accepted. Realistically, he grew up on the streets and, until the gang, he didn't have a family to rely on. When people are raised without love, that does something to the way they think. It's part of human development to want affection and care. As a result, of course Dallas would want a shoulder to cry on and people to trust. I just don't believe that Dally thinks he's worthy of it and I don't think he knows how to give it to others, either.
Obviously, the streets could teach him physical affection and things of that nature, but it can't be capable of emotional satisfaction. He's only really been able to find that in Johnny. I think, as such, Dally would be attracted to someone who is positive and kind, someone who is emotionally similar to Johnny. That's not to say that he finds Johnny attractive (sorry Jally shippers), but he definitely respects people who feel in the same way that Johnny feels. That mindset is what's appealing to Dallas. Think about it, they're polar opposites personality-wise; hopeful v.s. hopeless. I know we've all heard the saying "opposites attract" and I think this is very relevant in Dallas's case.
Dally could definitely open up to someone who was like Johnny, albeit slow going. I definitely don't think he'd go soft for a girl within a week like he does in some fanfictions. When you do crack through his shell, you'll be in for a wonderful boyfriend. It wouldn't be easy to get that far, but once he trusted you, you'd be set and he'd be putty in your hands. You'd know all his little quirks and he'd love to get sentimental with you. It's just a matter of getting to that point because, at the end of the day, he's Dallas Winston. You can love each other all you want, but in the same way that Two-Bit will always make jokes, Dally will be looking for trouble. After all, he's got his reputation to uphold. So, he might be all for those personal talks behind closed doors, but it took work to get there. That's why so few people are in his inner circle. It's special to see that side of Dallas and it's something to be shared between the two of you, and only the two of you. Basically, he can't afford to act that way with you in public. That's just how it'll always be because that's what the streets do to a lost kid.
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I am so sorry for how long Dallas's is, but there was a lot to unpack! Let me know what you think if you read that far. If anything, this preference was for me.
--Shaunessy