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Describe Pony's relationship with Soda in The Outsiders?

Unlike his relationship with his oldest brother Darry, Ponyboy is very close with his other brother, Sodapop. Soda is Pony's happy-go-lucky older brother who works at the local gas station. Ponyboy gets along with Soda because Soda is very supportive of him. Soda acts as the mediator between Ponyboy and Darry when the two boys begin to argue. There are several scenes throughout the novel that depict Soda defending Ponyboy in front of Darry. Pony...

Unlike his relationship with his oldest brother Darry, Ponyboy is very close with his other brother, Sodapop. Soda is Pony's happy-go-lucky older brother who works at the local gas station. Ponyboy gets along with Soda because Soda is very supportive of him. Soda acts as the mediator between Ponyboy and Darry when the two boys begin to argue. There are several scenes throughout the novel that depict Soda defending Ponyboy in front of Darry. Pony also mentions that Soda understands him and says that he loves Soda more than anyone in the world. Despite Soda's easy-going, supportive personality, Ponyboy is ashamed of the fact that Soda dropped out of school. Pony comments that Soda's reputation as a "dropout" doesn't fit with his fun-loving personality. Although Soda seems to understand Pony's struggles, Pony fails to realize that Soda has personal issues as well. At the end of the novel, Soda is heartbroken over his ex-girlfriend and runs out of the house in the middle of another argument between Pony and Darry. Darry explains Soda's situation to Pony and Ponyboy finally realizes that he needs to attempt to understand Soda the way Soda understands him.

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