The Outsiders Why Do Good Things Last Forever

Why don’t good things last forever? S.E Hinton's The Outsiders is a story about a 14 year old boy. One night changed his life forever. The Greaser’s rivalry with the upper class gang the Socs has stuck to small fights, but nothing too serious. One night Ponyboy, the main character, and his best friend a 16 year old boy Johnny who is all so in the gang take things a little too far with murder. This story shows the theme of nothing good lasts forever through the characters of Ponyboy, Johnny and Dally.
As Ponyboy is sitting with Johnny watching the sunset at the old abandoned church they had been staying at for a few nights after killing a soc and running away from home. As they sit talking about how pretty the sunset is “to bad it couldn’t stay like that all the time, nothing gold can stay” (P 77) Ponyboy said which reminded him of the poem. He recites it to Johnny they both really like the poem but neither of the are sure what it means . Over time they seem to figure out that it means, to stay good is to stay good or pure. Theses two words change Ponyboy's life using “stay gold” as a goal helps Ponyboy stay on the right track and look at life more positively. The church reminds him of the poem because the sunset is beautiful but it fades fast.

Johnny mentions the poem when, Johnny is on his deathbed he writes a letter to Ponyboy telling him to tell Dally to watch a sunset and see the little bit of beauty in life even though it doesn't last.

In the letter Johnny also tells Ponyboy to stay gold which makes it clearly significant. After Johnny's death, Ponyboy opens the book “Gone With The Wind” that Johnny gave him, a letter falls out from Johnny, as Ponyboy sit reading the letter “ Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's gold. Keep that way, it's a good way to be (P 178). Johnny tells him. Johnny tells Ponyboy to stay gold because life is short and it's better to do your best and stay pure then get in trouble and be

bad.

Dally is a tough guy who who has never loved anyone except Johnny and doesn't really see the good in life. After Johnny and Ponyboy kill Bob, the soc, they go to Dally for help. Dally gives the boys some money and an unloaded gun and told them about and abandon church on top of a hill where the can hide for a little bit untill stuff clears up. Dally was probably the most affected by Johnny's death to the point where he commits suicide by cops. Even though Johnny's letter is to ponyboy he tells Ponyboys to tell Dally “ I want you to tell to tell Dally to look at one. He'll probably think you're crazy but ask for me” (P178). although it was too late it still was meaningful.
Good things can't last forever, if they did life would be boring and people would start to act out. For example bob had not restrictions and everything was always good so he started to get bored and started acting out by starting fights. There has to be a balance between good and bad.