Johnny is Ponyboy's best friend and the 'pet' of the Greasers. He's 16 years old, and lives with his alcoholic and abusive mother and father. Johnny was jumped and beat up by a Soc wearing heavy rings. Ever since then, Johnny has been paranoid about the Socs and always carries a switchblade. In the story Johnny uses his switchblade to kill a soc member named Bob because they where drowning Ponyboy in a fountain and where getting ready to beat Johnny up. Johnny knew they needed to get out of the city and so they went to Dally to get help. Dally a member of the gang gave them a gun, and told them to go to a church on top of Jay Mountain. At the church all they did was read, “Gone with the Wind”, play poker, and smoke. But at the church Ponyboy realizes that Johnny is different from the gang, just like him because he knows that not anyone in the gang is willing to take time and look at the sunset. Well after five days, Dally goes to the church and takes them to eat. They stopped to eat at Dairy queen and Johnny tells Dally, “We’re goin’ back and turn ourselves in.” Then Dally says,”Johnny, I ain’t mad at you. I just don’t want you to get hurt. You don’t know what a few months in jail can do to you. Johnny, you get hardened in jail. I don’t want that to happen to you. Like it happened to me.” Johnny then said ”Would you rather have me living in hide-outs for the rest of my life, always on the run?” Dally never answered and they went back to the top of Jay Mountain. Once they got there they saw the church on fire and Johnny and Ponyboy got out of the car immediately and…