Soda acts like a friend then a brother to pony. he still is brothers to Ponyboy but Pony and soda talk like they are just good friends. He feels he can talk to soda about anything and not get a harsh or mean comment thrown back at him. In contrast to this close loving relationship with Sodapop is Ponyboy's complex relationship with his oldest brother, Darry. Pony and Darry are always at odds. Darry gets frustrated because Ponyboy "never thinks" and is always doing things that put the family's living arrangements at risk. Darry is the "father figure" since the death of the boy's parents. If they get into trouble the state agency will separate them. Darry is working two jobs to try to keep the family together and is hard on Ponyboy because he