The Curtis Family
The Curtis Family consists of Darrel Curtis, Sr., Mrs. Curtis, and their three sons Darrel Curtis, Jr., Sodapop, and Ponyboy.
History[]
After Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were killed in an automobile accident, their oldest son, Darry, 20, became the legal guardian of his two younger brothers, Sodapop, 17, and Ponyboy, 14. They were allowed to stay together as long as they behaved themselves and stayed out of trouble. Darry's worst fear was Ponyboy and Sodapop being put in a boys' home.
Darry inherited their mother's wise and firm personality, and he was stricter than their parents were - especially with Ponyboy. As a result, he pushes Ponyboy harder with academics, because he wants to give him a chance he missed out on. While Darry was in high school, he received an athletic scholarship, but even with the scholarship, his parents still didn't have enough money to afford to send him to college, and he never got over it.
Darry's job as a roofer, along with Sodapop's job at the DX gas station, brings in money to put food on the table and a roof over their heads, but Darry constantly worries about their money situation, along with whether or not he's being a proper role model to his brothers. Darry yells at Ponyboy for not using his head for common sense, and Ponyboy wishes that Darry could be the way he used to be when their parents were still alive.
Darry loves his brothers dearly, and he protects them as best he can under the circumstances they're in.