What are some quotes that depict Ponyboy's strengths and weaknesses in the novel The Outsiders?

Strengths

Ponyboy is an intelligent individual who loves to read. Much like his older brother, Darry, Ponyboy does well in school. When he tells Cherry that they go to the same school, Cherry comments that he doesn't look old enough to be in the high school. Pony says,

"I'm not. I got put up a year in grade school" (Hinton 21).

Pony is smarter than the kids his age and was moved up a grade to take more challenging courses.

Ponyboy also excels athletically. He is one of the school's top runners and mentions,

"(Oh, yeah, I forgot---I'm on the A-squad track team, the youngest one. I'm a good runner)" (Hinton 91).

Ponyboy is also a courageous individual. In Chapter 6, Ponyboy selflessly volunteers to save the children who are trapped inside the flaming church. When he finds out that there are kids inside of the building he says,

"I'll get them, don't worry!" (Hinton 78).

Ponyboy heroically runs into the flaming building and saves the children.

Weaknesses

Ponyboy has several distinct weaknesses throughout the novel. Ponyboy is continually making bad decisions and neglects to think situations through. After getting jumped by a group of Socs because he was walking home alone, Darry criticizes his brother by saying,

"You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home, and you've always got your nose in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense?" (Hinton 12).

Ponyboy is also naive and lacks perspective at the beginning of the novel. He views Darry with contempt and says,

"Darry thought I was just another mouth to feed and somebody to holler at. Darry love me? I thought of those hard, pale eyes. Soda was wrong for once, I thought. Darry doesn't love anyone or anything, except maybe Soda" (Hinton 17).

Ponyboy believes that Darry doesn't love or care about him because Darry is hard on him, which is obviously not true. Darry does care about Ponyboy and is trying his best to raise Pony.

There are several scenes throughout the novel that depict Ponyboy's brash behavior. In Chapter 8, Ponyboy asks Cherry if she'll go up to see Johnny and she says that she can't bring herself to see him. Pony gets upset and says,

"I wouldn't want you to see him. You're a traitor to your own kind and not loyal to us" (Hinton 129).

However, Ponyboy instantly regrets his harsh words and apologizes for his actions.