Who do you identify with?

[zevie]

This thought occurred to me (whilst ignoring my work in favour of haunting this site) reading the “Get To Know You” thread, about each person’s favourite character/s. So, I’m wondering, is there a specific character that you identify with from the book? Are they usually your favourite character? And does identifying with them make it any easier to write them?

I ask because my favourite characters are Dallas and Tim – after spending many teenage years wishing to be them (don’t ask, heh), I’m a little horrified to realise that my personality seems to match up more with Two-Bit than anyone else (like, the inability to shut up, heh – hence this post). I also think I understand where Johnny comes from – but, I’m not a great portrayer of either of these two characters. In fact, especially Johnny ends up pretty flat. Particularly because these guys have such horrifying things to deal with in their private lives, I think writing someone in-depth that you identify with personally might be very difficult. Maybe there’s too much emotion involved in something like that. But, what are your experiences?

[Keira]

That's a really very good question, Zevie. In the past I've thought about who I could relate to, or who I'd be out of the gang, and I never came up with a definite, final answer.

Amongst my friends, it's common knowledge that I love love lovelovelove Soda. Not in a fangirl way, but in the way that I think he's the one person that Pony really NEEDED in the book. Pony depended on him, because he loves him so much. I would love to be Soda. But the truth of the matter is, I'm not.

If I had to choose someone, I'm pretty sure that I mostly identify with Pony and Darry. With a touch of Two-Bit. I love to talk, and hate to be alone. I work alone quite often and I drag when that happens. I have to listen to podcasts and live radio shows to get me through the work day sometimes. I talk quite a bit and have a tendency to want to say what's on my mind, even if it means interrupting someone (sorry in advance... or in general for some people, lol) -- but that's only around people that I really know. If I'm the stranger, the odd one out, I tend to clam up and become quiet. And people think that I'm serious. I don't think so, most of the time, but I often hear (from my boss), "You're too serious, you know that?"

So, to sum it up, I:

1) Hate to be alone and talk too much -- Two-Bit
2) Open around people I know, and quiet around those I don't - Ponyboy
3) Serious and work a LOT (though I didn't previously mention that) - Darry

[Keira]

Haha, that's funny that he bothers you, when the book is in his POV. I understand though. 14 year old boys have interesting POVs.

[Tensleep]

Humm...that's hard. Back when we read the book the first time a friend of mine labeled all of us. I was Pony because I was the smart one, Linds was Two-Sh*t because of her brown eyes and sense of ha-ha, Melissa was Soda because she was blonde and so forth...

Me, personally....I didn't really identify with Pony. I'm actually pretty stumped. Good question, Zevie.

If I have to say anyone, it would be Steve and Dally. I grew up with boys just like them. I understand how you can be changed by your environment and I understand how you can come off like an ass and have no idea you're doing it or purposely doing it or pretending you're not purposely doing it, if that makes sense. I definitely understand criminal records and drag races and drinking and...man, I grew up with Dally and Steve...weird.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[fairlane]

In a way, Soda. I can relate to him feeling stuck in between people arguing and seeing both sides, and how much it stresses him out. I hate conflict and will always play the peacemaker. My personality is not so upbeat as his though.

[Rock]

Wow, thats one good question. I never really thought about it before now. But once you had me thinking, heres what I thought.

First I was thinking I definitely relate most to Darry. I'm young, but always worried, always running to get everything done, and have a ton of ambition.

Then I thought, maybe I am more like Steve. Just because I'm moody, I do what I want to do when I want to do it, and at times I get pretty fired up.

But then, I wondered if I was like Soda too, because although I get fired up, I yearn for peace in my life. I don't like people to fight, I don't like drama, and I love to have friends around me.

However, my conclusion is that I'm most like Darry or Steve. And Ironically, these are the two characters I enjoy reading about and writing about most. Am I just in fantasy land here? Anyway - I think thats right. And if its not (Keira and Tensleep and Liz) you can correct me.

Good day all!

Rock

[Laughing]

In family terms, I'm Soda. I was always in the middle of my two sisters' constant bickering, and I hated it, because I could see both sides, but I usually sided with my younger sister. I'm also like him in that I portray myself as happy-go-lucky, and hardly anyone knows how I really feel. My little sister told me once that she didn't know how I could be fine with everything, but was glad that I was there to be strong for her. I wrote a poem about Soda on fanfiction, and after rereading it, I realized that it described me perfectly.

But in the writing, reading, drawing, and skipping a grade department, I'm with Pony.

[These Trick Questions]

Hm, I've always saw myself as Soda with one huge difference in our personalities. First off, I'm a middle child. My older sister's 3 1/2 years older then me, my younger 14 months. They don't argue a lot, but my little sister can be annoying when she wants to be. Also, I'm known far and wide as the horse freak. lol. And when I was 12 I fell in love with a horse who I just recently had to leave behind. Very sad. But that was more of my choice then the owners, so not the same thing. What's really different between us is that Soda thinks he's stupid and drops out of school. I know I'm smart. I make straight A's in honors classes. That's where we differ.

Every quiz I've ever taken though (which isn't many) said I was Ponyboy. I see that too, 'cause I love to read and write and I space out a lot. : )

And for a while I thought I was a bit like Two-Bit 'cause I love to talk and laugh. But my friend told me point black I wasn't. Haha.

Johnny's my favorite character, though, just 'cause he's awesome. : )

[iamonlyme]

That's tough. Probably each of them in some weird way. Ponyboy in that I'm always in another world and I love to read and watch movies and think. I'm book smart but not common sense smart.

...

Actually, I sound a lot like Pony. Which rather annoys me because I don't particularly like Ponyboy.

Hm.

Now I can't seem to compare myself to anyone else, though, so apparently I'm Ponyboy.

: )

[samanthamae]

I think I have a little of them all in me.

I, too, am like Ponyboy for the reading and daydreaming part. I'm like Two-Bit, because out of my friends I'm the joker, except sometimes my jokes can be a little insensitive. I'm nothing like Sodapop, Darry, or Johnny, though. For Dallas, I think I'm like him because I never really like my feelings show, and I try to act tough a lot (as much as I hate admitting it).

But now that I think of it, I'm most like Steve. I go on hating and get jealous over little things. Wow...I don't really like Steve all that much.

It's funny how your like the characters you don't like, huh?

[samanthamae]

*let my feelings show...hahah

[Masquerade]

Hmm...now you're all making me think!
I would say a mix of Ponyboy and Sodapop.
Ponyboy because I love to read and write--well, why else would I be into fanfiction?--and I tend to be a little, um, spaced out at times. And I find it really hard to open up to a lot of people. I only talk a lot, and I mean about important stuff, to just a few certain people that I can really trust.
And Sodapop because I am also the middle child, and I'm stuck in the middle a lot, not just in the family, but friends too...
I would elaborate more but I've got to run...maybe I'll be back to add some more. Hopefully.

Edit: Okay. I'm back. Also, like Sodapop, I ride horses. And I love it. I had something else to add...but now it is slipping my mind. Haha, I wouldn't call myself movie-star beautiful though! ;D

[akanechan]

I think I can identify most with Ponyboy, because:
- I'm the youngest.
- In a group conversation, I am usually quiet (Though I'm an endless talker in one-on-one)
- I have a habit of being wrong about people, since I see them as they way to treat me.
- I like to read and write.

And, uh...I think that's it. o.o

EDIT: Oh and I daydream a lot.

[samanthamae]

Oh, I forgot to mention that too!

I, too, am the youngest. My older sister is sixteen-going-on-seventeen, and my oldest sister is twenty. Weird, huh?

[queenjaneapprxmtly]

Ha, that is weird. Kind of ironic. o.O

I don't know who I identify with. That's kind of a tough question, actually. You really have to think about it. I'm thinking I'm probably a combination of Ponyboy and Sodapop. I don't really know, though.