Johnny Andrew Cade

The Curtis gang was a gang of Greasers to which the Curtis brothers and other close friends belong. They are a very close-knit bunch and see each other as family. They could be considered more of a friend group than an actual gang, since only one of their members regularly commits crimes. They were a Greaser gang from the mid-1960s that occasionally fought socs (short for socials)

There are seven main members: Darrel "Darry" Curtis (unofficial leader) – 20 years old Sodapop Curtis – 16-going-on-17 years old Ponyboy Curtis – 14 years old Johnny Cade –16 years old Dallas "Dally" Winston – 17 years old Steve Randle – 17 years old Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews – 18 ½ years old

Johnny Cade was considered the gang's "pet" because he was scared and quiet in most situations and the others look to protect him. Sodapop was perhaps the most compassionate and the one the others can talk to and bring their problems to. Steve was Soda's best friend and the two of them are inseparable. Steve can often come off as cocky but he was also fiercely loyal to the group. Two-Bit was the "joker" of the group because he often makes wise cracks and goofs off. However, at other times, he can be serious and show a good deal of intelligence. Darrel was considered the unofficial leader because he was the strongest, oldest, and tries to be an older brother figure to the others. Ponyboy was the sensitive one who was the "kid" of the group and was more artistically inclined and has little interest in violence. Dallas was the most aggressive one in the gang and the most willing to fight or cause trouble. He was the only one to show major criminal behavior and has already been to prison. He was hauled in whenever a crime was committed in the area and has a long police record.

JOHNNY ANDREW CADE Age: 16 years old (though usually described as looking younger) Ponyboy described Johnny as "smaller than the rest, with a slight build. He has big black eyes in a dark tanned face; his hair is jet-black and heavily greased and combed to the side, but it is so long that it falls in shaggy bangs across his forehead. He always has a nervous, suspicious look in his eyes." Johnny reminds Ponyboy of a little puppy that had been kicked too many times and was lost in a crowd of strangers. His hair is always greasy, and he wears a dark t-shirt with a sky-blue denim jacket and jeans. He has a scar on his left cheek from when he was jumped and beaten severely by a group of Socs, the gash being left by the rings worn by one of the Socs who attacked him. Johnny is very quiet, not getting in the way of the gang very often. This is a result of constantly being neglected and verbally abused by his mother and beaten by his alcoholic father. He was able to hold his own at a rumble, but distances himself from the running and common conflict of being a greaser as often as he can manage, because of the stigma that follows the greasers. He was nearly killed by a group of Socs one night when he was jumped while walking alone. Since that day the gang always made sure that they kept an eye on Johnny, knowing that they would be less vulnerable if they were at least in a group of two.