The Outsiders: Character Changes In literature, a character often changes from the beginning to middle and to the end of a novel. In the novel The Outsiders, Ponyboy and Johnny undergo many changes. Ponyboy is an honor roll student and a good athlete in track. Pony also thought that his older brother Darry hated him because he was too strict with him. But when Pony's best friend Johnny died of injury from the church fire, Pony began to be in denial about Johnny's death. He started to drop grades and fail classes, He became scatter minded. When he read Johnny's note to him, he got over it