It's understandable that Johnny and Ponyboy should vent their emotions after everything that's happened. But there comes a time when the tears must stop flowing, and that's when the two young men have finally adapted to their new surroundings. The harsh reality of their situation has hit them hard and they must handle it as best they can. Crying was the boys' way of dealing with the sudden shock of being holed up in the church as a couple of fugitives. For all their youthful bravado they're still emotionally immature. But even at such a young age the instinct for self-preservation is ever present. And once that instinct kicks in the tears dry up and the boys start to think seriously about their next move.
In Chapter 5, Ponyboy wakes up in the abandoned church, and Johnny returns from the store with supplies. The two boys then cut and dye their hair, which is extremely traumatic for Ponyboy. The two boys then begin thinking about their unfortunate situation and burst into tears. Ponyboy and Johnny are young, homesick boys, who have committed a series of crimes and begin to feel overwhelmed, which is why they start crying. Pony mentions that he cried himself to sleep and wakes up later that night with a different attitude. When Ponyboy gets up, he wakes Johnny and tells him that they aren't going to cry anymore. Johnny replies by saying that they are all "cried out" and have to accept the reality of their difficult situation. Essentially, Ponyboy and Johnny decide not to cry anymore and stop feeling sorry for themselves. They are determined to face their adversity without crying and begin to occupy their time by reading the novel Gone With the Wind.
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