Johnnys dying wish is for ponyboy to "stay gold" he outs referring to ponyboys favorite poem "nothing gold can stay "
What does gold symbolize for ponyboys life?
What is the message of the poem?
Johnny encourages Ponyboy not to waste his youth looking for things he does't have. Johnny becomes reflective about life using Frost's poem as a metaphor. He tells Pony that life is fleeting and nothing is permanent hence "Nothing Gold can Stay". Johnny encourages Pony to see the goodness (gold) in people like Darry instead of wasting their relationship was something it is not. Johnny wants Pony to enjoy the beauty of life while he still ca because, like Johnny's own life, everything comes to an end.
