A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews – I appreciate all of them! I'm excited for the rest of the chapters – since we're getting away from our main protagonist it's much more exciting to study the remaining characters from an astrological viewpoint, and I have many character theories based on astrology, some of which I've shared (all are, of course, backed up with book evidence).
Darry – Capricorn
Darry was born on January 5, making him a Capricorn. The Curtis brothers are lucky the oldest is a Capricorn, as it is a very responsible sign. Darry's Capricorn nature grounded in the earth element allows him to think practically and make good decisions. The key phrase of Capricorn is "I economise" – perfectly suited to Darry's fanfiction habit of sitting at the table poring over bills!
One of my favourite aspects of Darry's character is related to his nature as a Capricorn. Darry is intensely loyal. There are several moments in the book where he realises that a certain course of action may result in terrible circumstances for himself, but he does the right thing because he is loyal to his friends and family. He is willing to risk being locked up for participating in the rumble to support his friends, worried only for Pony and Soda who could risk being sent to an orphanage. When Dally calls and tells Darry he has robbed a store and is being hunted, Darry does not hesitate, but immediately says they must hide him. Darry must know the potential consequences of harbouring a fugitive but he is willing to do it anyway. When questioned on his relationship with Dallas, Darry feels no shame saying he was a close friend – Soda, when asked the same question, gives a similarly loyal answer, but with a good deal more guilt. Such signs of firm loyalty are classic for a Capricorn.
Capricorns are rooted in tradition and do not enjoy fanciful distractions, such as daydreaming or too many fiction novels or movies. This is a characteristic of Darry that is revealed in the first pages of the Outsiders, with Pony outlining his differences from his older brother. Capricorns instead look to what they have in their own lives and seek to make the best life they can from it. This is very much like Darry, who, though he lost his college dream, was able to analyse what he did have and make a good life for himself. Conventional wisdom has it that after the novel, Darry succeeds in industry and business. His Capricorn nature would certainly help him find this success.
Pony has trouble connecting to Darry, who is not as openly sensitive as his younger brothers. That is because as a Capricorn, Darry is more than used to weighing things up in his mind and choosing the best way to react to a situation. This may inadvertently make him seem stilted, especially to his younger brother, to whom we can imagine that Darry would not wish to show any kind of weakness. Pony notes that Darry alone did not cry at his parents' funeral. I theorise that this is because Darry believed he had been put into a position in which the most pragmatic thing was to make things easier for his distraught younger brothers. The best way to make things easier was to control his own emotions and work on comforting them. Pony is clearly astonished when Darry does finally open up about his emotions, after their reunion in the hospital. This opening up helps Darry bridge the divide between himself and Ponyboy.
As a Capricorn, Darry has a deep need for security in all things, and might struggle with feelings of low self worth when he fails to achieve all this. Darry had probably had as outwardly perfect a life as can be had by a greaser prior to his parents' deaths; he was popular and well-loved, smart, good at sports, and had a bright future of college ahead of him. It's highly likely he also connected better with his family when he was free from so much responsibility. After this social and future financial security is stripped from him, Darry was forced into a position of authority over his brothers, which would have negatively impacted his relationships with them; and was in a position where he had very little financial security. I have a theory which states that Darry never wanted Soda to drop out, and, like Pony, believed Soda was not dumb, but perhaps lacked drive. I believe Darry only allowed him to drop out knowing that he could not keep his family together without Soda's help. Assuming this, or something like this, is correct would mean that Darry had lost almost all personal control over his circumstances, and would have led to Darry feeling inferior and incapable of doing what he felt was his duty.
Darry does not just suffer in his family and finances after his parents die; he also loses a substantial amount of social support. Pony states that Darry does not have fun anymore – he doesn't have time – and only goes skiing with his friends once a year. It can probably be assumed that he has a dwindling relationship with these friends of his, who, going by elimination, we can determine are not greasers, and who would have very different lives to Darry, who is now essentially an impoverished single parent. Darry also shares a very bitter moment with Paul Holden at the rumble, Paul being a former friend. It can also be assumed that Darry would have lost at least some level of contact with his gang with his reduced spare time, and even suffers rejection from his family. It cannot be denied that Darry does not have quite the relationship Pony and Soda have with one another. While Pony tries to check himself on this by the end of the book, chastising himself for asking for Soda after he wakes up from being sick, they are back to fighting very shortly.
All these examples are ones that would play havoc with a Capricorn's mind, which needs stability as a grounding point to work on their own self-appreciation. Darry, who is merely breaking even on so many aspects of his life, can be assumed to have a great sense of distress and disjointedness with himself and with the world.
As a Capricorn, Darry's erogenous zone is his knees. He would love a bit of a gentle knee massage before sex – but luckily for Pony and Soda, he is unlikely to make a lot of noise. Luckier still, his innate need for structure, planning and stability means he is unlikely to want to take a lover while people are in the house. Capricorns love to take the dominant role during sex, and have incredibly good stamina – Darry could go all night if he wanted to! Perhaps Capricorns have good stamina from practice – they are not excessively creative with positions, and once they find something that works they are likely to return to it. Darry would not say no if a lover suggested they try a little something different once in a while, however.
As a Capricorn, Darry should be sure to eat a lot of protein and calcium to keep his bones healthy – Capricorns are more liable to orthopedic problems as they age, though they are likely to enjoy good health throughout their entire life. Darry should be especially careful of injuring himself in his knees, the center of his stability. Perhaps it is another reason he should listen to his brothers and avoid carrying more than one load of roofing tiles up the ladder – Soda's massages won't work on lost cartilage!
A/N: I hope people like this chapter. Darry is probably my favourite character and I think about him a lot. Please leave me a review with your thoughts!
Up next is Soda!