Why does Johnny Cade mean when he says, "stay gold, Pony Boy"?

Question

Stay young, Be a dreamer. Be fascinated with the beauty surrounding you. Never allow the decay of the world to jade you, make you angry, and turn you into to something you're not.

Answer 1

In this quote from the novel The Outsiders, Johnny Cade is referencing a poem by Robert Frost titled "Nothing Gold Can Stay." The poem refers to the inevitable passage of time. Johnny Cade utters these words to Pony Boy as he lies dying to remind Pony Boy to stay young and never change from the carefree, innocent boy he is.

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