Randy tells Ponyboy that Bob acted the way he did because his parents didn’t set limits on him – they never told him “no.”
Do you think this is a believable explanation for Bob’s behavior? Why or why not?
Do you think that parents need to set limits on their teenage kids, or is Bob’s behavior just an extreme - or unrealistic - example of what can happen?
This is only a short answer space but generally yes, Bob needed boundaries. All children need boundaries. Boundaries help them to navigate a pretty scary world. Children slowly begin to process cause and effect. Without boundaries they are thrust into a world that they cannot possibly handle emotionally and intellectually. Having boundaries give children a "road map" to which they can learn to discover and process the chaotic world they will enter as adults. Boundaries also give children the tools for self-discipline and self-regulation. Bob craved this in his life.
