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Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews is one of the Greasers in Ponyboy's gang. He earned his nickname because he "always had to get his two-bits worth in" and sees life as "one big joke." In many ways, he adheres to the image of a stereotypical Greaser. He hates Socs and enjoys fighting, shoplifting, girls, and vulgar language. Ponyboy observes that people like Two-Bit forgot how to cry when they were very young, implying that Two-Bit has been hardened by his lifestyle as a juvenile delinquent.
However, Two-Bit also possesses qualities that clash with the conventional image of a Greaser. He is kind, warmhearted, and protective. He looks out for Ponyboy and Johnny, and even stops the gang from jumping Cherry Valance, a Soc, when she bravely shows up at the vacant lot to offer her help. Further clashing with the stereotypical Greaser persona, Two-Bit is wildly perceptive and makes astute observations about other characters in the text. For example, he sees how much Darry loves Ponyboy even when Ponyboy can’t, and wisely recognizes that "the only thing that keeps Darry from bein' a Soc" is his love for his brothers and the rest of the gang. He also acknowledges that despite the newspaper headline, "Juvenile Delinquents Turn Heroes," Ponyboy and Johnny have been "heroes from the beginning."
The broken bottle motif is our strongest indicator of Two-Bit's perceptiveness. In an early scene, Two-Bit hands Ponyboy a smashed glass bottle to use as a weapon. Afterwards, he mocks himself for thinking that Ponyboy would ever have used it, indicating that he understands Ponyboy's gentleness and innocence. At the end of book, Ponyboy threatens a Soc with a broken bottle. Two-Bit is concerned and says, "Ponyboy, listen, don't get tough. You're not like the rest of us and don't try to be." He recognizes a softness in Ponyboy that the rest of the gang has lost. He wants to preserve it so that Ponyboy ends up better than the rest of them. However, Two-Bit is relieved when he sees Ponyboy bend down to pick up the broken glass; in that moment, he intuitively understands that Ponyboy's innocence and childlike sensitivity have been preserved. Two-Bit’s character therefore proves that stereotypes cannot accurately encompass a person's entire identity.
