You gave very insightful thoughts Ramneet. I do think that this book is about love, friendship, and brotherhood. Though I also think this book is just as largely, a story about growing up and the characters learning about whom they are. Bryon learns about dating, and has a relationship with Julia. Also, the relationship with his 'brother' Mark changes significantly. All these happenings, along with the flirting, the shooting, the hustling, and more, are all part of what it is like to grow up in a neighborhood like Bryon's.
Going back to the point you made about how everything is changing, I think that is completely true. As they grow up, Bryon and Mark and all their friends, go through changes. M&M leaves home to live at a Hippy house for a time, and even tries LSD. Bryon gets drunk and starts talking off topic. In a drunk state, he even talks about how it "connected with what he'd said about Mike somehow, but Mark followed my [Bryon's] train of though, just like he always had" (Hinton 116). This is a good relationship Bryon and Mark have, when they can still understand each other when one is drunk. But times are always changing and Bryon ended up sending Mark to jail. Because, as you already stated Ramneet, they said 'that was then, and this is now.’ They are pretty much saying, times change, and you must change with them, or break.
As I stated in another post, impermanence is an important message to the readers. Influx, outflow, growth, reduction, everything is always changing, and this is one message Hinton was conveying in this novel. Another message is that even if you try to do the right thing, you might not get the merit you deserve. Mike, who Bryon met in the hospital, had simply drove a colored girl home in his car. He was being nice, and curious, for she was alone on the side of the road. When he dropped her off, the guys who were there to greet her thought that he had taken advantage of her in some way, so they beat him up and the girl didn’t stop them. This shows that even when you try your best, and are a nice person, there are still people who will not understand, and appreciate.
