Of course it doesn't take long for the Socs to rise up and attack him. Ponyboy is lucky that his friends arrive in time to save him from any real injury. However, the implication of long-term bullying is that the likelihood of retaliation will increase, as was discovered in 1999, when two young men entered Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and shot thirteen people amid allegations of bullying (Ericson, 2001). According to the American Association of Psychologists, every day in the United States over 160,000 students miss school due to fear of being bullied (as cited in Levinson & Levinson, 2005). Just as Johnny began carrying a “blade” as a means of protecting himself, harassment and bullying are believed to have been linked in up to 75% of recent school shootings (Robers, Kemp, Rathbun, Thomas, and Morgan 2005). The violent events that occur in the park when Ponyboy and Johnny are accosted by the Socs are violent and starkly realistic. Ponyboy is held underwater desperately close to drowning when he is suddenly released and Bob is