Ponyboy says that he only has two things on his mind, "Paul Newman, and a ride home." By this evidence, we can assume that Paul Newman is someone that Ponyboy looks up to. It is also said that Ponyboy wishes that he looked like him. Paul Newman was a movie star that is well known for his tendency to play rough characters who are outsiders themselves, such as Fast Eddie in the movie The Hustler, a film that was released around the same time that The Outsiders is assumed to take place. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that Ponyboy was seeing this very film. Paul Newman, in his young days, was well known for his attractive features and tough exterior, and the fact that Ponyboy wishes that he looked like him says less about Ponyboy's desire to look attractive and tough than it does about his desire to give off the same sort of energy that Paul Newman does.

It also says much about Ponyboy's tendency to let his mind wander. Often, he is lost in a world of fiction and daydreaming. Even among outsiders, he does not exactly fit in. His desire to be like Paul Newman reflects his desire to be a typical outsider, so that he would fit in well with the rest of his gang.