Baby Freak
See M&M

Bryon’s Mother
See Mrs. Douglas

Cathy Carlson
Cathy Carlson is Bryon’s girlfriend. It is out of his love for her and his concern for her brother, M&M, that Bryon decides to report Mark for dealing drugs. Cathy is a shy and innocent teenager who returns from private school after running out of money. Unlike Bryon’s ex-girlfriend, Angela, Cathy is not jealous and has a positive influence on Bryon. This influence creates tension between her and Mark, who senses that he and Bryon are drifting apart. This becomes more evident after Charlie dies protecting Bryon and Mark. Cathy understands Bryon’s feelings of guilt, while Mark does not. Cathy is worried about her brother M&M, who she loves deeply. She fears he is smoking marijuana and might also try LSD because of his trusting nature. Cathy mentions that M&M is unhappy due to the constant criticism he faces at home over his hair, causing him to spend time in different places. She is devastated when M&M runs away and spends every night for a week driving up and down the Ribbon with Bryon, searching for him.

After Bryon is beaten up by the Shepards, Cathy visits him at home, where he informs her that he has a lead on M&M’s location. Once Bryon recovers, Cathy accompanies him to the hippie house where M&M has been staying. She is horrified by the effects of LSD on her brother but still manages to call her father and take M&M to the hospital. Cathy is heartbroken when the doctor says M&M may never fully recover, but she finds comfort in Bryon’s love and support during this difficult time. This makes it even harder for Cathy the next day when she visits Bryon after learning he turned Mark in to the police for dealing drugs. Bryon is no longer in love with her, and she can sense it. They never speak again, and Cathy begins dating Ponyboy Curtis, although M&M believes she cared for Bryon the most.

Mr. Jim Carlson
Jim Carlson, Cathy’s father, constantly criticizes his son, M&M, which contributes to M&M running away from home and turning to drugs. Bryon first encounters Mr. Carlson when he arrives to pick up Cathy for their date. During this meeting, Bryon observes Mr. Carlson antagonizing M&M over his long hair and poor performance in math and gym. When M&M leaves home, Mr. Carlson believes it’s just a phase and that M&M will eventually return. However, as Cathy predicts, he does not come back. Mr. Carlson grows fond of Bryon, especially after Bryon helps locate M&M and gets him to the hospital. Mr. Carlson is devastated when he sees the impact drugs have had on his son and is deeply worried about how his wife will handle the news.

M&M Carlson
M&M Carlson, Cathy’s thirteen-year-old brother and one of Bryon’s friends, experiences a severe LSD trip, prompting Bryon to report Mark for dealing drugs. Even M&M’s family uses his nickname, which he earned due to his love for the candy of the same name. M&M embodies the quintessential hippie with his long hair, an old, loose-fitting army jacket, and a metal peace symbol on a rawhide cord around his neck. He is extremely trusting, and even tough characters like Charlie find him nice, albeit a bit odd. M&M is grateful when Bryon and Mark save him from a severe beating by Curly Shepard but is frustrated by Mark’s hypocritical suggestion to beat someone else up the same night. M&M informs Bryon that his sister is home, which helps Bryon identify Cathy when he first meets her.

M&M is unhappy at home because his father frequently criticizes his long hair and poor grades in math and gym. Consequently, he begins spending more time with other hippies who introduce him to marijuana. Eventually, fed up with his home life, M&M runs away and moves into a hippie commune. There, he earns the nickname “Baby Freak” due to being significantly younger than the others. It is in this environment that he experiments with LSD, a much stronger drug. When Bryon first visits the commune with Mark, M&M is absent, but someone mentions that he is “flying” and will soon “crash.” Later, when Bryon returns with Cathy, they find M&M curled up in a corner, suffering from a severe LSD-induced hallucination where he believes spiders are eating him and colors are speaking to him. By the end of the story, M&M tells Bryon about the long-term consequences of his LSD use—possible flashbacks, potential infertility, and poor academic performance due to memory issues. He also mentions that he no longer wants children, a stark contrast to his pre-acid trip desire for a large family. Additionally, M&M informs Bryon that Cathy is dating Ponyboy Curtis but asserts that Cathy liked Bryon the most. This revelation, however, does not affect the emotionally detached Bryon.

Mrs. Carlson
Mrs. Carlson, Cathy’s mother, is concerned that her husband is being too hard on their son, M&M, because of his long hair. When M&M is hospitalized for his LSD hallucinations, her husband is anxious about how she will react to the news.

Cat
See Mark

Mike Chambers
Mike Chambers is a teenager in the hospital, whose story and perspective inspire Bryon to abandon hatred and break the cycle of violence. Mike is part of a gang from another neighborhood. One night, some gang members harass a young black woman, and Mike defends her and offers her a ride home. Despite this, she tells her friends to kill Mike, and they beat him severely. Mike tells Bryon and Mark that he does not blame the woman for what happened.

Charlie
Charlie, a twenty-two-year-old bar owner, sacrifices his life to save Bryon and Mark from two Texans they had hustled. He is the older brother of one of Bryon’s ex-girlfriends and occasionally extends credit to Bryon and Mark for Cokes at his bar. Known for his tough persona, Bryon and Mark always make sure to repay him. This same reputation has earned him respect from both law enforcement and his rough clientele. Charlie cautions Bryon and Mark about being careful with their hustling, but they ignore his advice. He receives a draft notice for the Vietnam War but is ultimately rejected due to his police record. He learns this happy news just before his death. The police, impressed by Charlie’s bravery in saving the boys, give them his car. Later, Bryon visits Charlie’s grave to thank him for saving his life and allowing him to use the car.

Ponyboy Curtis
Ponyboy Curtis is a friend of Mark’s, though Bryon harbors a grudge against him because Curtis wisely avoided Angela Shepard. As Bryon discovers, Curtis, a quiet and reserved teenager, was unaware of Angela’s interest in him, even though he knows Bryon is upset with him for some reason. At a school dance, Mark introduces Curtis to Cathy, making Bryon initially suspicious. However, Bryon soon realizes Cathy has no intention of leaving him for Curtis, unlike Angela. Bryon gains newfound respect for Curtis at the dance when Curtis informs him that Mark has been hurt. Although Cathy jokingly suggests Curtis might ask her out, she actually wants Bryon to. By the end of the story, Curtis and Cathy begin dating after Bryon pushes her away.

Dirty Dave
Dirty Dave, as he calls himself, is one of the two Texans who try to assault Bryon and Mark after being hustled in a pool game. Both Texans are sentenced to life imprisonment after they kill Charlie, with Bryon and Mark testifying against them.

Bryon Douglas
Bryon Douglas narrates the story, detailing how he and his foster brother, Mark, grew apart and his decision to turn Mark in for dealing drugs. As children, Bryon and Mark were inseparable troublemakers, loving each other like brothers. However, when they turned sixteen, they began to drift apart. Bryon started to develop his own identity, while Mark clung to their shared past. Despite the growing distance, they still cared for each other. Bryon demonstrated this by looking after Mark when he was injured in a fight and taking the blame for cutting off his ex-girlfriend Angela's hair, sparing Mark from a beating. Bryon's transformation begins with a conversation with Mike Chambers, whose story of being beaten up and not seeking revenge deeply resonates with him. Bryon's sense of moral responsibility further increases after feeling guilty about Charlie's death, who died saving them. His emotional journey also includes falling in love with Cathy, the first girl he genuinely cares about.

When Bryon's mother is hospitalized for a month, he decides to clean up his act and finds a job. He helps Cathy search for M&M after he runs away, and later assists in taking him to the hospital following a severe LSD hallucination. Discovering that Mark has been selling the drugs that contributed to M&M's condition, Bryon concludes that Mark cannot distinguish right from wrong and decides to turn him in to the police. Although uncertain about his decision, Bryon testifies against Mark. From that moment, Bryon becomes emotionally detached, pushing Cathy away. Months later, Bryon attempts to apologize to Mark, but Mark expresses his hatred and never wants to see him again. By the story's end, Bryon is unaffected even by the news of Mark's imprisonment. He has lost the ability to care, constantly replaying the past year in his mind, wondering what might have happened if he had made different choices. He longs for his younger days when he felt he had all the answers.

Mrs. Douglas
Bryon’s mother, Mrs. Douglas, is well-known for her habit of helping both stray animals and people. This is evident when she takes in Mark after his parents die in a violent altercation. Mrs. Douglas spends a significant part of the story in the hospital due to unspecified reasons, only mentioned as surgery. She encourages Bryon and Mark to converse with Mike Chambers, a young boy hospitalized after being assaulted by several black men when he attempted to assist a young black woman. She allows Bryon and Mark the freedom to live their own lives, trusting their intelligence to avoid trouble. When Mark starts earning a substantial amount of money from drug sales, she becomes suspicious but, like Bryon, does not question him. After Bryon reports Mark to the authorities, she reassures Bryon that she does not blame him and advises him not to blame himself. She remains hopeful that Mark will learn from his mistakes and eventually return home, though Bryon believes this to be impossible.

Terry Jones
Terry Jones is a friend of Mark and Bryon who plays a role in the significant beatings they both endure. At a school dance, Terry provides the beer bottle that Curtis’s attacker later uses to injure Mark. Similarly, when Bryon is assaulted by the Shepards, it happens while he is waiting at Terry’s house for everyone to arrive for Terry’s party.

Mark
Mark is Bryon’s foster brother, whom Bryon eventually turns over to the police after discovering Mark's involvement in drug dealing. Mark, whose last name is never disclosed, moves in with Bryon and his mother following his parents' deaths in a drunken brawl over his illegitimacy. As children, Mark and Bryon are inseparable, engaging in the same gang activities and sharing a brotherly bond that persists into their teenage years. Mark buys Bryon a new shirt for his first date with Cathy, stays by Bryon’s side when they are ambushed by two Texans they had hustled, and cares for Bryon after he is beaten by the Shepards. However, as Mark clings to their gang lifestyle, Bryon starts to develop his own adult identity, causing a rift between them. Bryon feels guilt over Charlie’s death, who died protecting them, while Mark shows no remorse, highlighting Mark's lack of moral understanding.

Mark struggles to understand why Bryon chooses to spend time with Cathy instead of causing mischief with him, leading to his dislike of her. He is also upset when Bryon stops him from retaliating against the Shepards, especially since it was Mark who cut off Angela’s hair. When money becomes tight, Bryon finds a job at a supermarket, but Mark’s criminal record prevents him from doing the same. Wanting to contribute financially, Mark begins selling drugs to hippies, who nickname him “Cat.” He justifies his actions by not using the drugs himself or pressuring others to buy them. Because of his involvement in the drug scene, Mark knows where M&M is staying and shares this information with Bryon. Upon hearing Mike Chambers’s story, Mark declares he could never forgive someone who hurt him that badly. He keeps this promise after Bryon gets him arrested for drug dealing, telling Bryon he never wants to see him again. Ultimately, Mark refuses to change his ways and ends up in state prison.

Second Texan
After Bryon and Mark con a Texan at pool, the unnamed Texan corners them in an alley with a gun, while his accomplice, Dirty Dave, prepares to assault them with brass knuckles. Both Texans receive life sentences after killing Charlie, with Bryon and Mark testifying against them.

Angela Shepard
Angela Shepard is Bryon’s ex-girlfriend, who left him for Ponyboy Curtis but attempted to win Bryon back when Curtis showed no interest in her. Angela is exceptionally beautiful, but Bryon observes it is wasted due to her tough and unpleasant personality. At a school dance, Angela instigates a fight between one of her friends and Curtis, which results in Mark getting hit on the head with a bottle. When Bryon discovers Angela orchestrated the fight, he vows revenge. Shortly after Bryon and Mark are attacked by the two Texans, Angela marries one of her brother’s friends, believing she is pregnant with his child.

Later that year, after M&M vanishes, Bryon and Mark encounter Angela on the Ribbon. She is heavily intoxicated and agrees to go for a ride with them when Mark promises to get her more alcohol. For one of the rare times in her life, Angela breaks down and cries on Bryon’s shoulder, confessing her unhappiness in her marriage and saying he is the only one for her. Once Angela passes out, Mark cuts off her cherished long hair. The next morning, Angela tells her brothers, Tim and Curly, that Bryon did it, leading them to assault Bryon. Angela, however, maintains her pride in public by claiming she decided to cut it off herself. By the end of the story, after Bryon has turned Mark in, Angela confronts him and remarks that it was a low thing to do.

Curly Shepard
Curly Shepard is one of Angela Shepard's older brothers and Bryon’s ex-girlfriend. He participates in beating up Bryon after Mark cuts Angela’s hair. Curly is a member of the Shepard Gang, led by his older brother, Tim. While Bryon sees Tim as a genuine hood, he believes Curly merely pretends, despite having served time in prison.

Tim Shepard
Tim Shepard is another of Angela Shepard's older brothers and Bryon’s ex-girlfriend. He also takes part in beating up Bryon after Mark cuts off Angela’s hair.

Bryon Douglas, the sixteen-year-old narrator of That Was Then, This Is Now, finds himself entangled in a series of events that compel him to reevaluate his beliefs and relationships. As he scrutinizes his perspectives, he becomes more responsible, less inclined to seek out fights or parties, and increasingly intolerant of his friend Mark's indifferent, unreflective attitude. Hinton depicts Bryon as a multifaceted character; sexist, unethical, and often violent, he resembles an anti-hero more than a traditional hero. Mark, the novel's other main character, is portrayed initially as a friendly lion and later as "an impatient, dangerous, caged" lion. This shift represents Mark's transformation from a carefree kid who "can get away with anything" to a resentful juvenile delinquent headed for state prison.

Among Bryon and Mark's peers, M&M and Cathy are the most significant. M&M is a thirteen-year-old hippie living "in a hood's part of town." He endures ridicule and sometimes physical abuse from the "hoods." Despite his above-average intelligence, his father criticizes his hair, clothing, and the "C" he earns in gym class. M&M ultimately runs away and has a severe reaction to LSD, which permanently damages his mental faculties, transforming him from a trusting, innocent child into a cynical and suspicious person. Cathy, who is quite straight-laced herself, is shocked to learn that Bryon has smoked marijuana and worries that M&M is getting involved with drugs. Most importantly, Cathy prompts Bryon to question his values, leading to his transformation. Another influential character is Charlie, who serves as a big brother figure to Bryon and Mark. He offers advice, lends Bryon his car, and genuinely cares about the boys' well-being. He tries to teach them responsibility and self-respect without being preachy. Even after his death, Charlie continues to influence Bryon's thoughts, having been killed while trying to protect the boys from two men they had hustled.

The evolving nature of Bryon and Mark's friendship is the central theme of That Was Then, This Is Now. Hinton paints the process of maturing in dark and foreboding tones; despite their desire to maintain their relationship, Bryon and Mark realize they are drifting apart. Bryon's growing need to understand why things are the way they are and to question whether they must stay that way becomes a wedge between the friends. Mark dislikes contemplating "what if" scenarios, preferring to evade his problems by ignoring issues of injustice and morality.

Despite the futility and immaturity that characterize Mark's thinking, his emotional turmoil is understandable. Mark witnessed a tragic incident where his parents shot each other during an argument about his paternity. Raised on the east side of town, he has learned to conceal his emotions, a handy skill when facing muggers or trying to win at poker. The tough image both boys have cultivated, emotionally and physically, is unhealthy, but appears necessary in their neighborhood. However, Bryon, unlike Mark, manages to shed this image as he grows older and becomes more open with Cathy. Bryon, who has spent his life resolving gang conflicts and personal grudges through fighting, ultimately decides to leave the violence behind.

The theme of betrayal becomes evident by the book's end. Mark betrays Bryon by selling drugs and refusing to take responsibility for his actions. In turn, Bryon betrays Mark by reporting him to the police. This betrayal deeply affects Bryon emotionally. He loses much of the progress he made through his love for Cathy and is haunted by the question Mark despised: "What if?"

A secondary theme of forgiveness gives the book a slight sense of hope. Hinton portrays two characters who forgive their attackers after being severely beaten for something they didn't do. Mike, a white boy, saves a black girl from a threatening situation and drives her home. When they arrive, she implies that Mike was the one who harmed her, leading her friends to beat him nearly to death. Despite this, Mike forgives the girl and her friends, and the experience doesn't make him hate blacks. Later, when Bryon is beaten for cutting Angela Shepard's hair, he tells Mark not to seek revenge against the Shepards. The willingness to forgive and avoid the typical cycle of revenge shows a maturity that Mark cannot comprehend.

Bryon's mother urges him to channel his empathy into self-acceptance: "Bryon, you got even with Mark for Cathy, then you got even with Cathy for Mark. When are you going to stop getting even with yourself?" Bryon realizes she is right, and Hinton suggests that he may eventually forgive himself and continue his journey toward adulthood.