The main character in That Was Then, This is Now is Bryon, a sixteen-year-old greaser. The writer begins by describing him with black hair and eyes that girls love. “I'm a big guy, dark hair and eyes, the type to look like a St. Bernard puppy, which doesn't bother me because most chicks can't resist a St. Bernard puppy” (p. 13). His casual attitude toward shoving and fighting shows how immature Bryon is, especially when he's with his best friend Mark. “Mark and I went to the bar/pool hall about two or three blocks from our house with the sole intention of doing business. a little money” (page 9). As the story continues, the writer shows how Bryon begins to question everything about his way of living when his role model Charlie dies. "I couldn't get it out of my mind, Charlie is warning us not to rush, don't you see? It's not a story, it's not a TV show, bang! you're dead, it's is serious. It's a real thing. Charlie is dead! (page 86). 'a girl named Cathy, the writer shows us that Bryon begins to care about others more than himself The writer begins the story with Bryon and Mark (both aged 16) being best friends. world as brothers who are involved in gang fights, pushing people around and not having to follow any rules As the story continues, the writer shows us how the two boys begin to take a path. different from each other. When Bryon gets beaten up for covering up what Mark did to Angela, Bryon doesn't want Mark to get revenge on the people who hurt him. “I don’t want to continue like this, this revenge jazz. It’s stupid and I’m sick of it and it keeps going around in circles” (p. 129). The writer also shows us the middle of the paper......seen in That Was Then, This Is Now. The order of the text in the book That Was Then, This Is Now begins in the present when Bryon and Mark are 16 years old. Both of them always live in the moment and don't worry about being mature. They were best friends like my brother. The author uses flashbacks to show how close Bryon and Mark were before they began to drift apart. “I had read him books about cowboys when we were little – we were both going to be cowboys – books like Lone Cowboy by Will James” (p. 66). After the flashback, we will return to the present. As time goes on, Bryon spends time with Cathy (girlfriend) instead of Mark. Bryon and Mark begin to drift apart in life. One day, Bryon found a stash of drugs under Mark's bed. He didn't know what to do, so he called the cops. Mark is taken to prison and the friendship between them is destroyed forever..