Another thing to consider, when it comes to outside view v. View within the world of the story comes to phrases and expressions/one liners. I’ve talked similarly about how remembering the gang are all a little bit of a “loser” is something for us to remember as the reader/writer. They’re regular teenage boys but within the context of the story they’re tuff and pretty cool, similar to this is the use of “tough guy” or “white guy” phrases/lines:
“woah buddy.” / “hey pal/watch it pal”
“I’ve never nice.”
“Your ass is grass”
“You’re on thin ice.”
Etc.
It all seems funny and dorkish to us in 2025, but in the 1960s these were serious/ semi serious as expressions. A lot of the time there was some sarcasm/a joke edge to it but there was a lot more emphasis on observation ? Using more words in general— I’m not sure how to explain it. It’s still a thing today, just sharper and dead specific, only difference is people curse or make an outright plain Jane threat more.
In the context of the story these are said and meant as it’s a time well before “post ironic” use expressions. It was just a regular part of vocabulary/way people spoke! Sort of like a lot of the slang, it was a very snippy time- both playful insults but also serious ones.
