There is more than one theme in the novel, but one important theme is the importance of belonging. Family, friendship, and belonging are very important to the boys. They are part of gangs, but the gangs are like their family. There are a couple examples in the book when the importance of this bond is exemplified.
Pony describes how important the gang’s friendship is to Johnny. Johnny is abused by his father and ignored by his mother. The gang is the only real family he has. They are the people who really care about him.
He was the gang's pet, everyone's kid brother. . . He would have run away a million times if we hadn't been there. If it hadn't been for the gang, Johnny would never have known what love and affection are (Chapter 1).
When Johnny has to go on the run for killing Bob, he asks Dally if his parents are worried about him. Dally tells him it doesn’t matter because he has the gang. When Johnny is in the hospital after rescuing the kids from the fire, the doctor allows the gang members to see him because he acknowledges they really are his family. Johnny refuses to see his mother.
The theme of belonging is demonstrated in big ways and small. It means having someone there for you. Pony explains the Curtis house never locks its door.
We always just stick our heads into each other's houses and holler "Hey" and walk in. Our front door is always unlocked in case one of the boys is hacked off at his parents and needs a place to lay over and cool off. We never could tell who we'd find stretched out on the sofa in the morning (Chapter 7).
The importance of the unlocked door is that it shows the boys look out for one another. They are a family. The house is there for anyone, at any time, whenever it is needed, just as the boys are there for each other.
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