Not only are our main characters especially young, but they share a common value when it comes to youth as a theme. 

In the beginning, Gloria is characterized as being rebellious, care-free, and irresponsible (the stereotypical profile of your average teenager.) She finds enjoyment hanging out with college men, despite not being in college herself, and prefers not to settle down in any sort of relationship anytime soon.

To further elaborate in this theme of youth surrounding Gloria, whenever she is described physically and personality wise, it is always with child-like adjectives.

She also has childish dialogue in the beginning, like for example: "D'you mind? I love gum-drops. Everybody kids me about it because I'm always whacking away at one - whenever my daddy's not around" (55). 

The greatest desire for preserving youth happens halfway through the novel as Gloria and Anthony try to disassociate the thought of their marriage as a gateway in being old and miserable. Unfortunately though, this brings them to madness. With Gloria,"...her face was as troubled as a little girl's, and the bundle that she tightly to her bosom was a child's doll, a profound and infinitely healing balm to her disturbed and childish heart" (184).  

Anthony is relatively the same. He enjoys not dealing with irresponsibility because he can manage on his own with his inheritance, and enjoys his lazy comfort. He's also pretty immature, calling people "idiots" to their faces when he's challenged with an idea that he believes is too expected of him. This furthers this concept that with youth expectations will always be expected, but it's okay to not have direction for the most part.

Although Anthony doesn't have as childish dialogue as Gloria, there was one instance where instead of calling his grandfather just simply Adam Patch or grandfather, he tells Gloria, "'All right. And I'll go to Tarrytown to see Grampa'"(167).

 When Anthony begins his affair with a nineteen year-old, this proves that Anthony values being young because there's no pressure in commitment when you're young.