There are several things that you should ask yourself when analyzing word choice, but the most important is to choose the shortest and simplest word that conveys the meaning you want.
is there answer choices? if not then I'd say obedient.
Answer:
pony boy means that through his adventures of running away he is most comfortable at home and there was no where he would rather be
Explanation:
It means life has its ups and downs. Everything is not always great or not always bad. Somehow it all kind of balances out