Two characters, Johnny and Dally, from The Outsiders may seem like their different at first look, and some parts of them are. Dally is a big fighter, while Johnny is not. Although there are some similarities within the two. One of these would be that they both come from abusive homes. Despite what it may seem, these two may not be what they might seem. Both Johnny and Dally come from abusive homes, which would mean that their parents would not care about them, whether they were in jail for illegal acts or even dead. As Dally had said, “‘Shoot, my old man don’t give a hang if whether I’m in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter,’” (88). Dally’s father was not too physically abusive, unlike Johnny’s father who would beat Johnny whenever his father was drunk. “‘I think i like it better when the old man’s hittin’ me,’ Johnny sighed. ‘At least then I know he knows who I am,’” (51). Likewise, johnny’s mother would not pay any attention to him unless she was angry and wanted something. Dally had only spoken once of his father, and not at all of his mother. From what the boys have said about their parents and household lives, they both come from abusive homes which changed who they are. Johnny and Dally are similar in more than just the fact that they have abusive home lives. Both Dally and Johnny care for each other, and it is hard to come across someone that Dally will truly care for. Dally is not the type of person to care. Dally even says something to Johnny
But once he sees Johnny it gives him something to love and care about. He made sure that Johnny didn’t become violent. He says in the book multiple times he cares about Johnny he said “Johnny…I just don’t want you to get hurt.” A quote also says that “Johnny was the only thing that Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone.” Later in the book Johnny dies and it is too much for Dally and he gets himself killed. Dally was so distraught, he wanted to be dead.
A very important comparison Dally and Johnny have is their parents. Johnny’s parents do not care about him. They either beat him or ignore him completely. “His father was always beating him up, and his mother ignored him” (12). His parents are alcoholics and do not care if he comes home or not. Likewise, Dally parents also do not care about him. If he was put in jail by age ten, then his parents clearly do not care enough to discipline him. He rarely talks about his parents, but when he does, he has nothing nice to say. “‘Shoot, my old man don’t give a hang whether I’m dead in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter’” (88). Dally talks about his father with disgust, like he never did anything for him, which may be true. The way Dally’s parents and Johnny’s parents both do not care about them makes these two characters very similar.
In the book Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, there is a character named Dally who is often very rebellious. He commits any crime that would give him thrills and shows savage pride in the fights he won. Although Dally seems “tough” and bold on the outside, he is far from being gallant. He shows signs of vulnerability as he lacks a lot of knowledge and skills that are vital in creating a balanced life.
Dally’s weakness stems from the fact he doesn’t like who he is as a person. He’s seen so many bad things, and it makes him upset. This explains why he is so attached to Johnny, who while has seen bad things, he remains kind and strong. His entire relationship with Johnny is desperate. He depends on Johnny so much that when Johnny died, he doesn’t even feel like living without him. While Dally won’t ever admit it, he cares a lot about people more than he lets on. When Johnny tells Dally that he wants to turn himself in, Ponyboy says, “the whole idea was a jolt to Dallas.” (87) Dally is so dependent on Johnny and the idea of Johnny going to jail and becoming like him shakes him up. He even starts chewing on his fake ID. The dependency on Johnny really shows how weak he is when it comes to managing
Dally and Johnny may be very different, but they have extremely important similarities. For example, both of these characters place very little value on their lives. Dally is first arrested at the age of ten and he loves to break
A similarity Johnny and Dally both share is a terrible home life. Early in the novel, Ponyboy dissects Johnny’s homelife. Pony says, “His father was always beating him up, and his mother ignored him, except when she was
In the letter that Johnny left for Ponyboy,“‘There's still a lot of good in the world. Tell Dally. I don’t think he knows’” (179). The note Johnny left for Ponyboy to tell Dally, but it was too late for that. Ponyboy says, “Johnny worshipped the ground Dallas walked on”(25). This shows that Johnny is just Dally’s pet. Johnny knows that Dally cares about him but he does not show it because is a tough person. All in all, Both characters care for each other.
Although Dally and Johnny share some alike traits, they also have many differences. For example, Dally is a tenacious, villainous, and a greaser while Johnny is a polite, perceptive, and craven greaser.
Both Johnny and Dally are similar in the way that they both have a terrible home life. Johnny and Ponyboy are resting in the park when they accidentally fall asleep. Johnny wakes up Ponyboy at two in the morning and tells him to run home fast because Ponyboy’s brothers do care about him unlike Johnny’s parents. “‘I think I’ll stay all night out here.’ Johnny’s parents didn’t care if he came home
If Johnny had not killed Bob in the lot they might have died and the story wouldn't have progressed to the point itś at now. If Dally hadn't given them advice they would probably be in jail and the story wouldn't have progressed to the point it's at now. If it was Pony all alone in the story then he wouldn't have gotten into trouble like that in the first place. Dally and Johnny place a vital role in progressing the story quickly yet keeping thing interesting. The Outsiders is a book of conflict- between characters, social classes, between economic classes but no matter what Pony, Dally, and Johnny stick
Even the younger boys like Soda and Pony are much more sensitive in nature but still eager to prove themselves in the “rumble” towards the end of the novel. Physical combat seems to carry weight similar to ancient rites of passage, you were only considered a man if you could best another in a trial by arms or “lick” someone as the boys of the 1960’s would say. This is an important distinction to notice and deserves further inspection. Even with the loss of their biological parents to death, alcoholism, marital strife or pure apathy, these boys take care of one another with each older generation raising the younger, Dally even comments to Johnny about the nature of their relationship when he inquires about whether his parents cared about his well-being, “’My parents… did they ask about me?’ ‘No,’ snapped Dally, they didn’t. Blast it, Johnny, what do they matter? Shoot, my old man don’t give a hang whether I’m in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter. That don’t bother me none.’” (Outsiders 88). Whether Dally is completely aware of the role he plays in Johnny’s life is unclear but it adds all the more weight to the revelation of Johnny’s death; for Dally, this is losing a son. There is a solid argument to make that, in spite of their personal hardships, these boys are far more adjusted to masculinity than their counterparts the “Socs” who seem to be aimless in their pursuit of
Johnny hates fighting most of them all. He will always do the right thing never getting into fights except for when he was jumped. Johnny said to Dally and Pony that fighting is “‘Useless... fighting's no good....”’(148). Johnny was disappointed in them for fighting the soc’s he disagrees with all fighting. Unlike Johnny, Dally loves to fight.Dally is a tough greaser who does not waste anytime creating a problem if he has the opportunity. Dally is always looking to start a problem with the police and other people. The matter of facts, even his friends try their hardest to stay on his friendly side. Ponyboy says of Dallas, “One time, in a dime store, a guy told him to move over at the candy counter. Dally had turned around and belted him so hard it knocked a tooth loose. A complete stranger, too” (24). Dally has a bad temper, and he is not afraid to fight with anyone. Most of the time he will find ways to break laws randomly. Looking up to what I have stated you can tell they are two completely different people at
Johnny Cade and Dally Winston have one significant similarity and that is they both have neglectful parents. For example, Dally is arrested at the age of ten in New York while beginning in a gang. If Dally’s parents gave him more attention he would have not have gone to jail so young. Dally only mentions his father once to say, “‘ Shoot, my old man don't give a hang whether I’m in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter”’(88). Dally clearly states that his parents are not involved in his life. In like manner, Johnny Cade has parents who, ignored him and hit him all of the time. Johnny is a nice boy that cares about Dally. Johnny’s parents hit him all of the time and yell at him. Ponyboy states: “‘ His father was always beating him up, and his mother ignored him, expected when she was hacked off at something, and then you could hear her yelling at him clear
Johnny and Dally may be different people, but they have a lot in common. For example, they both have neglectful parents. Dally states that his father does not care where he is or what he is doing. “‘Shoot, my old man don't give a hang whether I'm in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter”’ (88). This is why Dally breaks the law so many times, because he has no one to care for him.Johnny’s parents are the same way, they give him no attention. “‘I think I like it better when my old man’s hittin’
Johnny and Dally have many similarities in the novel ”The Outsiders.” One is that they both have abusive and neglectful parents. Dally’s dad does not pay attention to him. “Shoot, my old man don’t give a hang whether I’m in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter” (88). This shows that Dally’s dad does not care about him all that much. He doesn’t show Dally that he loves or cares about him at all. His dad wouldn’t notice if he were gone or dead which means that he obviously does not think about him as often as he should. Likewise, Johnny’s parents also does not show him much affection. “His father was always beating him up, and his mother ignored him…” (12). This shows how Johnny’s dad does not care about how he treats Johnny, he just beats him up.