Is Johnny A Hero Essay

Living the way that Johnny did, he did something great in his life. He didn’t deserve to die, but he died a hero and not everyone in the town where the greasers lived agree. Johnny lived in a world where he was probably scared every time he walked around town and that flat out sucks. He didn’t have the best family life, but he had Dally and that was pretty great because Dally loved Johnny. “Why can I take it when Dally can’t? And then I knew. Johnny was the only thing Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone.” (Hinton pg. 152).

A hero is someone that shows courage and bravery and is admired for their actions. Sometimes, a hero is someone unexpected and would never have been thought to be a hero by anyone because of who they are, or what and where they come from. One example of unexpected heroism, is from three greasers, Dallas Winston, Johnny Cade, and Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders. Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy can be considered heroes because of some actions and choices they made.

While at a movie theater, Dally is antagonizing and annoying several Soc girls. Johnny stands up to Dally, his hero, and states, “‘Leave her alone, Dally.’ ‘Huh?’ Dally was taken off guard. He stared at Johnny in disbelief. Johnny couldn't say ‘Boo’ to a goose. Johnny gulped and got a little pale, but he said, ‘You heard me. Leave her alone’” (24). It took all of Johnny’s bravery to stand up to his absolute idol. He was willing to stand up to a dangerous boy that could easily defeat him in a fight, to save others. Not only this, but when a church is burning down with children inside, Ponyboy states, ”Johnny wasn't behaving at all like his old self. ... he grinned at me. He wasn't scared either. That was the only time I can think of when I saw him without that defeated, suspicious look in his eyes” (92). Johnny gives his own life for kids who have futures. He charges into the church at full speed when necessary. Johnny becomes brave in the middle of the

I hadn’t realized Johnny had been right behind me all the way.”(91) Ponyboy realizes when they are running into the church to save the schoolchildren that Johnny is right behind him. I think what motivated Johnny to come in inside the church was not only because he felt guilty, just like Ponyboy, but he felt something inside of him that said he had to clean up the mess he made by just going into the church and try to save as many lives as possible. Also, Johnny didn’t want Ponyboy to go in alone, because Johnny was responsible for the fire as well. Adding on to this, Johnny doesn’t run into the church to get a title of a “hero,” he does it because he doesn’t want to get into a bigger mess, so he feels like he should risk his own life and save the children because he started this in the first

A hero is anything anyone believes in. It can be a dog, a firefighter, anything. Johnny is just one of those. He was just a kid but is a true

Johnny has a fear of Socs after getting jumped by them, which led him to kill Bob. He is regularly beaten by his father and emotionally abused by his mother. Ponyboy mentioned a quotation of Johnny   “ I had never been jumped, but I had seen Johnny after four Socs got hold of him, and it wasn’t pretty. Johnny was scared of his own shadow after that.” After Johnny killed Bob trying to protect Ponyboy from drowning he ran away with Ponyboy to an abandoned church in Windrixville. At the time he was afraid of anybody that he thought could hurt him. When the church went up in flames Johnny made the decision to run in with Ponyboy to save the children in the burning building. His gallant actions led to him being paralyzed, but he learned to overcome his fears of easily being frightened. Before that, he always used to think about killing himself because he was scared and hurt, but now knowing that he has something to live for he thought he was too young to die. He said this “you want to know something, Ponyboy? I’m scared stiff. I used to think about killing myself… ”, “ I don't want to die now. It ain’t long enough. Sixteen years ain’t long enough. I wouldn’t mind it so much if there wasn’t so much stuff I ain’t done yet --- and so many things I ain’t seen. It’s not fair. You know what? That time we were in Windrixville was the only time I’ve been away from our neighbourhood.” Thus, adversity can help to overcome the hardships and

After the church fire and Johnny’s death, Johnny desolates Ponyboy that same copy of Gone With the Wind. Inside is a note that reads, in part, “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold… ” (Hinton 148) In this death statement, Johnny makes clear his respect and loyalty to Ponyboy, which Ponyboy earned through his self-sacrificing effort to keep Johnny out of trouble. Therefore, Ponyboy’s sense of loyalty and shared responsibility demonstrates his heroism.

Johnny was a hero too because before Pony and him stayed at the church. The socs came to Pony and Johnny about why were they walking their girlfriends home. Since the socs are very violent they got Ponyboy and tried to drown him in a fountain. Then Johnny killed one of the socs named Bob because if

By stabbing Bob, he also saved Pony from drowning by scaring the rest of the Socs. However where he genuinely shined, was when he jumped into the burning church in Windrixville to save the innocent children trapped inside. Sadly, by saving them, a log fell on him that later killed him. What I find special about Johnny, is that he was raised in a house where he got physically and emotionally abused by his parents. Yet he made the ultimate sacrifice anyway to save kids despite his background.

Everyone has a courageous moment in their life, but Johnny has multiple moments where he shows a true act of courage. The first event that shows that Johnny is courageous is when he saved Ponyboy from the Socs. There has been this rivalry between the Socs and the Greasers (the rich and the poor) which has caused a lot of fights. When Johnny’s best friend Ponyboy and him were in the park they were jumped by Bob and his group of Socs. They were drowning Ponyboy in the fountain and Johnny decided to take a courageous action and stab Bob to save Ponyboy. If it was not for Johnny, Ponyboy would be dead. Johnny knew that stabbing Bob would get him in trouble with the police, but he took the chance. “ You really killed him, huh, Johnny ?...

Johnny did this on many occasions throughout The Outsiders. First Johnny saved Ponyboy from being drowned by a Soc. Even though this could have caused Johnny to be beaten or killed by Bob and his gang, he was still willing to sacrifice his well-being for Ponyboy. Furthermore, when a house was burning down with two children inside, Johnny rushed to save them. He did this with the knowledge that he could be killed or seriously injured. He saved the children with Ponyboy’s help, but he was killed by all the injuries he sustained. Even through all this he was willing to die for the children. Johnny left a note saying, “I don't mind dying now. It's worth it. It's worth saving those kids.” Johnny willingly dies to save, and that makes him a

Johnny is ponyboyś best friend who stays with him and sticks up for him no matter what, this portrays loyalty. We see the true extent of Johnnyś loyalty when the group of socs attack Pony and Johnny in the empty lot, as one the of the the boys is drowning Pony in the well Johnny stabbed Bob (the leader of the socs) to death in order to save Ponyboyś life. Johnny is caring for Pony when he talked to Pony in the empty lot after Darry had hit him, even though at home Johnnyś life is much worse, also Johnny showed his caring when he let Pony sleep on his shoulder after he cried himself to sleep in the abandoned church on Jay mountain. We learn alot from Johnnyś very humble actions, we learn to always stick up for your friends no matter what. Johnny is beaten at home and has a rough life, but he doesnt complain he just is an all around good guy. Johnny is very important in Ponyś life because he sticks with him

Johnny had to protect his friend. Ponyboy and Johnny are so close that they could be practically brothers. Johnny had to do what was right and may have been the only way of saving Ponyboy. Along with bravery, Johnny show’s bravery by running into a burning church with Ponyboy and saving the church children from the church collapsing or burning the kids. They risked their own lives for kid’s and that shows an act of

Johnny didn’t have much of an option and even though his decision wasn’t the best, it could’ve ended with Pony being drowned. It may seem that they probably wouldn’t have helped if they weren’t involved, but that’s not true. Not everyone may be brave enough to do something, that’s true, but it’s whether they decide to do it or not that justifies if they are truly a hero. Being a hero can include the act of bravery, courage, and honesty, and they don’t just do something just to do it. Also, it’s true that Johnny and Ponyboy, from “The Outsiders”, had primarily something to do with the cause, but it all started with saving someone, so in that case it was only self-defense. Obviously, Johnny wouldn’t hurt someone on purpose, but someone wouldn’t just pop out of nowhere, so he took matters into his own hands. As a result, it has been stated that even the poorest people or even the ones who look cold hearted can help out others in need, and shouldn’t just be considered

The text said: “‘You really killed him, huh, Johnny?’ ‘Yeah’ His voice quavered slightly. ‘I had to. They were drowning you, Pony’” (Hinton 57). When Johnny and Ponyboy sit in the park and see a can is coming, Johnny is very afraid. He also asks Ponyboy what he should do. But when Ponyboy is almost killed by Bob, Johnny overcomes the fear and takes out of his knife, kills Bob, saves Ponyboy’s life. In this quotation, I think Johnny begins to understand and feel love. Although Ponyboy is strong than him, Ponyboy is younger than him. He should do what a brother should do. His choice is to protect Ponyboy from being killed by Bob. In a word, this violence awakened the ability to love deeply rooted in his