The Outsiders Dally Compare And Contrast

Earlier in the novel Ponyboy talks about a poem with Johnny, but he does not quite understand the meaning of it. Before Johnny passes away he recites the line to Pony in hopes that he can learn something from it. Johnny says to Pony, “Stay gold, Pony. Stay gold…” (148). Johnny writes a letter to Pony and puts it in a book that he gives to him. In the letter Johnny explains that the quote means to stay innocent or free of all the bad things in life--Pony learns that even if the world seems bad, there is always good in it and there will always be. He wants to share this lesson with as many people as possible, so he decides to make that happen by starting with his English teacher. Not only do Johnny's words of wisdom change Pony, but so do all of the other events in his life.

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.

People look up to others because they are so much like each other that they feel connected, or that they are so different that they aspire to be like them. Sometimes you can have someone who looks up to the other that is both, different and the same as them. This is the case for Johnny and Dally in the Outsiders, written by S. E. Hinton. They both have parents who do not care about them and they both do not value life. Johnny is more law-abiding than Dally and when Johnny died, he died a hero, unlike Dally. Johnny and Dally share differences and similarities that make them such unique characters.

This idea is shown in the quote, “Blast it, Johnny, what do they matter? (Johnny’s parents). 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,” (88). It does not matter whether Dally is just exaggerating his father’s neglectance or not, as the quote indicates that Dally himself, acknowledges the fact that he has no family to turn to. One may argue that his fellow Greasers are his real “family”, but that is false as “family” members are supposed to genuinely like each other and be comfortable with one another. Despite the fact that Dally’s fellow Greasers see him as their unofficial leader, it is only because he is physically strong. They are scared to make him even the slightest bit annoyed, as shown even when Dally’s supposed “pet”, Johnny became very apprehensive after Dally got surprised at him for telling him to not bother Cherry (24). Due to the absence of a real friend nor a “family” to be supported by, Dally would never be considered “gallant”. Every gallant person must start with a good foundation of love and support before he could be capable of doing anything “gallant” himself, and this especially goes for

The way in which Dally reacts to problems he’s given is weak and reckless. How he reacts to Johnny’s death is perfect example of how Dally can’t deal with any problem headed his way. When Johnny dies, Dally can’t handle his grief, so he attempts to rob a store, leading to his eventual demise. If Dally was strong enough to handle Johnny dying, he never would’ve done something so reckless and get himself killed. Pony boy says that he “knew that was what Dally wanted.” (154) Dally is used to life of a criminal, and he knows better than to do what he did. He made the police believe that he had a loaded gun on purpose, not as a heat of the moment

While Ponyboy is riding to the hospital after the church fire a man says, “‘I swear, you three are the bravest kids I’ve seen in a long time . . . “‘ (95) Johnny is part of the three that are considered heroes. After Dally died the author states that “Dally didn’t die a hero. He died violent, and young and desperate.”(94) Dally pulled an unloaded gun on the police and it made them draw their guns and shoot him. Dally basically committed suicide because the police did not know that the gun was not loaded, so they had to protect themselves while Dally was hung out to die.

How can two characters that have such a similar lifestyle, be so extremely different? In the novel, The Outsiders by S.E Hinton, the author proves that such instances happen. Dallas Winston and Johnny Cade have very similar lives, but are completely different people. Johnny is more of a sensitive person and always likes to follow the rules. While Dallas on the other hand, loves to break the laws and do the wrong thing. These two characters are very similar on the inside, but are very different on the outside.

The author writes, “Johnny’s eyes glowed. Dally was proud of him. That was all Johnny had ever wanted” (148). Johnny’s reaction is priceless. Out of the entire greaser gang, Johnny and Dally’s relationship is the strongest and most significant. When Johnny needs Dally the most, he is his staunchest supporter. In return, Johnny gives back the same, if not more, amount of affection to Dally. When Dally and Johnny die, Ponyboy makes a list of realizations. Ponyboy thinks, “But I remembered Dally pulling Johnny through the window of the burning church; Dally giving us his gun, although it could mean jail for him; Dally risking his life for us, trying to keep Johnny out of trouble.” (154). It is clearly proven that ‘tough’ Dallas Winston makes a substantial effort to make Johnny’s life better. If Dally would not make the effort for Johnny, then Johnny would have to experience life worse than it already is. Since Dally thinks of Johnny almost like a little brother, it would hurt Dally to see Johnny experience that kind of pain. Dally and Johnny are bonded by these similarities, but they are also bonded through their differences.

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.

Johnny Cade comes from a broken home, his dad hits him, his mom does not care about Johnny, the only thing he has are his friends, the greasers. Ponyboy, one of his closest friends, is talking about everyone in the gang and when he came to Johnny he said, “Johnny had it awful rough at home”(4). Johnny unlike everyone else in the gang, except Dally, does not have someone in his family that truly cares for him. This affects him because it makes him upset that his parents do not care for him. If Johnny did not have it so hard at home, he would be more content and joyful, and even less scared. Johnny is a little bothered that his parents did not ask about Johnny so Dally goes on and says, “‘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). When Dally is 10, he gets arrested and is on the streets of New York, which shows how little Dally’s father cares about him. Maybe if his father did care, Dally would be more kind and caring, and like Johnny, more joyful. If Dally’s dad cared, he may still be living with his parents and would not be a greaser. Dally and Johnny are

Ponyboy said he would be dead if he didn't have the gang members. Johnny is the youngest in the gang. He was jumped by Socs and was seriously injured that he almost died. He had psychology impact on the Socs, he would shiver and be frighten whenever he sees a Soc. On the day he left with Ponyboy, they met a group of Socs. Since the Soc called Bob almost drowned Ponyboy to death, he killed Bob. Johnny admired Dally a lot. He wishes Dally could be proud of him for even just once. He wanted to be as tough and cool as Dally but he never succeeds. Johnny was kicked out of school and that was how Ponyboy thought he wasn't clever. Sometimes Johnny understood things better than Ponyboy in the book which was called Gone with the Wind. Johnny had the interest and talent in reading books but no one in the gang except Ponyboy was good enough to talk about these. He wasn't really close with Ponyboy before they ran away together so they didn't have a talk. Johnny also loved to watch sunsets and sunrises but no one in the gang could have spared time to watch or even talk about this. All Johnny couldn't express mad him alienated from the gang members. The only one he was close to was Dally. Dally cared for his all time and would risk his life for whatever happens on Johnny. Such as lending a gun or killing a Soc. Dally wouldn't hesitate as long as it was for

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

In what way can two people that have grown up with the same lifestyle be so different but at the same time so similar. It seems unrealistic. However, in S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, two characters with such characteristics exist. Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston are two greasers that at similar because they both place little value on their lives and have parents who don’t give them the attention they need. Despite the similarities these two have, Dally and Johnny have their own divergence from each other such as giving different advice and getting in trouble with the law. Thus, their lifestyle and way of living Jonny Cade and Dallas Winston have some unique differences and strong similarities.

During the church fire, a falling timber hits Johnny, Dally runs in to save him, he runs into a collapsing building without any second thought, and risks his life to save Johnny. Dally a criminal who has had many run-ins with the law, yet when given the choice he become a hero by rescuing Johnny. Dally especially loves Johnny. After the Greasers won the rumble he rushed to the hospital to notify Johnny. Johnny didn’t try to grin at him “Useless... Fighting’s no good...” (page 126) a moment later, “the pillow seemed to sink in a little and Johnny died” (page 126). Dally rushed through the hallway, he packed an unloaded gun and took his car to rob a store and when the police showed up, he pulled out his unloaded gun and then he let himself get shot by the police because living without Johnny isn’t living. After, the impact of the bullet; there was a “grim triumph on his face” (page 186). Ponyboy utters “I knew that’s what he wanted” (page 186) he wanted to die because he lost Johnny, he was all he had living without Johnny was no living so it better to die. If Dally could die for someone in the way, I would consider him to be brave and a hero.