Comparing Johnny and Dally in The Outsiders by SE Hinton
Johnny and Dally are both major characters in the novel “The Outsiders” by SE Hinton. “The Outsiders” is a novel about friendship, rivalry, stereotypes, trust and family relationships set in the 1960’s of America. SE Hinton. Describes how two gangs, the Socs and the Greasers get to know each other’s problems in an exciting and nail-biting storyline. Johnny and Dally are both very contrasting characters and each play a vital role in both the novel and Ponyboy’s life.
Johnny and Dally are both very contrasting characters in the book; however they do have their similarities. Also, they both look up to each other. In the novel, Johnny is the character that reflects sensitivity and
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Johnny looks up to Dally because his strong character that enables him to live in difficult conditions is the one thing that Johnny lacks. On the other hand, Dally looks up to Johnny because Johnny has one very important thing that himself does not have, love and affection.
Johnny’s role in the novel is the gang’s pet. Everyone wants to help and confront Johnny. When he was jumped by the Socs, the whole gang helped Johnny out and comforted him. This shows the gang really cares about Johnny, and he is equivalent to everyone’s kid brother. He is the one figure in the Greasers that everyone tries to take care of. Alternatively, Dally is the exact opposite of Johnny in his role in the novel. Dally plays the role of a character that has been shown the cold side of the world. On page fourteen, Dally is quoted:
“He had been arrested, he got drunk, rode in rodeos, lied, cheated, stole, rolled drunks, jumped small kids – he did everything.”
One can see that Dally’s criminal record is vast by the phrase “he did everything.” Dally and Johnny both play major roles in the novel, Johnny the gang’s pet, and Dally the cold and heartless character.
In the novel, Dally and Johnny both end up dead, but this is not until SE Hinton has explained what roles Johnny and Dally play in Ponyboy’s life. Johnny plays the angelic aspect of Ponyboy’s life, pulling him away from troubles and once again reminding Ponyboy to stay innocent,
The novel would be very different if Dally didn’t die. First off, Pony could have told Dally all of the things that Johnny wanted to tell him. Second off, the novel would have a better, happier, ending. Third off, Dally would act very different with Johnny gone. Finally, the gang wouldn’t be torn apart and it wouldn’t cause stress on the rest of the gang.
Dally was a hero for his actions and his help. After Johnny killed someone Ponyboy and Johnny went to go see Dally and asked “If he could help them hide so the police wouldn't find us.” Dally told them to “go to the abandoned church up on Jay Mountain.” Before they left he gave Pony a new shirt that was big, a gun to Johnny if he ever needed it, and some cash to buy supplies since they would half to stay there for a while. (Skipping to the part when the church was on fire) Dally also helped Johnny get out of the burning church when the church fell down and heard Johnny's screams. Dally risked his own life for Johnny’s. That's why he’s a
Another difference between Johnny and Dally is that Johnny sees good in the world while Dally does not. Dally thinks that there is no good in the world and if you are a greaser, then you are a hoodlum. In Johnny’s letter, it states, “There’s still lots of good in the world. Tell Dally. I don’t think he knows” (152). Johnny is trying to say that Dally should see
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.
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.
When Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally were at the drive in, Dally was teasing Cherry. Johnny says, “Leave her alone, Dally.” (24). Johnny stood up to Dally to make him stop annoying Cherry. This surprises the reader because Johnny is traditionally quiet, and Johnny idolizes Dally. However, Johnny did not hesitate to tell Dally to stop. To defend someone he hardly knew, Johnny breaks character and stands up
Usually, people don’t defend someone after he/she tell them to back off. But, because Johnny truly cares for Dally, he defended Dally’s character anyways. In the end, this shows that they care for each other, something that honorable people do. Furthermore, they help other people as well.
One similarity between Dally and Johnny is their inability to place value in their lives. Through the duration of the story, Dally continually does things that put his life in danger, and does not seem to
Johnny and Dally have many similarities between each other. Johnny and Dally both have abusive parents that do not pay attention to them . Dally´s abusive parents don not care about Dally at all. In fact, Dally never mentions anything about his parents anything except on page 88 where he says, ”Shoot, my old man don't give a hang whether I am in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter.” Dally basically says that his dad does not care where he goes
One very important similarity between Johnny and Dally is that they both have neglectful and abusive parents. For instance, it is blatantly
One example of Johnny and Dally being similar is that both of them come from a neglecting and abusive family. Both of their parents do not care where they are or what they are doing.
Johnny follows almost all laws while Dally can not do anything that follows the law. Dally and Johnny have similarities, but they also have distinct differences. Both Johnny and Dally may be different people, but both of them are brought up by vulgar and ignoring parents. In the novel The Outsiders,
Johnny and dally both have one very significant Similarity which is, That they both have abusive parents that do not care about them. Dally’s parents are the reason why he is what he is today ,because they never disciplined him and that’s why at age 10 dally was arrested running around with a gang . Well for one dally never did talk about his his mom not even once, but talked about his dad once or twice when when him and pony were visiting johnny dally told johnny . “‘ ….My old man don’t give a hang whether i’m in jail or dead in a car wreck or dead in the gutter . that don’t bother me none”’ (p.88) . Plus Dally has no where he can call home pony says “Dally who lived anywhere he could” (105). While on the other hand Johnny has somewhat of a home has very abusive parents. Johnny usually sleeps outside or at ponyboys . Ponyboy describes johnny 's life at home saying “ His father was always beating him up, and his mom ignored
To conclude, Dally who was once shown to be the toughest guy in the gang is now looked at as the real hero of the novel as he proved to us his true character. All this while, Dally was never able to showcase his inners-self due to his violent background but as he starts facing different situations on the people he really cared about, he finally starts to change himself. The people in his life, like Johnny motivated him to change himself completely and finally depict the best of
Another way Johnny and Dally are alike is they both care about each other, maybe even the most of the gang. In the hospital, after Johnny passes, Dally’s reaction is “‘Dammit, Johnny. . . ‘he