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How Is Dally Portrayed In The Outsiders

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S.E Hintons The Outsiders, set in the 1960's is a coming of age tale about the conflict between two entirely different social groups and their struggle with the consequences of their actions. Dallas (Dally) Winston, one of the main protagonists within the story, is cold hearted and rough. Hinton encourages the readers to view him as a misunderstood delinquent by using characters that define Dally by his past and actions. Hinton also builds the awareness of how misunderstood Dally truly is through her description of his true feelings towards Johnny. Hinton encourages the readers to view Dally as a misunderstood delinquent by defining him by his past and by his actions. He had grown up on the ghetto areas of New York and had been in and out …show more content…

Hinton has demonstrated the relationship between Dally and Johnny as being one of deep brotherly love and protection, as Dally sees Johnny as a broken reflection of himself and tries to protect him from what Dally has become. When Johnny commits a horrific crime, without hesitation hands him protection, money and a place to stay, even if it means going to jail himself. 'Dally risking his life for us, trying to keep Johnny out of trouble' (pg.187) He is so afraid of losing Johnny he will do anything in his power to protect him and keep him out of trouble. Hinton weaves their connection close together through their personal experiences and their hardships of life connecting them on a deeper level and building a stronger relationship. When Johnny dies, Hinton demonstrates the devastating effect it places on Dally, causing him to take his own life. ' I knew he would be dead, because Dally Winston wanted to be dead and he always got what he wanted […] And now he was a dead juvenile delinquent […] He died violent and young and desperate, just like we knew all knew he'd die someday […] But Johnny was

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