Johnny and Dally, Different Characters With Similar Problems How can a character that is rough and mean and a character that is small and sensitive share some strong similarities? It seems unlikely that a tough hardened criminal would share have anything in common to a undersized kind child, but in The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton there are two characters that fit those descriptions. Johnny Cade and Dally Winston are similar because they both have neglectful and abusive parents and place little value on their lives. Despite these large similarities there are some very apparent differences. Johnny is extremely law abiding and dislikes fighting while Dally is at the opposite end of of the spectrum in both of those characteristics. Therefore these
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Johnny knows he is growing up in a tough neighborhood and that he likely has very little future. In Windrixville he saves many kids from a fire but at great cost. He is badly burned and paralyzed and not likely to survive. Just before he dies he writes a letter to Ponyboy, and in it he says “. . . I don’t mind dying now. . . . It’s worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for” (178). Johnny places more value on the lives of kids he only met long enough to save from a fire than his own life. Dally is much like Johnny in this way. After Johnny dies Dally loses the only thing he cares for. Since he decides he has nothing left to live for he commits what is essentially suicide. His friends rush to try and help him, but they are too late. Ponyboy says as they reach the scene of his death, “I knew he would be dead because Dally Winston wanted to be dead . . .” (154). Dally figures that if Johnny is no longer around then his life is left with no purpose and that its value is low enough to throw away. This similarity is a very apparent link between these two very different …show more content…
Hinton, Johnny and Dally display many similarities and differences. Both of them grow up with abusive and neglectful parents. This may have an impact on the fact that they both also place little value on their lives. However growing up in such conditions did not turn Johnny bitter like Dally. Johnny is law abiding while Dally is far from it. Johnny dislikes fighting while Dally has strong desire to take part in a desire to take part in them whenever he can. Johnny and Dally are two characters that have some significant differences while sharing some very apparent
Johnny knows he is growing up in a tough neighborhood and that he likely has very little future. In Windrixville he saves many kids from a fire but at great cost. He is badly burned and paralyzed and not likely to survive. Just before he dies he writes a letter to Ponyboy, and in it he says “. . . I don’t mind dying now. . . . It’s worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for” (178). Johnny places more value on the lives of kids he only met long enough to save from a fire than his own life. Dally is much like Johnny in this way. After Johnny dies Dally loses the only thing he cares for. Since he decides he has nothing left to live for he commits what is essentially suicide. His friends rush to try and help him, but they are too late. Ponyboy says as they reach the scene of his death, “I knew he would be dead because Dally Winston wanted to be dead . . .” (154). Dally figures that if Johnny is no longer around then his life is left with no purpose and that its value is low enough to throw away. This similarity is a very apparent link between these two very different …show more content…
Hinton, Johnny and Dally display many similarities and differences. Both of them grow up with abusive and neglectful parents. This may have an impact on the fact that they both also place little value on their lives. However growing up in such conditions did not turn Johnny bitter like Dally. Johnny is law abiding while Dally is far from it. Johnny dislikes fighting while Dally has strong desire to take part in a desire to take part in them whenever he can. Johnny and Dally are two characters that have some significant differences while sharing some very apparent