Differences and Similarities between Dally & Johnny

Opposites attract, right? That is a common theme in movies, books, or tv shows. There is always that odd pair that find friendship despite their differences. Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston fall under that category. Although Johnny and Dallas from S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, are foils of each other, they are close friends. Johnny and Dally have vast differences but significant similarities.
Johnny and Dally are similar in many ways. For instance, Johnny and Dally both have neglectful parents. Dally has been part of a gang in the wild side of New York. He was even arrested at the age of 10. If Dally’s parents cared about him in the way they’re supposed to, Dally wouldn't have been running around with a gang as a child. The first and only time that Dally mentions his parents, he says, “‘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). Clearly, Dally does not care about his parents and his parents certainly do not show concern for their son. Dally does not even have a permanent home. He crashes at his friends’ houses every night. If his parents did not neglect him, he would be able to sleep in his own bed. Similarly, Johnny also has parents that disdain him. For example, Johnny constantly gets abused at home. He would prefer sleeping in a vacant lot, vulnerable to an attack from the Socs, than to come home. While describing Johnny, Ponyboy says, “His father was always beating him up and his mother ignored him” (12). Evidently, Johnny gets ignored and abused by his parents. His parents do not love him and hurt him constantly. Ponyboy even admits that, “If it hadn’t for the gang, Johnny would never have known what love and affection are” (12). His ...

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...pletely different persona. Johnny is the most law abiding of the gang. He has completely no record with the police. He is described as polite, kind, well-mannered and even fearful to his own shadow. He is shy, quiet and rarely speaks. Even when he did get into trouble, he decided to turn himself in and own up to it. Johnny made the decision, “‘We’re goin’ back and turn ourselves in’” (87). Certainly, Johnny is diligent and conscientious. In summary, Johnny and Dally have vast differences.
Although Johnny and Dally have a fair amount of similarities, they also have many differences. They both have neglectful parents and do not value their lives. However, they have distinctive differences in their philosophies about Ponyboy and their personalities. Despite their differences, they really care about eachother. They are foils but develop a bond with their similarities.