Comparing Johnny And Dally In 'The Outsiders'

People look up to others because they are so alike each other that they feel connected, or they are so different, 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 Johnny became a hero, unlike Dally. Johnny and Dally share differences and similarities that make them such unique characters. A very important comparison Dally and Johnny have is their parents. Johnny’s parents do not care about him. Johnny parents fight or just ignore each other. Ponyboy says,

Dally breaks every law possible, while Johnny is very yielding of the law. Dally thinks he is above law, he goes around looking for trouble. For example, breaking Tim Shepard’s tires or sneaking into the drive-in when he has enough money to pay emission. He just wants to look cool, like the police and law do not own him. Ponyboy describes him as “Dally hated to do things the legal way. He liked to show that he didn’t care whether there was a law or not. He went around trying to break laws” (20). He even has a gun with him always unloaded of course, but he would only use it to scare people off. However, Johnny does not break the law as much as Dally. He only just started carrying a switchblade because he got beaten up badly. The rest of the gang has carried switchblades for a while. Ponyboy even says how Johnny is the most law following of them all “ Johnny, who was the most law-abiding of us” (34). Johnny, unlike Dally, does not talk back to cops. Johnny and Dally are very different people because of how they act to look cool and their ability to follow the

The death of Johnny is a noble death. He dies from saving children and also Ponyboy. His death means something. Near the end of the story, he is still looking out for Ponyboy, telling him to “‘stay gold’”(148) and writing him the letter. Ponyboy says “Johnny was right. He died gallantly” (154). He dies still thinking of other people, he dies a hero. Conversely, Dally dies selfishly and only looking out for himself. He dies under the street lamp, happy with how things turn out, while Johnny dies in a bed, scared and wishing he had done more. Ponyboy says ¨Dally didn't die a hero. He died violent and young and desperate¨ (154). He does not die peacefully like Johnny, he dies a harsh death, just because he breaks for not being a hero like Johnny. Ponyboy and the rest of the gang all know he would someday die like this. Ponyboy went on to saying ¨two friends of mine had died that night, one a hero, the other a hoodlum¨ (154). Their death shows a clear difference between Johnny and