The Outsiders Compare And Contrast Essay

Words: 979
Pages: 4

How can someone who purposely brakes laws have anything in common with someone who tries to never breaks laws? How can a cold, hard guy be similar to a sweet and sensitive kid? In S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, it becomes entirely possible. Dallas Winston and Johnny Cade are similar because they have horrible home lives and because they think their lives have little value. But still, their opinions on laws and their personalities make them different. Consequently, Dally Winston and Johnny Cade are almost completely different, yet the same.
One notable similarity between Johnny and Dally is that they have terrible home lives. For example, Dally stays out all night getting into fights and his parents never seem to notice. When Johnny is sad about his father not asking about him, Dally 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’” (88). This goes to show the amount of love and caring Dally receives at home. Dally never mentions his mom which might
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Dally is the most cold, closed off guy in the gang. Pony describes his personality, “Dally didn't give a Yankee dime about anyone but himself and he was cold and hard and mean” (90). The way he was raised and the experiences Dally experiences caused him to become a cold, callous person. At the age of ten, Dally had to go to jail which caused him to harden up. On the contrary, Johnny is a sweet, sensitive kid. To the gang, Johnny was the baby, even though Ponyboy is younger. Ponyboy says of Johnny, “Johnny was a good fighter and could play it cool, but he was sensitive and that isn't a good way to be when you're a greaser” (88). Being a sensitive guy complicates lots of things when you are a greaser. Johnny’s sensitivity may stem from the lack of love he receives from his parents. The differences in their personalities shows that they are two very different