The Outsiders Essay S.E Hinton (Write an essay explaining which of the Greasers you believe could be considered a hero. Include your own definition of hero in the essay and explain how the character meets your definition. Support your ideas with examples.) “A hero is someone who helps those in need and does not expect people to applaud or reward them for it”. A Greaser will always be a Greaser their convention is different than the Soc’s; they stick together, they support each other in hard times and they help each other; Johnny, Dally and Ponyboy are the three main Greasers and three unlikely heroes in the novel. They achieved this state by saving people's’ lives, help those in need, showing care and standing up for each other. Dally helped Johnny and Ponyboy hide after killing Bob. Dally is a”tuff” guy, but he also has a nice side. He provided Johnny and Ponyboy; a gun (heater), fifty dollars and directions to an old church in Windrixville till it all blew over. “Hop the three-fifteen freight to Windrixville”. “There’s an old abandoned …show more content…
The day when Dally paid Ponyboy and Johnny a visit. Dally took them for a ride to “Dairy Queen” to feed Pony and Johnny and came to find the abandoned church in a blaze. As they drove up, they could hear the children screaming coming from inside the church. Ponyboy bolted inside to save them ”Let’s go see what the deal is” (page 77). Nobody had told him to, not Johnny or Dally. He was not expecting a reward for his act of bravery. He did what was right, what a true hero would do. Soon after, Johnny entered the blazing church to help. Following him was Dally. He went in to make sure the children were safely fleed out safely, but also to make sure Ponyboy and Johnny got out safely. They did not perform this dangerous act to have their name in the paper or to brag about how they went into a burning building. They did this because they have
Dally helped the two boys escape the law even though they had done something wrong. Pony and Johnny had been minding their own business when they got jumped by the Socs and Johnny ended up killing one of them. They knew that they were in trouble and they needed some thing like money and a gun. They went to Dally and he gave
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
Dally is always getting into trouble and disregarding the law. He does not care if he gets caught because Dally believes he has nothing to live for. After losing Johnny, Dally pulls a gun on the police. Pony says, “I knew he would be dead, because Dally Winston wanted to be dead and he always got what he wanted” (154). Dally knew the police would shoot him after he pulled out the gun, but Dally does not see a point to living anymore. He committed suicide due to feeling his life was not worth living. Dally’s action shows he does not value his life. Likewise, Johnny does not find his life valuable either. With all of the abuse Johnny endured in his life, he feels so worthless to the point where he does not want to live anymore. In the letter he wrote to Ponyboy, it is clear he feels this way. Johnny writes, “Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for” (178). Johnny is referring to the kids he saved in the church; he places more value on the kids’ lives than his own because Johnny feels he does not have a purpose for living. An additional example of Johnny placing little value on his life is when he and Ponyboy are in the lot. Johnny says, “‘I’ll kill myself or something’” (47). Only a person who considers their life unimportant would experience suicidal thoughts. Therefore, Johnny feels convinced his life has little significance. Neither Johnny nor Dally
Out of all of the members of the gang Johnny and Ponyboy were the closest, because they were the youngest and also they were not as tough as the other boys. After Ponyboy got in a fight with Darry about being late at getting home, Ponyboy ran to the lot and told Johnny that they were running away. Without hesitation the two boys took off running. Johnny needed no explanation. He had a rough life at home and without the support from the gang he may have already killed himself. Johnny just wanted to be there and support his friend like they had been supporting him through everything. At many points throughout the novel Ponyboy teaches or shows Johnny something new. “You know Johnny said slowly “I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you kept, reminding me about them. It seems like they were never there before” (Hinton,78). When Johnny says that to Ponyboy is gives readers a glimpse of how Johnny having Ponyboy in his life makes it better. Another key point of their friendship in the novel is after Johnny kills the Soc. This is a key point because they run off to Jay Mountain to hide from the police and while they are there they discover more about each other and themselves. The boys are at that church for about a week before Dally came to check in on them and while they were inside that church they read Gone with the Wind. As they read Gone with the Wind they started to make connections
Johnny and Dally are both major characters in the novel “The Outsiders” by SE Hinton. “The Outsiders” is a novel about friendship, rivalry, stereotypes, trust and family relationships set in the 1960’s of America. SE Hinton. Describes how two gangs, the Socs and the Greasers get to know each other’s problems in an exciting and nail-biting storyline. Johnny and Dally are both very contrasting characters and each play a vital role in both the novel and Ponyboy’s life.
Greasers were the lowest among the society. The society had negative thoughts towards Greasers, because there were not many things people expected from the Greasers other than doing bad things such as stealing, having rumble, and other bad things that happened around the society. Not every Greaser does bad things, however, the Greasers took the blame for anything bad even if it was the Socs fault. It is because everyone expected the Greasers to do bad things instead of the Socs. Even though the Greasers had a bad reputation, they didn’t care, but instead they enjoyed their lives. Sometimes the Greasers do bad things but only for fun and because it was the society’s expectations. If the Greasers did something good, no one would expect or believe the Greasers did it. No one would ever expect the Greasers to be heroes, just like the man whose kids were saved by Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dallas. “’Mrs. O’Briant and I think you were sent straight from heaven. Or are you just professional heroes or something?’ Sent from heaven? Had he gotten look at Dallas? ‘No, we’re greasers.’” (Page...
If Ponyboy is a hero with sympathy in mind than his friend Johnny is a hero with sympathy in action. The first time Johnny showed his sympathy is when Dally harass the Socs girls, Cherry and Marcia. Johnny bravely stand up to Dally to everyone’s surprise. In the novel, the dialogue of Johnny and Dally showed Johnny’s
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
The first Greaser that I believe is a hero was Ponyboy because he was mentally tough. An example is when he was still attending school and getting straight A’s. Another heroic act was when he stood by Johnny’s side after Johnny murdered Bob, the Soc. He ran away with him while risking the chance of getting into trouble. In chapter six, there was an important scene where Ponyboy was a real hero by being brave and tough. "I'll get them, don't worry!" I started at a dead run for the church, and the man caught my arm. "I'll get them. You kids stay out! I jerked loose and ran on." (Pg. 78) This was when they heard the children’s screams come from inside the church. Ponyboy ran in the burning church and saved the children without hesitation. These are some reasons why Ponyboy was a hero.
When Johnny and Pony killed Bob, Dally covered for them and had them go hide out in the church until the cops were gone. Also, when Pony and Johnny went into the burning church to save the kids, Dally put out the fire that was on Pony’s back and he attempted to save Johnny. Johnny was heroic because he killed Bob when he was trying to kill him and Pony. Also, he was heroic because he went into the burning church to save the kids. Without Johnny doing that, the kids would’ve been burned to death or gotten seriously hurt. In conclusion, Dall is heroic because he helped Johnny out in the police situation, and Johnny is heroic because he saved the
When we first introduced to Dally by Hinton we learn that as a youth he served time in a New York for a murder charge. This made Dally the most paradoxical person in the story, you never knew if Dally would snap and beat you senseless or if he would protect you. But we soon learn that after witnessing Johnny’s death in the hospital Dally turned out more psychologically unstable. Thus, Dally chose suicide-by-cop. This was because Dally felt responsible for not protecting Johnny in life and felt that perhaps he could protect him in death. Both young men felt hero-worship for each other. Johnny looking to Dally for his devil-may-care attitude and Dally looks up to Johnny for his individuality and
Greasers are the lowest of society and deserve whatever they get for being a Greaser nor do they deserve any chance to escape the vicious cycle of poverty and judgement and become anything but a Greaser. None of these beliefs are true, but society believes them to be true. Though it is true that many Greasers give up and conform to society’s expectations, who can blame them? In a society that will never accept them, why should they bother? However, Darrel Curtis, a Greaser, refuses to believe in his inherent “lack of worth” as a Greaser, unlike many of his friends and family. He is equal to or better than most Socs, and people can see it, yet few believe it and even fewer choose to make any note of it. The few people who take note of it, his family and a very select few, note that had he been born under slightly different circumstances such as not being born poor and had his parents not die, he could have been a Soc, gone to college and succeeded at life. Darry should have had a future regardless of his lack of socioeconomic status because of his considerable intelligence, hardwork and
After the church fire Ponyboy comes to the realization of many things. Two-Bit and Ponyboy are eating at a restaurant known as Tasty Freeze when Randy asks to speak with him. Ponyboy tells Randy, ¨Maybe you would have done the same thing, maybe a friend of yours wouldn’t have. It’s the individual¨(115). He finds out that you cannot define someone based on of they are part of the Socs or the greasers. Furthermore, he finds out that every one is a individual and that means that just because he is a part of a certain group it does not mean that they are all going to react or perceive a situation in the same exact way. In addition, he say this to Randy because when there was a fire in the church Dally was not willing to risk his life to save someone else's when Johnny and Ponyboy were more than willing to help the kids. This shows event shows how all Greasers and Socs are not the same. In the beginning of the novel Ponyboy believed Darry disliked him and thought he was a nuisance. However, later on at the hospital Ponyboy tells Darry, “I’m sorry” (98). Ponyboy’s words expose how he feels bad for thinking Darry disliked him all along when in truth he loved him more than words could describe. He realizes that Darry fears losing another family member that is why he is so overprotective of Ponyboy. Hence, proving Ponyboy is clearly a dynamic character.
There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday.
The second hero is a person who is like us. Just a normal person nothing else. But this hero is unnoticed by people because you might think that they're just a regular person. But this regular person will make a difference in the life of others (The Making of a Hero).