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Opposites Attract In The Outsiders By S. E. Hinton

1053 Words5 Pages

What does the phrase “opposites attract” really mean? The two characters, Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston demonstrate the true meaning in The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. Johnny and Dally are opposites because Johnny is law abiding while Dally deliberately breaks laws. Also when Johnny dies, he dies a hero while Dally dies a hoodlum. They do have similarities though. Johnny and Dally’s parents do not care for them. Also, Johnny and Dally care for one another. Johnny and Dally may seem very different, but they do have attributes in common. Johnny and Dally are very different people for many reasons, but one main reason is that Johnny does not get in trouble with the police, while Dally tries to break laws. For example, when Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy go to the Nightly Double drive-in. Since Dally does not like doing things legally, they climb over the back fence of the drive-in to watch the movie. Ponyboy states, “. . . Dally hated to do things the legal way. He liked to show that he didn’t care whether there was a law or not” (20). …show more content…

For instance, when Dally comes to visit Johnny and Ponyboy in the church and Johnny asks Dally if his parents are wondering about him. Dally responds sharply, “‘. . .what do they matter? 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 is the one time Dally talks about his father. It shows that his dad does not care for him. Similarly, Johnny’s parents ignore him most of the time, but when they do acknowledge him they are beating him. Johnny even says, “‘ I think I like it better when the old man is hittin’ me.” Johnny sighed. “At least I know he knows who I am”’ (51). Johnny’s parents abuse him and neglect him most of the time. Therefore, Johnny and Dally both have parents who do not care about their well

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