Johnny is a dynamic character in the novel The Outsiders due to his afraid beginnings, bold experiences, and finally his loving ending.
The first character trait that describes Johnny at the beginning of this novel is afraid. Johnny Cade was last and least. If you can picture a little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers you'll have Johnny ( Hinton, page 11 ). This quote shows that Johnny is afraid because it describes exactly how he is all the time.“I won't be able to walk again”, Johnny started then faltered “not even on crutches. Busted my back”, ”you'll be okay”, I repeated firmly. Don't start crying I commanded myself, you'll scare Johnny. “You want to know something ponyboy? I'm scared stiff…………” (Hinton, page 121). This quote explains that he is very nervous or afraid like when he says that he was scared stiff. These two quotes support my thesis because this is evidence of how he is afraid.
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The second character trait that describes Johnny in the middle of this novel is bold. I jerked loose and ran on all I could think was “We started it”. I wasn't about to go through that flaming door, so I slammed a big rock through a window and pulled myself in………. “ Hey, Ponyboy……….” I hadn't realized Johnny had been right behind me all the way…………. The smoke filled my eyes and they started watering. “ Is the guy coming?” Johnny shook his head. “The window stopped him.” “ To scared? ” “Naw…….” Johnny gave me a grin. “To fat” (Hinton, pages 91-92). This quote shows that Johnny is coming out surprising a lot of his friends and the students reading this novel. Then I saw Johnny. He was sitting next to me, one elbow on his knee, and staring straight he was a greenish-white and his eyes were huger than I had ever seen them. “I killed him”, he said slowly. “I killed that boy”. Bob the handsome Soc was lying there in the moonlight doubled up and still. The surprising news that Johnny killed the Soc showed that he was very bold and was done with all the fighting. These quotes prove my thesis because Johnny was very afraid to do anything then out of nowhere he is showing himself a lot more.
The final character trait that describes Johnny at the end of the novel is love.
“Ponyboy”. I barely heard him. I came closer and leaned over to hear what he was going to say. “Stay gold Pony. Stay gold…….” The pillows seem to sink a little and Johnny dies. (Hinton, page 148) This quote said stay gold that phrase is from a poem that Pony has memorized and the poem meant that not all things will be perfect.
I finally sat down on the curb and cried burying my face in my arms. Johnny sat down beside me, one hand on my shoulder. “Easy, Ponyboy,” he said softly, “we will be okay”. (Hinton, page 43) This quote shows that Johnny loves and cares about his friends even though they describe him as a lost puppy and are afraid of everything. These quotes prove my thesis because Johnny finally figured out that his group loved him so he started loving them back for accepting him even though he is very different.
Any reader that reads this book will love the protagonist Johnny because of his afraid beginnings, bold experiences, and finally his loving ending.