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"Johnny," Dally said in a a pleading, high voice, using a tone I had never heard

from him before, "Johnny, I ain't mad at you. I just don't want you to get hurt. You don't know what a few months in jail can do to you. Oh, blast it, Johnny

— Dallas to Johnny Cade in the car in The Outsiders, page 76


Dallas "Dally" Winston was a greaser, the tritagonist of The Outsiders, and a member of The Gang.

Physical Appearance

In the book, Dallas Winston is said to have an elfish face with high cheekbones, a pointed chin, small, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. Dally didn't like haircuts nor hair oil, so his almost white-blonde hair (likely Platinum-Blonde) fell over his forehead in wisps. He had a height of 6'2", and had blazing blue eyes which Ponyboy describes as "cold with all the hatred in the world." However, in the movie, Dally has brown hair and eyes.

He wears dark blue jeans, and, in the first few minutes of the movie he is featured in, a dark brown leather bomber jacket and a black shirt; he gives the jacket to Ponyboy when he comes to Dallas for help after Johnny kills Bob. After that, he instead wears a dark blue jean jacket. He also wears a necklace that he had reclaimed from his girlfriend after she cheated on him while he was in jail.

Personality

Dallas was hardened from a tough upbringing. He spent three years on the wild side of New York and was arrested at the young age of ten. Dallas was also treated poorly by his father which contributed to his toughness. He says to Johnny at one point "My old man doesn't give a hang if I'm in jail dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter," He is mean to many people such as Cherry, but it is shown he cares for his gang and treats them like family. For example, he told Johnny "Now that I'm out [of prison], I'm gonna make it my business to get the guy who did that to your face".

Overview

Dally is a tough, friendly and loyal guy who hangs out with Johnny and Ponyboy. In the second chapter after they go to the movie's, he attempts to flirt with Cherry. Cherry promptly throws a Coke at him and he leaves.

He then later appears after Johnny killed Bob; he was at a party in Buck's house in the bedroom trying to get some sleep. He gives the boys a gun and some cash and tells them to hop on a train to Windrixville and hide inside an old abandoned church. The church was almost inhospitable; however, it was far away which helps them from being caught by the police, and it also had water for them to drink.

Dally went to the church a few days later and gave Ponyboy a note from Sodapop and treats Ponyboy and Johnny to sundaes from Dairy Queen, as the two were basically starving. When they return to the church, they find it on fire with seven trapped kids inside. Ponyboy and Johnny help save the kids, and Dally later helps them; however, he hits Ponyboy hard enough to make him fall. We then later find out he did that because he was on fire. Afterwards, Ponyboy and Two-Bit visit Dally in the hospital because Dally had received a few minor burns due to the church fire. Dally was maddened that he had to miss the rumble (fight against the Socs) and tells them to "do it for Johnny."

He later convinces the nurse (with the aid of Two-Bit's switchblade) to let him leave. Dally then joins the Greasers at the rumble. After the Greasers heroically win, he tells Ponyboy that they should get to the hospital to visit the severely injured Johnny. On their way there, they are pulled over by a cop for speeding. Dally makes a quick lie, saying that Ponyboy fell off his motorcycle. Understanding the 'situation,' the police officer escorts them to the hospital. There they tell Johnny they won the fight. Shortly after, Johnny dies because of his severe injuries and burns, immediately after telling Ponyboy to "stay gold".

Dally, overcome with grief, runs out and robs a grocery store. The only thing that Dally loved was Johnny. He was wielding a gun that wasn't loaded. Over the phone, he asks Darry and the gang to help him hide. As the gang arrives, they see Dally aiming his unloaded gun towards the officers, with the look of obviously wanting to shoot them. They finally see Dally being shot to death by a policeman who was unaware of the gun being completely empty. Dallas Winston then dies almost instantly, crumpling under a street light in the park, a look described as that of "grim triumph" on his face, and his gang powerless to save him. In the movie his last words are "Pony..." but in the book he says almost nothing. Without Johnny, He thought there was no point in living. He just wanted to die, and Dallas Winston always gets what he wants. To die, he committed Suicide by cop.

Images

→ see also Dallas Winston/Gallery and Category:Images of Dallas Winston

Trivia

  • It is said that he will always carry a unloaded gun in his pocket, which is eventually what kills him.

References

Revealed on page 154

  1. Revealed by SE Hinton
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