Johnny Cade is described early on into the book as the “Pet” of they family (p. 22, PDF), it also is said that the Greasers gang would fall apart if they didn’t have a person like Johnny to keep them all together. In the novel some members of a rival gang, the Socs, jump Johnny unexpectedly (P. 40, PDF). Johnny …show more content…
When Johnny is on his deathbed he is still strong, telling Ponyboy to stay himself, also all the times Johnny’s parents abused him he still went to meat up with all the greasers and still manage to be himself. Dally ability to keep his cool when in stressful situations and his advice to Pony about staying tough. Throughout the book, spending time with Dally and Johnny, Ponyboy becomes a better person adopting Dally’s confidence and toughness and Johnny’s ability to keep him together when times are hard and to always stay who he is.
Dallas and Johnny do play major roles in Ponyboy’s lives and in the novel itself. The author included these characters for depth of the story line and to make it more interesting. Dallas is Ponyboy’s role model for being tuff and to be respected while Johnny is Ponyboy’s role model for being compassionate and being able to keep himself together in very high stress