Johnny Cade
Johnny Cade is a troubled teenager with much abuse in his life. Beaten by his father and ignored by his alcoholic mother, Johnny leads a troubled some life. Johnny is misjudged by people and has a caring and loving side to him especially with his dear friend Ponyboy. Johnny doesn’t really have a family he’s raised mostly by his gang members. Johnny is part of a gang called the Greasers which are poor people and the working class in the novel The Outsiders. As Johnny develops throughout the course of the story, he realizes that life may give you the best at first, but it may not always stay that way.
Johnny has a really rough life. According to Ponyboy, sixteen-year-old Johnny looks like "a little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers.” Johnny has been jumped by Socs and brutally beaten. Since this Johnny has been very jumpy and would carry a switchblade with him around. This behavior of Johnny shows that he’s very timid.
During the novel Johnny runs away with Ponyboy and they both hide out in an abandoned church. During their short stay at the church Johnny gets closer to Ponyboy and begins to appreciate nature more deeply. For example on page 69 after Ponyboy and him witness a beautiful sunrise Johnny says, “The mist was what was pretty.” Furthermore he also comments on page 70 saying to Johnny, “I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you kept reminding me about them.” This shows that Johnny has a sensitive and respectful side to him because he’s appreciating nature.
Finally Johnny and Ponyboy get picked up by one of their gang members Dallas and he takes them to eat. Johnny though returns because he decides to turn himself in for something wrong he did to a Socs. Ponyboy runs after him of course. While on their way back they notice that the church they stayed in is burning. Both of them immediately enter the building and start rescuing the children who are stuck inside. This proves Johnny has a very big heart and is doing something very brave because he’s risking his life for others. In the process a burning timber falls on his back and he’s admitted to the hospital as well as Ponyboy. As time goes on Ponyboy is okay but Johnny is in the hospital still suffering. Pony goes back and sees how Johnny is. While there, Ponyboy explains how Johnny is all over the paper on how he’s a hero for saving the kids at the church. Johnny’s eyes glow because that’s all he ever wanted since he never got that attention around his parents. As Johnny comes to an end his lasts words to Pony were “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…”
Finally Johnny and Ponyboy get picked up by one of their gang members Dallas and he takes them to eat. Johnny though returns because he decides to turn himself in for something wrong he did to a Socs. Ponyboy runs after him of course. While on their way back they notice that the church they stayed in is burning. Both of them immediately enter the building and start rescuing the children who are stuck inside. This proves Johnny has a very big heart and is doing something very brave because he’s risking his life for others. In the process a burning timber falls on his back and he’s admitted to the hospital as well as Ponyboy. As time goes on Ponyboy is okay but Johnny is in the hospital still suffering. Pony goes back and sees how Johnny is. While there, Ponyboy explains how Johnny is all over the paper on how he’s a hero for saving the kids at the church. Johnny’s eyes glow because that’s all he ever wanted since he never got that attention around his parents. As Johnny comes to an end his lasts words to Pony were “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…”
In the story Johnny shows he was a brave, timid and a heartwarming guy, but most of all he was an amazing friend to Ponyboy. He left Ponyboy with the exact words Pony recited to him in the poem when they were watching the sunset: “Nothing gold can stay." He wants to make sure that Ponyboy stays good and true to himself for as long as he can.
