Johnny vs. Dally

[Nittanylizard]

I've noticed through these forums that while many readers love Johnny, most don't write about him because they don't "get" him. It's hard to figure out what motivates him, why he keeps going back home, why he isn't bitter, etc.

I was recently reading about the psychology of abused children, and it occurred to me that Johnny is actually one of the most realistic characters in the book. Often, children with abusive parents not only believe that they (not their parents) are at fault, but they are upset when taken away from their parents. Johnny isn't bent on escaping from his parents; he's trying to be the good son they want.

That led to me thinking about Dally. Many writers give him a background of abuse, but (correct me if I'm wrong) there is no indication that he has been abused, just neglected. If that's the case, and he is a product of nobody paying attention or setting boundaries, then it makes more sense to me why he is so drawn to Johnny - he doesn't get him, either. In his mind, who would stay with parents who hit them? So he, in a sense, becomes to Johnny the parent that he himself never had - involved and protective.

Anyone have any thoughts? This is all just off the top of my head, aspects of the story that I had never dug into before.

[Keira]

I'd never thought of Dally being physically abused at home. The only real indication we have of his home life is when he says his father wouldn't care if he got drunk or in jail, or whatever. It makes much more sense that he's been neglected for a good portion of his life, if not faced with a little abuse, which I really don't see in his teenage life.

Dally says it doesn't bother him, but even he isn't so far gone that that could be true. From my own observations of people, it seems as though people who are denied what they truly want will do/become one of three things. One, they will turn around and give someone -- or everyone -- what they never had; whether not it's begrudgingly done depends on the person. Two, they'll deny everyone else what they always personally wanted, so everyone else will be miserable with them. Or three, they'll find someone willing to give them what they desire, and will cling onto that individual. I see Dallas being a mixture of the first two -- he wants to give Johnny what he (Dally) didn't have growing up, but he's also so bitter that it's hard for him to understand Johnny, or anyone else really.

Personally, I still have a hard time understanding where Johnny comes from. I believe he's a realistic character, but I cannot get inside his head. At all. If someone were physically abusing me, kicking me out all the time, or constantly yelling at me -- I'd pull more of a Steve and be more bitter about it.

What is very apparent about Johnny, though, is his attitude toward the end of his life. A lot of things become true for us when we read that car scene at the restaurant. Not only do we know for sure that Dallas has been severely neglected, we know that Johnny cares enough about his parents, and what they think, to know if they're worried or asking about him. I never got the impression it was out of fear, but pure desire for them to show they cared or loved him. And then after he gets placed in the hospital -- I don't know what exactly changed his attitude, or if it was him being a sixteen year old kid -- he realizes that his parents are really good for nothing, and he doesn't want to ruin what time he has left, with them trampling all over his already broken spirits. Maybe it's a case of him realizing that even though he's severely injured with a good chance of dying, that his parents STILL want to yell at him, make him feel bad, and just over all make him miserable. If that was the case, I feel bad that he had to come to that realization so close to death.

When I read or write fan fiction, I often forget that Johnny was ever there to begin with. I don't know why that is, except that it's a lot easier to make up an excuse for him being absent -- even if it's a reason other than death. I love reading about him, but I can't ever bring myself to understand him enough to write him.

[zevie]

I like that "three types" analysis, Keira, but I think Dally is a combination of all three. He gets the attention he craves from Johnny, and he's pretty clingy, seeing as he refuses to live without him. He probably didn't realize how much he needed Johnny though.

[Keira]

I didn't take that into consideration, but you're right, Zevie. It's hard for me to picture Dally as being clingy, but it makes sense.

[anotherillusion]

I interpret Dally's past as neglect rather than physical abuse. I think perhaps his father may have been emotionally abusive at some points, but I don't think he has been abused like Johnny was.
Another Illusion

[Tensleep]

Yeah, I'm one of the ones who doesn't get Johnny. All the abused boys I know are more like Steve. They're bitter about it, but what the hell can they do but go back for more? They think they probably did something to deserve it anyways, and running away doesn't get you anywhere.

Dally, though, he's not abused - I'll agree. He's neglected and ignored. I always thought of him as the poor version of Bob. No one tells them no with any success, they both pushed for attention, they both had their reps by their fists, you get the impression neither of them has a strong parental influence, and they both seem to think no one holds authority over their day-to-day lives.

And I have no idea where I'm going with that. Might just be bedtime for Tensie.