Dally calling the gang

[missmouse]

Alright, it's been a while since I've read the book (okay, okay, about four years), so maybe someone here can help me.

After Dally robs the store... Just why does he call the gang and ask them to meet him in the park?
Did he want them to see him die so they'd know it was on his own terms?
Did he have a moments indecision and actually think that he might not want to die?
Was he just not in his right mind and didn't know what he was doing?

[texaskid]

Yeah same here I haven't read the book in forever but I know in the movie he sounds real shaken like he's half out of his mind and doesn't really know what he's really doing. I don't think he actually thought he was going to die just that the cops were after him and he needed to see them again. I don't think he knew it until he pulled the gun on them that it was the end. I could be wrong as I don't like that part of the movie or the book but...It's just a thought.

[Nittanylizard]

Yeah, I always thought he intended to have the gang help him when he called, but that once the cops showed up, he decided what he needed to do, and did it.

It makes you wonder if he would have eventually done something else to kill himself, if he had been able to hide from the cops that night.

[missmouse]

But how on Earth would Dallas Winston hide? The cops all knew him- was he going to just sit in the Curtis's living room, dye his hair, and turn goody good or something so the cops wouldn't know it was him when they saw him on the street?

[Keira]

I don't think it's possible for him to hide in Tulsa, or the surrounding area. I think what Liz meant was that he called the gang to let them know what was going on and for some help, but come the time the fuzz caught up with him he realized that there was nothing for it.

I recently listened to the audiobook and it was really enlightening, because I too hadn't read the book in a few years. You see the story from a TOTALLY different light when you reread it as an adult.

Before listening to it again, I think I would've said that he wanted their help, but having it so fresh in my mind... I'm pretty sure that he meant to die, or be a martyr or whatever, and wanted the gang to be there with him when it happened, because they were the only people he had. I guess that shows some minuscule-sensitivity in him? Maybe?... Probably not, though. He was definitely mad with grief that night. Ponyboy was right. Dally had nothing else to live for.

[blackcat2010]

To me the way I understand it is that when Johnny died in the hospital Dally lost everything he loved. He couldn't handle the lost of his best friend. So to me when that moment hit him, he lost half of him and called the gang to just show that, that's what he wanted to do, was die. Also to me he called them to say goodbye and just hear someone's voice before he did die. I don't know just my thoughts on it.

[InfiniteGrey]

Dec 15, 2009 16:34:41 GMT -5 blackcat2010 said:

To me the way I understand it is that when Johnny died in the hospital Dally lost everything he loved. He couldn't handle the lost of his best friend. So to me when that moment hit him, he lost half of him and called the gang to just show that, that's what he wanted to do, was die. Also to me he called them to say goodbye and just hear someone's voice before he did die. I don't know just my thoughts on it.

I totally agree with you. Even though he killed himself; he really had nothing else to live for. I mean, living without Johnny would just be ten times worse. I understand his perspective though - he lost the only person he cared about and he probably felt hopeless and confused. He was only seventeen turning eighteen - he was simply alone and upset. Like Two-Bit said, ''So even Dally has a breaking point.''

[xdallysxgirlx]

I think he just wanted someone to be there when he died, but had also lost it a bit by then, so his motives weren't exactly clear
Poor Dally...