Discussion Topic
Cherry's admiration for Bob and Dally in The Outsiders
Summary:
Cherry admires both Bob and Dally for their strong personalities and charisma. Despite Bob's violent tendencies, she sees his leadership and passion. Similarly, she respects Dally's toughness and loyalty, recognizing his protective nature. Cherry's admiration highlights her appreciation for individuals who exhibit strength and conviction, even when their actions are morally complex.
What qualities does Cherry admire in Bob and Dally in The Outsiders?
That's an interesting question, because it is plainly made clear to readers that Cherry likes whatever Dally has got going on a whole lot.
She looked at me quickly. "I could fall in love with Dallas Winston," she said. "I hope I never see him again, or I will."
That's an amazing statement from a girl that is fairly committed to nonviolence and hates criminal behavior. In fact, she even detests it when her boyfriend drinks alcohol, yet she admits that she is deeply attracted to a guy like Dally. Dally is a legitimate criminal. He's such a "bad boy" criminal, that Ponyboy lets readers know early on in the book that he doesn't like Dally.
[...] he got drunk, he rode in rodeos, lied, cheated, stole, rolled drunks, jumped small kids—he did everything. I didn't like him, but I had to respect him.
Readers might argue that Pony's...
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opinion of Dally changes throughout the story, but I don't think so. I think Ponyboy respects Dally and trusts him, but I don't think Ponyboy would ever desire to be close friends with Dally. On the other hand, Cherry knows that she is so attracted to him that she needs to stay away from him. Bob is essentially the same person as Dally except on the Soc side of the equation, and that is probably why Cherry is his girlfriend. If you could ask Cherry what it is about those boys that she likes so much, she couldn't tell you. She tries to explain it, but everything she says is so vague.
"I know I'm too young to be in love and all that, but Bob was something special. He wasn't just any boy. He had something that made people follow him, something that marked him different, maybe a little better, than the crowd. Do you know what I mean?"
Cherry is exceptionally good at reading people. That was made clear to readers early in the book when she figured out that something bad had happened to Johnny. She simply knew. That is what she tries to explain. She knows that there is a quality about guys like Dally and Bob that instantly causes other people to gravitate toward them and respect their actions, words, and person. She sees in those boys the capability of strong, male leadership, and I think that is what she is ultimately attracted to.
Why was Cherry attracted to Bob and Dally in The Outsiders?
Cherry Valance is attracted to both Bob and Dally because they are dangerous or typify the “bad-boy” personality.
"That's okay," I said sharply. It wasn't Johnny's fault Bob was a booze-hound and Cherry went for boys who were bound for trouble.
Dally’s reputation precedes him, and Cherry knows him even before the spectacle at the movies. She is attracted to him because of what she has heard, which is further compounded by his behavior at the movies. Cherry is probably aware of what Dally has been through, and when they first meet, she sees a strong individual capable of protecting her. Dally is also very confident, and despite being a greaser, he approaches the girls and talks to them regardless of social class boundaries. He also gets them drinks, showing he is not incapable of being a gentleman. Not much is said about Bob, but his predisposition to violence makes him share similar traits with Dally. In addition, both Cherry and Randy attest to Bob’s good nature. Thus, the two characters demonstrate their strength and frustration through violence, but they also have some good in them.
Bob Sheldon and Dallas Winston have one common trait that attracts Cherry Valance to them: They are both dangerous. Although Bob is described as "sweet and friendly," he becomes violent after a few drinks. Although Cherry claims to hate this side of him, she nevertheless stays with Bob. Dallas's charm is obviously laced with a dark side, and this is precisely what prompts Cherry to admit to Pony that "I could fall in love with Dallas Winston... I hope I never see him again or I will." Cherry may appreciate Ponyboy's intellect and his introspective side, but she prefers a bit of wildness in a boyfriend.
You can find the answer to this at the end of Chapter 8. It is about a page or so from the end of the chapter -- page 128 to 129 in my copy of the book.
What Cherry says is that she just thought Bob was something special. He was not just like everyone else -- in fact he might have been a bit better than everyone else. Whatever it was, he was different and people noticed him. That is what attracted her to Bob.
Pony thinks that the same thing was going on with Dally. She thought of him the same way and that is why she thought she might fall for him.