I am a menace to society

Dallas: Ah, good.

Ponyboy: What matters is on the inside!

“You’re an asshole.” and “I can take care of myself just fine.”

You wrapped your arms around your waist, protecting yourself from the cool wind. You kicked at stray rocks as you made your way to Darry’s house. You hoped the boys weren’t too beat up, or could at least handle themselves until you showed up.

There had been a rumble that night, and most of the time you stayed at the Curtis house when there was a rumble, to make sure they were alright when they arrived home, but that night you had picked up an extra shift at work. Darry had reassured you they would be fine, but you wanted to drop by after work to make sure everyone was alright.

You reached the gate of the home and pulled up the latch. You could hear the boys inside hollering about how they kicked ass. You smiled and felt relief wash over you. It felt good to know they didn’t seem too beat up. But you knew that after being in a fight they had to have had some scrapes and bruises.

You knocked on the door before opening it, and let yourself in, “sorry I’m a little late..”

“Ya missed the best night ever!” Steve wrapped his arm around your shoulder, and chugged his beer, “you shoulda seen us kickin’ their asses!”

You smiled at Steve, “I can imagine it now,” your eyes moved from him and towards the others, “where’s Dally?”

“Bathroom, cleanin’ up,” Two-bit nodded his head in the direction, “he don’t seem too happy though. He looked real mad beating up on those socs tonight.”

You were positive that they had all probably looked mad. They had just been in a big fight, and if you didn’t look at least a little tough you would be an easy target. The way Two-bit had said that though, you were sure Dally had been more cold than usual.

You walked towards the bathroom and gently pushed open the cracked door. Dally stood at the sink, looking at his busted lip and bruising eye. His eyes cut towards you and you felt your entire body tense. He had never given you such a nasty stare.

“You alright?” You asked from the doorway, trying to assess the situation before moving closer to Dally. “I wanted to check on you before I-”

“Yea,” Dally cut you off, “just fine.”

You were used to Dally being short with you, that’s how he spoke to most people. You weren’t used to him sounding so hateful. Not towards you anyway. Even though Dally had a tendency to get mad and yell, and had more outbursts than you could even remember, he had never spoken to you in that tone.

You instantly felt defensive, your arms crossing over your chest and your eyes narrowing. You still wanted to help him though, he looked more beat up than usual, “I think I need to look at your eye, it don’t look too good.”

“I’ll be alright,” he snapped back, not even caring to look at you.

You sighed and turned your head back towards the living room, Steve, Johnny, and Pony looking at you with wide eyes. They turned their heads away immediately, and you looked back to Dally. You bit the inside of your cheek, watching Dally act as if you weren’t even there.

“Dally,” you exhaled, hoping he would at least let you help him, “just let me help you. You’re hurt.”

“I can take care of myself just fine.” Dally grabbed the sink, his knuckles turning white.

You stood in the doorway of the bathroom for a moment, watching him closely. He turned his head away from you, his grip on the sink only tightening. Your confusion quickly turned to anger as you glared at Dally. Your arms fell to your sides and you took a step back, grabbing the doorknob.

“You’re an asshole.”

First, thank you so much! I reallyappreciate hearing that! :3

What a great question! Well, the way Isee Dallas Winston is, bluntly put, a very misunderstood and complexcharacter. There are many layers to him, and I think that’s whatmakes him so charismatic and mysterious to a lot of readers—whatdraws them in. If we look at Ponyboy’s perspective in the beginningof the novel, we’re given a very straight, black and white image ofDallas. He’s cold, ruthless, mean, and tough. As the storyprogresses, however, we’re shown multiple sides of Dallas that offera deeper insight to him as a character.

Tostart, Dallas was brought up in a very rough and callous way, perhapseven viewed as a victim of society and harsh circumstances. From whatwe’re told in the book, we know that neither one of his parents arereally a part of his life—his father doesn’t care about him, andhis mother isn’t in the picture, I imagine—so Dallas wasn’t raisedwith any form of support from a family. He learned to survive on hisown in a very cold and unforgiving environment, toughening himself upand turning into a hood, because he didn’t know any other way. Hespent three years on the wild side of New York, running with gangsand getting arrested at the age of ten, becoming accustomed to theways of street life, criminality, and violence. He hardened himselfat a young age, the only thing mattering being self-preservation.

Dallaswas able to feel a lot of emotions, but he didn’t know how toproperly express them or himself. He concealed his feelings,barricading himself behind the walls that he built up to protecthimself throughout his childhood. He became tough, harsh, mean, andcold, engaging himself in gang and criminal activity, because he hadno set goals for himself and had a bleak and savage outlook on life.Despite all of this, I strongly believe that there was some good inDallas, and that he was able to feel. He just knew how to conceal hisemotions, as he didn’t want to appear weak, a defense mechanism in which he usedto protect himself. Dallas had a great amount of empathy, as shown inthe book on several occasions:

-He takes the blame for Two-Bit, who had smashed the school windows

-He helps Ponyboy and Johnny escape, providing them with money andshelter

-He delivers Soda’s letter to Ponyboy at the church

-He tells Ponyboy how worried Darry is, how he’s “takin’ this mightyhard …”

-He also has told Ponyboy that Darry does care for him, despite theyounger teen’s disbelief

-He tells Johnny that he doesn’t want him to get mean or become hardin jail

Allof these examples prove that Dallas is not without a conscious, thathe does feel, that he cares, and that he’s more than capable ofexpressing his feelings than what he lets on. I feel that he saw ayounger version of himself through Johnny, which is why he was soadamant (“crazy”) about not wanting him to get into trouble andbecome like him.

Dallaslived violently, dangerously, wildly, and rapidly. He was cruel andbitter, mean and tough, but there was good in him. He was a loyalfriend, a protector, empathetic, and understanding. He was alsosmart, maybe not academically, but he was street savvy and wise, andrespected because of it.

I got pretty fed up with looking for words to replace said because they weren’t sorted in a way I could easily use/find them for the right time. So I did some myself.

IN RESPONSE TO Acknowledged Answered Protested

INPUT/JOIN CONVERSATION/ASK Added Implored Inquired Insisted Proposed Queried Questioned Recommended Testified

GUILTY/RELUCTANCE/SORRY Admitted Apologized Conceded Confessed Professed

FOR SOMEONE ELSE Advised Criticized Suggested

JUST CHECKING Affirmed Agreed Alleged Confirmed

LOUD Announced Chanted Crowed

LEWD/CUTE/SECRET SPY FEEL Appealed Disclosed Moaned

ANGRY FUCK OFF MATE WANNA FIGHT Argued Barked Challenged Cursed Fumed Growled Hissed Roared Swore

SMARTASS Articulated Asserted Assured Avowed Claimed Commanded Cross-examined Demanded Digressed Directed Foretold Instructed Interrupted Predicted Proclaimed Quoted Theorized

ASSHOLE Bellowed Boasted Bragged

NERVOUS TRAINWRECK Babbled Bawled Mumbled Sputtered Stammered Stuttered

SUAVE MOTHERFUCKER Bargained Divulged Disclosed Exhorted

FIRST OFF Began

LASTLY Concluded Concurred

WEAK PUSY Begged Blurted Complained Cried Faltered Fretted

HAPPY/LOL Cajoled Exclaimed Gushed Jested Joked Laughed

WEIRDLY HAPPY/EXCITED Extolled Jabbered Raved

BRUH, CHILL Cautioned Warned

ACTUALLY, YOU’RE WRONG Chided Contended Corrected Countered Debated Elaborated Objected Ranted Retorted

CHILL SAVAGE Commented Continued Observed Surmised

LISTEN BUDDY Enunciated Explained Elaborated Hinted Implied Lectured Reiterated Recited Reminded Stressed

BRUH I NEED U AND U NEED ME Confided Offered Urged

FINE Consented Decided

TOO EMO FULL OF EMOTIONS Croaked Lamented Pledged Sobbed Sympathized Wailed Whimpered

JUST SAYING Declared Decreed Mentioned Noted Pointed out Postulated Speculated Stated Told Vouched

WASN’T ME Denied Lied

EVIL SMARTASS Dictated Equivocated Ordered Reprimanded Threatened

BORED Droned Sighed

SHHHH IT’S QUIET TIME Echoed Mumbled Murmured Muttered Uttered Whispered

DRAMA QUEEN Exaggerated Panted Pleaded Prayed Preached

OH SHIT Gasped Marveled Screamed Screeched Shouted Shrieked Yelped Yelled

ANNOYED Grumbled Grunted Jeered Quipped Scolded Snapped Snarled Sneered

ANNOYING Nagged

I DON’T REALLY CARE BUT WHATEVER Guessed Ventured

I’M DRUNK OR JUST BEING WEIRDLY EXPRESSIVE FOR A POINT/SARCASM Hooted Howled Yowled

I WONDER Pondered Voiced Wondered

OH, YEAH, WHOOPS Recalled Recited Remembered

SURPRISE BITCH Revealed

IT SEEMS FAKE BUT OKAY/HA ACTUALLY FUNNY BUT I DON’T WANT TO LAUGH OUT LOUD Scoffed Snickered Snorted

BITCHY Tattled Taunted Teased

I WAS WATCHING A ROB LOWE INTERVIEW AND HE DID THE LAUGH

yesss heres the Key Things I try to remember when writing abt them ((I could go a lot more in depth for each character so if u need more help just message me!!))

I’m back from hiatus and wanted to say my requests are open! I don’t have too many at the moment, so I’d love some more if any of you have anything you want me to write!