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  • Essay / Analysis of Dallas Winston as the Byronic hero in The Outsiders

    The Outsiders is a coming-of-age film released in 1983 in which Francis Ford Coppola based himself on the book by SE Hinton by 1967. The hero I'm focusing on today is Dallas Winston. Dallas is originally from New York and seems to have no family other than his gang, the Greasers. He may have a strong attitude, but he will fight to the death for his gang. Dallas Winston is the Byronic hero because of the qualities he possesses that most resonate with this archetype. The three aspects he describes are: 1) having a troubled past or suffering from an unnamed crime 2) intelligent and insightful and 3) self-destructive. Dallas seems to have a troubled past and suffers from his family with whom he has no contact and also because he went to prison. Dallas is intelligent and perceptive as he helped Ponyboy and Johnny (members of the Greasers) hide from the police when they accidentally murdered a rival gang member. The self-destructive aspects come from when the character started to lose his mind when Johnny dies and causes a commotion that gets shot. Dallas portrays a Byronic hero through his choices and actions throughout the film. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In the film, the Greasers are a gang who will look out for each other no matter what because they are a family. When one of the members accidentally kills a rival gang member, he must go into hiding until he is safe. Now, due to the death of a rival gang member, there is a Royal Rumble that will result in a lot of chaos. Dallas loses his mind when he discovers that Johnny is dead, he is then killed by the police while acting with an unloaded gun. Dallas has a strong attitude which he says comes from his time in prison. His troubled past with his family could be one of the reasons why he is self-destructive in many ways. He's a murderer but he will protect his gang with all his might. Dallas has a protective side to his gang because he doesn't have family to protect and care for him, so he finds it elsewhere. He may be self-destructive because his time in prison was a negative experience. Dallas is smart because he had to learn to fend for himself. At the end of the film, Dallas is heartbroken at the news of the death of one of his gang members and robs a store with an unloaded gun. The police approach him from all angles and shoot him. Dallas Winston's self-destructive behavior taught him that his behavior towards himself was not worth it as he ended up getting murdered because of his terrible decisions. This lesson makes Dallas Winston a Byronic hero because his troubled past shaped him and acquired his self-destructive behavior. These aspects make Dallas Winston a Byronic hero in The Outsiders. A Byronic hero possesses the quality of his troubled past and his sufferings. Dallas Winston exhibits the same trait. For example, in this scene, Dallas Winston tells one of his gang members who just accidentally murdered someone the truth about what prison does to you because he experienced it. The Hero says: “Johnny, you don’t know what a few months in prison can do to you, man. You get mean in prison, I just don't want it to happen to you like it happened to me, man. Understand?". By using these words in this situation, the hero clearly demonstrates that he is driven by the same forces that drive a Byronic hero. According to Tvtropes.org, a Byronic hero is motivated "by a significant loss, or by a crime or error committed which still haunts him, or, conversely, by themakes him suffer from a nameless crime against him.” Dallas Winston hasn't explained how he ended up in prison, but he says it changed him in a negative way. His troubled past has shaped his actions and behavior. For example, the hero says: “I thought New York was the only place I found myself in a murder case. These words may indicate that Dallas found himself in one of the worst positions and may have fled, which may explain why he acts the way he does. Dallas Winston may need to find a home and family where he feels safe. This ties back to how he lives alone and treats his gang, the Greasers, like his own family. A Byronic hero also possesses the quality of being intelligent and insightful. Dallas Winston exhibits this trait in The Outsiders. For example, when some of his gang members asked him for help while involved in a murder scene, Dallas knew exactly what to do. The hero says: “Take the train to Windrixville. It's freight. There is an abandoned church at the top of Jay Mountain. There is a pump on the back, so you don't have to worry about water. Get a week's supply of food upon arrival, before the story is revealed. So don't go outside. Am I clear? I’ll be there when everything is cool.” By giving them this advice, the hero reveals his characteristics as a Byronic hero because he is perspective and intelligent. According to Literary Blueprints, “This passion also fuels the Byronic hero’s need for justice. » Dallas shows intelligence but perspective in this situation as he takes into account his murder experience and does not want his gang members to be involved in the same case as him. He gives them advice on how to live until things calm down, because he doesn't want his friends to fall because of something that was an accident. For example, the hero says: “While I was there, they made it clear to me that... you were going to Texas. They think you're in Texas. In this situation, Dallas made up a fake location to indicate where his friends might be so they wouldn't be arrested and sent to jail. He was knowledgeable and took his friend's perspective on what to do in this situation, because he has also experienced this and needs to protect his family with all his will. Finally, the last archetypal characteristic is self-destructive behavior. A Byronic hero also possesses the quality of being self-destructive. Dallas Winston exhibits this negative behavior throughout the film. In one scene, the hero says, "Do you think my old man would care... if I died in a car accident or in prison or something?" He doesn't care. In this situation, Dallas shows us that he does not have his real family in his life, which can have many negative impacts in life. According to Study.com, "self-destructive behavior is a response to something that damaged a person's self-esteem, often at a very young age, such as the loss of a parent or other significant other." key, a traumatic experience or failure accompanied by rejection." Dallas is motivated by his past experiences with his family to behave in self-destructive ways. His experiences have made him believe that no one cares about his life. In another example, the hero takes action after the death of one of his friends Dallas Winston shouts: "You will never save me" He carried an unloaded gun and stole from a store, which attracted the attention of! the police couldn't accept that someone else abandoned him and acts in rage, which then allows him to be shot by the police. These words indicate that Dallas doesn't feel worthy of. his life and.