He was the gang’s hardened survivor, the one with eyes like “blazing ice.”
Dallas “Dally” Winston, shaped by a tough New York past and time in jail before he even hit seventeen, is the most cynical and volatile member of the Greasers in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders.
His rebellious attitude and disregard for the law mask a fierce protectiveness, especially towards Johnny Cade, revealing a complex character beneath the cold exterior.
This collection gathers 19 of Dally’s defining quotes and key descriptions, showcasing his bitterness, his rare moments of vulnerability, his relationship with Johnny, and his explosive final act.
Find his impactful lines accurately cited with page numbers from the Platinum Edition (Viking, 2006). Explore the words that reveal the Greasers’ toughest, most tragic figure.
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Tougher, Colder, Meaner: Dally’s Hardened Exterior
Dally built a wall around himself, using toughness, cynicism, and a disregard for rules as armor against a world he perceived as hostile.
“He had an elfish face… His eyes were blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world… He was tougher than the rest of us—tougher, colder, meaner. The shade of difference that separates a greaser from a hood wasn’t present in Dally.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s appearance & nature (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 1, Page 10
(How did Ponyboy see others? Read Ponyboy’s Character Quotes.)
“He had quite a reputation… arrested, he got drunk, he rode in rodeos, lied, cheated, stole, rolled drunks, jumped small kids— he did everything. I didn’t like him, but he was smart and you had to respect him.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s record (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 1, Page 11
“Dally hated to do things the legal way. He liked to show that he didn’t care whether there was a law or not. He went around trying to break laws.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s rebelliousness (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 2, Page 20
“Oh, my, my”— Dally looked bored— “you’ve got me scared to death. You ought to see my record sometime, baby.” … “I’m never nice. Want a Coke?”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Dally Winston to Cherry), Chapter 2, Page 22
(What was Cherry’s reaction? See Cherry Valance’s Quotes.)
“Dally was so real he scared me.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s intensity (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 5, Page 76
“‘Don’t worry,’ Dally went on, ‘it ain’t loaded. I ain’t aimin’ to get picked up for murder. But it sure does help a bluff.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Dallas Winston about his heater), Chapter 5, Page 83
“You get tough like me and you don’t get hurt. You look out for yourself and nothin’ can touch you…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about survival (Character: Dallas Winston to Ponyboy), Chapter 9, Page 147
Fierce Loyalty: Dally and Johnny
The one crack in Dally’s armor was Johnny Cade. Dally’s fierce, almost desperate protectiveness towards Johnny revealed a capacity for love he showed nowhere else.
“If it had been me, or Two-Bit… or anyone but Johnny, Dally would have flattened him without a moment’s hesitation.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s protectiveness of Johnny (Character: Ponyboy Curtis as narrator), Chapter 2, Page 24
“He didn’t bat an eye when Johnny told him what had happened, only grinned and said “Good for you” when Johnny told how he had knifed the Soc.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s reaction to Bob’s death (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 4, Page 59
“‘Man, I thought New York was the only place I could get mixed up in a murder rap'”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Dallas Winston reacting to Johnny), Chapter 4, Page 61
“Git goin’!” He messed up Johnny’s hair. “Take care, kid,” he said softly.
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (Character: Dallas Winston helping Johnny & Ponyboy), Chapter 4, Page 62
“It would be a miracle if Dally loved anything. The fight for self-preservation had hardened him beyond caring.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s capacity to love (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 4, Page 59
“Johnny, you don’t know what a few months in jail can do to you, man. You get mean in jail, I just don’t wanna see that happen to you like it happened to me…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about protecting Johnny (Character: Dallas Winston), Chapter 6, Page 89
“Johnny was the only thing Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s love for Johnny (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 10, Page 152
Breaking Point: Grief and Self-Destruction
Johnny’s death shattered Dally’s carefully constructed armor, leading him down a path of grief-fueled desperation and ultimately, a violent end he seemed to choose himself.
“Dally swallowed and reached over to push Johnny’s hair back. ‘Never could keep that hair back… that’s what you get for tryin’ to help people…’ Whirling suddenly, he slammed back against the wall… ‘Damnit Johnny…’ he begged… ‘Oh, damnit, Johnny, don’t die, please don’t die…’ He suddenly bolted…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s reaction to Johnny’s death (Character: Dallas Winston), Chapter 9, Page 149
“…I knew he would be dead, because Dally Winston wanted to be dead and he always got what he wanted.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s death wish (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 10, Page 154
“He died violent and young and desperate, just like we all knew he’d die someday.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s inevitable end (Character: Ponyboy as the narrator), Chapter 10, Page 154
“You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want… Tell Dally. I don’t think he knows.”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, (from Johnny Cade’s note mentioning Dally), Chapter 12, Page 179
(Why tell Dally? Understand the ‘Stay Gold’ vs. Dally contrast.)
(What else did Johnny say? Read Johnny’s Full Message.)
“It was too late to tell Dally. Would he have listened? I doubted it… I could see boys going under street lights because they were mean and tough and hated the world…”
~S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, about Dally’s lost hope (Character: Ponyboy as narrator), Chapter 12, Page 179
Dallas Winston Quotes FAQ
What are some quotes that Dally said?
Key quotes revealing Dally’s worldview include: “You get tough like me and you don’t get hurt” (p. 147), and his warning to Johnny about jail: “You get mean in jail, I just don’t wanna see that happen to you like it happened to me…” (p. 89).
What were Dally Winston’s last words?
Dally dies without speaking final words. His last significant dialogue is his anguished plea at Johnny’s bedside: “Oh, damnit, Johnny, don’t die, please don’t die…” (p. 149).
Is Dally in love with Johnny? / Who does Dally love?
Yes, the narrative states Dally’s deep love for Johnny was unique. Ponyboy observes: “Johnny was the only thing Dally loved. And now Johnny was gone.” (p. 152).
Who is Dally’s girlfriend in The Outsiders?
Dally mentions an ex-girlfriend, Sylvia, who two-timed him while he was in jail (Chapter 1, Page 14). He doesn’t have a girlfriend during the main events of the novel.
What caused Dally’s death?
Dally’s death was a deliberate “suicide by cop.” Devastated by losing Johnny, the only person he loved, Dally robbed a store to invite police pursuit and then raised his unloaded gun, ensuring the police would shoot him.
Dallas Winston, the Greasers’ wild heart, lived and died on the edge. Hardened by life, his cynical shell protected a fierce loyalty, most profoundly felt for Johnny Cade. Dally’s tragic trajectory serves as a stark warning about the consequences of lost hope and a life defined by conflict.
We hope this collection of 19 defining quotes, accurately cited from the Platinum Edition (Viking, 2006), provides deeper insight into one of The Outsiders‘ most complex and unforgettable characters.
What does Dally’s character teach us about survival? Share your thoughts below!
Cite This Page (MLA Format)
Mortis, Jeremy. “19 Defining Dallas Winston Quotes With Page Numbers From The Outsiders.” Ageless Investing, 19 July 2023, agelessinvesting.com/dallas-winston-quotes/.
Reference Edition Used
Hinton, S. E. The Outsiders. Platinum ed., Viking Books for Young Readers, 2006.
Further Reading & Related Resources:
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the SPARK framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.