Johnny Cade [his last words, to Ponyboy]
Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.
2nd most-quoted character in The Outsiders (1983): in 7 of its 16 quotes
Most scenes with: Ponyboy (4)
I used to talk about killing myself all the time, man. But I don't wanna die now. It ain't long enough. Sixteen years ain't gonna be long enough. Hell, I wouldn't care so much if there hadn't been so many things I haven't done yet. So many, so many damn things I ain't seen or done. That time when we were up in Windrixville was the only time I've ever been away from my neighborhood.
More lines from Johnny Cade
2 quotes Johnny Cade Johnny Cade [voiceover, in a letter]
Ponyboy, I asked the nurse to give you this book so you could finish it. The doctor came in a while ago but I already knew it anyway. I keep getting tireder and tireder. Listen,I don't mind dying now. It was worth it. It was worth saving those kids.Their lives are worth more than mine; they have more to live for. Some of the parents came by to thank me and I know it was worth it. Tell Dally it was worth it. I'm just gonna miss you guys. I've been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you are gold when you're a kid, like green. When you're a kid everything is new, dawn. It's just...just when you get used to everything it's day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's Gold. Keep it that way, it's a good way to be. I want you to tell Dally to look at one. He'll probably think you're crazy, but ask for me. I don't think he's ever really seen a sunset. And don't be bugged over being a greaser. You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There's still a lot of good in the world. Tell Dally. I don't think he knows. Your Buddy, Johnny.
Scenes with Johnny Cade
4 scenes Johnny It's like the mist is what's pretty, ya know? All gold and silver.
Hmm
Johnny Too bad it can't stay like that all the time.
Nothing gold can stay.
[At the drive-inn, Dallas, Ponyboy and Johnny sit behind two girls, both Socs, Cherry and Marcia]
Some cute redhead, huh? [leans forward and into Cherry's ear] Are you a reeaal red? [she giggles slightly, but keeps her eyes on the movie] Are you real? How can I find out if this is your real red hair? If this is the same red hair that you have on your...your... [motioning to her skirt, then quickly to her face] ...these eyebrows. [sits back and laughs]
Cherry [gives him an incredulous glare]
Get your feet off my chair and shut your trap.
Who's gonna make me, huh? [rolls his eyes] Who, your boyfriend?
Cherry You'd better leave us alone, or I'll call the cops.
[sarcastically, in mock fright]
Oh, my, my! You've got me scared to death. What am I gonna do now, Pony? This girl's making me shake.
Cherry Can't you just leave us alone? Be nice and leave us alone?
[grins]
I'm never nice. [sitting up next to her again] Can I interest you in a Coca-Cola, or a...
Cherry [interrupts]
Get lost, hood!
Wow, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had this problem with...yelling in my face. [stands up] Alright, I'll go. I know when I'm not wanted. Here, I thought this might cool you off. [hands Cherry a coke and sits right next to her]
Cherry [takes the straw out of her coke and throws it in Dally's face]
Maybe that'll cool YOU off, Greaser...when you learn to talk and act decent, then maybe I'll cool off too.
[wipes some of the coke off his face and goes in for Cherry]
Firey, huh? Just the way I like them!
Cherry [tries to push Dallas off]
GET OFF OF ME!
Come on...
Johnny [stands up]
Look, leave her alone, Dal!
Johnny [a little bit frightened]
Come on Dal, you heard me.
What'd you say? What'd you say, you little shit? What'd you say to me?
Johnny Come on...
Wiseass! [seconds later, he gets up and leaves]
Cherry [to Johnny]
Thank you...he had me scared to death!
Johnny You sure didn't show it. Ain't nobody ever talk to Dal like that!
Cherry From what I saw, you do.
Johnny [After Johnny killed Bob, Ponyboy woke up to see Johnny with his blood-stained switchblade when Bob, Randy and the other Socs tried to drown him in a fountain] [trembles in fear]
I-I...I killed him...I killed that boy... [turns to Ponyboy] I killed him...
Johnny Go ahead, man. I ain't - I ain't gonna look at you. I ain't gonna look at you. [Ponyboy pukes off the side of the merry-go-round and sits on it to recover; walks by Bob's body and over to Ponyboy to aid him] Pony, you alright?
You really did kill him, huh, Johnny?
Johnny Yeah. I had to. They-They were drowning you. They-They might've killed you. They were gonna beat me up. [buries his switchblade into the ground]
What happened to the other guys?
Johnny Huh? They-They all ran. They all ran off when I stabbed him. They all ran.
Nature's first green is gold / Her hardest hue to hold / Her early leaf's a flower / But only so an hour / Then leaf subsides to leaf / So Eden sank to grief / So dawn goes down to day / Nothing gold can stay.
Johnny [impressed]
Where did you learn that? That's what I meant.
Robert Frost wrote it. I always remembered it because I never quite knew what he meant by it.
