How Is Johnny Cade A Hero

Mark Waid once said, "Heroism is heroism, regardless of the timeframe or the backdrop." In the novel, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, the focus is on two social groups. The Socs are the preppy and rich kids, and the greasers are the poor, trouble-making kids. Johnny Cade was a greaser. He had greasy dark hair, sad eyes, and was known as the "lost puppy". Johnny grew up in an abusive family and that made him scared and uneasy about certain situations. A hero is someone who puts others first, understands the needs and gives help to others, and is determined to help and succeed. Johnny is a hero, because of his qualities selflessness, empathy, and courage.
The first quality that makes Johnny a hero is his selflessness in his actions. At the beginning

Before he died, Johnny said "Listen, I don't mind dying now. It's worth it. It's worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for" (Hinton 135). This quote emphasizes the idea of Johnny's selflessness. During the fire and throughout the book, it is seen that Johnny cares for others more than himself. Risking his life in the fire to save innocent kids, he never knew, has a selfless act not many people would take. This quotes also highlights the idea of Johnny's change to a hero. As seen at the beginning of the novel, Johnny is the boy from the wrong side of the track, and while the story unrolls, Johnny starts to become a hero. Johnny's selfless action of saving kids from a fire and not regretting his choice makes him a hero.
The second quality that makes Johnny a hero is his empathy towards others and his actions. At the beginning of the novel, Johnny was known as the "lost puppy." He was never one to think the best of himself, he was humble and shy. Johnny was abused as a child and into his teens. His parents were always fighting and yelling, which gave him an uneasy environment to grow up in. From his experiences with abuse and hate, he was always there