Question

assignment
the outsiders: chapter 3-4 review
kayla seybold
open - ended question
why does johnny say he likes it better when his father is hitting him?
type your answer here
rewatch

Explanation:

In The Outsiders, Johnny's home life is neglectful and abusive. When his father hits him, it means his father is acknowledging his existence; when his father ignores him entirely, Johnny feels invisible and like he has no worth. The abuse, as terrible as it is, gives him a twisted sense of being seen, which he prefers over the total emotional abandonment of being ignored.

Answer:

Johnny says he likes it better when his father is hitting him because the abuse means his father is actually acknowledging he exists. When his father ignores him completely, Johnny feels invisible and worthless, so even the violent attention feels better than being treated like he does not matter at all.