not assume that he will behave in any particular way. Instead, she expresses interest in characteristics that make him an individual, beginning with his unique name. Similarly, Ponyboy is friendly and outgoing toward people who associate with various groups. He also refrains from prejudging people based on their appearance or rumors he has heard from other people. Neither of them advocates the violent confrontations that often occur between members of their respective groups, but Ponyboy initially sees them as inevitable. Cherry appreciates the beautiful side of life, including nature, and hopes that people can live in harmony. Ponyboy is introspective and enjoys reading and movies.

Several of Ponyboy and Cherry's conversations could be characterized as heartfelt, sensitive, insightful, and honest discussions that make them seem different from their groups in their ability to acknowledge shortcomings of their group. For instance, at the end of chapter 2, Cherry says to Ponyboy,

I'll bet you think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, the West-side Socs. I'll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you've never even heard of. You want to know something? … Things are rough all over.

Her statement makes Ponyboy think about the Socs in a way he never had before. He begins to recognize that the group is comprised of individuals, many of whom are just as insecure and frightened as some of his Greaser friends. He also begins to see how their very affluence creates difficulties for them, such as the pressure their parents impose on them to achieve academic and financial success.

Another conversation between the two leads to Ponyboy's recognition about the similarities between the two groups when they discuss sunsets. Deriving enjoyment from watching sunsets is something that they share. Ponyboy realizes that the sunset appears the same in her affluent neighborhood as it does in his blue collar one. He writes,

It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and, the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset.

Finally, after the fight between the Socs and Greasers, they have another difficult conversation that shows how much pain each one is in. She tells Ponyboy about Bob, the boy Johnny killed in the fight, saying that Ponyboy and the Greasers "only knew his bad side," but he had another side that humanized him: "He could be sweet sometimes, and friendly."

Ponyboy is prompted to say something hurtful to Cherry. He accuses her of being a traitor to the Socs and condescending to the Greasers, presumably to assuage any guilt about the poor treatment they endure at the hands of other Socs. He is wrong. Cherry is not a traitor. Rather, she is someone who understands the human frailties and foibles that create a seemingly impenetrable wall between the two groups. She is saddened that this wall leads to senseless violence.

Ponyboy immediately feels ashamed of what he has said to Cherry, which is another example of how their relationship creates emotions that make each one realize that the opposing group is comprised of individuals. They end the conversation by returning to the topic of the sunset. This is a way of apology and of bridging the gap between them because the sunset is the same for each, despite the wide gulf between them in terms of socio-economic status.