Character Analysis
Sherri (Cherry) Valance
To Pony, Cherry Valance typifies the perfect Soc girlfriend. And she is, perhaps, until her boyfriend, Bob, is killed. Cherry, a cheerleader, attends the same high school as Ponyboy. She is cute, rich, and stands up for what she believes in.
Through Pony's friendship with Cherry, he begins to see that "things are rough all over." She challenges Pony to see that the Socs are as individually unique as the greasers are, and as troubled. Cherry acts as a spy for the greasers, and in doing so wants not only to help the greasers, but the Socs as well. She wants the fighting to end, and she does whatever is necessary to even the sides and balance the power between the two rival groups.