Suggestions
Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select.Please wait while we process your payment
If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Sometimes it can end up there.
If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Sometimes it can end up there.
Please wait while we process your payment
By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy.
Don’t have an account? Subscribe now
Create Your Account
Sign up for your FREE 7-day trial
Already have an account? Log in
Your Email
Choose Your Plan
Individual
Group Discount
Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan!
Purchasing SparkNotes PLUS for a group?
Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more!
Price
$24.99 $18.74 /subscription + tax
Subtotal $37.48 + tax
Save 25% on 2-49 accounts
Save 30% on 50-99 accounts
Want 100 or more? Contact us for a customized plan.
Your Plan
Payment Details
Payment Summary
SparkNotes Plus
You'll be billed after your free trial ends.
7-Day Free Trial
Not Applicable
Renews September 28, 2023 September 21, 2023
Discounts (applied to next billing)
DUE NOW
US $0.00
SNPLUSROCKS20 | 20% Discount
This is not a valid promo code.
Discount Code (one code per order)
SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan - Group Discount
Qty: 00
SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Free trial is available to new customers only.
Choose Your Plan
For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more!
You’ve successfully purchased a group discount. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. You'll also receive an email with the link.
Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership.
Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Continue to start your free trial.
Please wait while we process your payment
Your PLUS subscription has expired
Please wait while we process your payment
Please wait while we process your payment
“It’s not my idea of a good time to sit in a drive-in and watch people get drunk.”
Cherry reveals why she and Marcia are without a car at the movie: They walked out on their boyfriends, who brought booze to the movies. Cherry takes a hard stance on alcohol, on which she will later blame her boyfriend Bob’s violent behavior. Even within her own social class, Cherry is an outsider.
“Things are rough all over.”
When Cherry and Ponyboy first meet, she naively observes that life is hard for everyone in an attempt to find common ground between herself, a Soc, and Ponyboy, a greaser. Later, when Ponyboy explains just how much violence and injustice the Socs inflict on the greasers, she comes to see her observation as simplistic. Cherry’s perspectives, just like Ponyboy’s, are challenged and deepened by their meeting.
“Ponyboy… I mean… if I see you in the hall at school or something and don’t say hi, well it’s not personal or anything, but…”
Cherry explains to Ponyboy the terms of their friendship. Although she makes attempts to bond with Ponyboy, she can’t or won’t entirely embrace him into her life. She remains committed to circumscribing herself within the confines of her social class and obeying the “rules” by not talking to Ponyboy at school. Cherry feels caught between being a Soc and being an individual.
“I could fall in love with Dallas Winston,” she said. “I hope I never see him again or I will.”
Cherry’s self-awareness shows her character’s complexity. Even though she regards drinking alcohol as disgusting, and obeys the rules of being a Soc, she finds herself drawn to crude, violent guys like Dallas Winston. Cherry recognizes her weakness for the sex appeal of lawless men, even though she is a classy girl who drives a Corvette.
“I could just tell. I bet you watch sunsets, too.” She was quiet for a minute while I nodded. “I used to watch them, too, before I got so busy…”
During their talk on their walk from the drive-in, Cherry picks up on Ponyboy’s thoughtful nature. She correctly deduces he reads books, and she guesses he also watches sunsets, meaning he sees beyond the stress of daily life. Here, she identifies with Ponyboy and, at the same time, reveals she misses a more innocent time in her life. Cherry and Ponyboy share a level of sensitivity to the world around them that forges a bond and broadens their understanding of themselves, their situations, and each other.
Please wait while we process your payment