Answer:
Ponyboy’s opinion of the Socs begins to change through his interactions with Cherry. Largely because he had only thought of the Socs as a group, rather than considered them as individuals, Ponyboy had a strong class-based prejudice against the wealthier youths. When he begins to talk with Cherry, he starts to understand that each person in the group is an individual, and he gradually accepts her perspective that even relatively wealthy teenagers can have problems.
While the boys in both groups had some minor scuffles, the fight between Johnny and Bob represents a turning point. While Pony wants to support his own group and believes that self-defense is a justification, he is appalled when Johnny kills Bob. The likelihood of greater escalation in the inter-group violence, as well as the legal repercussions they will face, makes him realize the destructive power of their conflict. Reacting to the deaths of Johnny and Dally, Pony suffers a breakdown.
As he recuperates, Pony thinks about the impact of the Soc boy’s death on his family and friends. Randy, another a Soc who had been Bob’s best friend, reaches out to Pony. Their conversation furthers Pony’s understanding of the individuality of the group members, as well as similarities in their values, such as friendship and loyalty. Although he has another potentially violent encounter with some Socs, he listens to his friends and decides to live and let live.
