In S.E. Hinton’s ​
The Outsiders​
, sunsets symbolize the common ground the character share despite their different problems and social classes. No matter what, they have something in common; people are people. Throughout the story, Hinton emphasizes that even when the differences between characters is clear, they still have something in common. For example, when Cherry has decided to leave with Bob, she says to Pony, “We aren’t in the same class. Just don’t forget some of us watch sunsets too” (46). Despite the fact that Cherry could never be seen in public with Pony, she wants him to understand she feels a commonality with him. Hinton consistently peppers the reader with examples of how characters from both groups mirror each other. Pony and Cherry are both sensitive, nonviolent characters; they both enjoy the sunset which is the same regardless of where they are physically or socially. Hinton writes, “Marcia and Two­Bit were hitting it off fine. They both had the same scatter brained sense of humor” (35). Basically, if it were not for the labels, Marcia and Two­Bit could at a minimum be friends because they share the same sense of humor. Unfortunately, their differences get in the way. Hinton wants the reader to learn that people are the same. The sunsets represent those similarities. There are consistent examples throughout, but Pony sums it up best when he realizes, “Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset” (41). Pony is saying maybe we are the same; maybe we all struggle; the sun is the positives we share.