The Outsiders Imagines and Short Stories

Cherry Valance - Analysis

Cherry Valance Analysis Essay

    Sherri Valance, (aka Cherry), is a 16-year-old girl notorious for her flaming red hair from S.E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders. In the story, she is part of the Soc's group and is known for telling the main character that everything in their town was rough. Her interactions with other characters in The Outsiders suggest Ms. Valance has a disorder known as Stockholm Syndrome.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines Stockholm Syndrome as "feelings of trust or affection felt in certain cases of kidnapping or hostage-taking by a victim to a captor". Cherry is not physically held hostage by Bob, but Stockholm Syndrome can happen in abusive relationships between significant others and parents. Stockholm Syndrome develops as a subconscious survival tactic for the victim in order to keep their abuser appeased. Stockholm Syndrome may seem like a simple disorder, but the causes behind it are complicated and start as early as early childhood. Stockholm Syndrome's effects can last for an unspecific amount of time, occasionally leaving the victim with an internal desire to seek more abusive relationships in their future or even attach themselves with the person that abused and 'loved' them. One who has read The Outsiders may wonder what this may have to do with Cherry, since the text never outright indicates the red-headed soc being abused by a parental figure or by her boyfriend. With a closer look at the text, the possibility of Ms. Valance having Stockholm Syndrome becomes an idea that is brushed under the rug because of the lack of information regarding her childhood. According to a psychology major I spoke to, it's very likely Cherry was abused as a child by her father or an uncle. After being beaten or mentally abused, she would likely have been treated like a princess, manipulated into coming back to him. This coincides with notorious Stockholm Syndrome Cases.

In the beginning of the story, she's seen with a young man named Bob Sheldon, who is killed later on in the story. One scene depicts that Cherry and Bob's relationship is strained because he pressures her to drink with him. Cherry leaves Bob at the drive-in theatre eventually making friends with greasers, her social class's rival, only for Bob to later find her with her newfound friends. As soon as a fight threatens to break out amongst the greasers and socs, Cherry tells Bob she'll go with him because she doesn't want there to be a fight. Later in the story, Cherry tells Ponyboy that Bob (who had recently been killed), that he was a sweet boy, it was only when he was drinking they had issues.

Stockholm Syndrome cases may also include the victim apologizing for the perpetrator's actions, saying that they deserved the abuse, or it's their fault the wrongdoer lashed out. As mentioned earlier, Cherry talks to Ponyboy for the last time, she pardons Bob's reprehensible actions. Valance excuses Bob's behavior by saying that he could be sweet and a model boy when he was sober. This proves Cherry was a metaphorical hostage. Bob's death was abrupt, likely causing Cherry to feel withdrawals from his 'affection'. During their relationship, she likely felt that she had to stay with Bob, because no matter how terrible he was to her or other people, she would always come back. She knew he was jumping Greasers and younger kids, therefore it's difficult to imagine there were not occasions that Bob didn't lay his hands on his girlfriend. After Bob finds Cherry with her greaser friends, they argue about how she didn't like spending time with him when he drank. This suggests a mirror between Cherry's possible past with an abusive father figure that could have been or still was an alcoholic. It is likely that Cherry knew that what was being done to her with her first abuser and in her relationship with Bob was immoral, but since she had been victimized in the past, she was trapped in an abusive loop.

Another key character that supports the idea that Cherry Valance has Stockholm Syndrome is Dallas Winston. Towards the end of the story, Ms. Valance mentions to her new friend, (Ponyboy), that she could fall in love with Winston. He is described by Ponyboy, the narrator, as someone who shared some of Bob's tendencies. He was reputable for having a bad reputation, known for his criminal record and coarse, near pitiless personality. The narrator of The Outsiders implies that he has a fondness for alcohol and thrill. This said, one can infer from Dallas Winston's personality that he has the capability to mentally abuse a long-term girlfriend and manipulate her into coming back to his 'care'. With these qualities, it is possible that from Cherry's encounter with Dallas, she knew it was possible that he would have similar qualities to her (inherent) childhood abuser and Bob. These events also point toward sociopathic tendencies because she plausibly idolized this abuse from Bob and the thought of Dallas's unhealthy behavior, causing her to seek relationships that shared similar abusive qualities.

Everyone within the Outsiders community recognizes Johnny Cade's depressive and suicidal personality, as well as Dallas Winston's, yet no one has taken the time to properly analyze Cherry Valance and realize that she has Stockholm Syndrome. Knowledge about this disorder is not as prevalent as the knowledge of anxiety or depression are, therefore giving people some forgiveness on this topic.

In conclusion, Cherry Valance's experience needs to be discussed. There should be conversation surrounding this ailment, as it is far more common than people perceive. It is common in books and movies with characters that have rough backgrounds. Sherri Valance's struggles are not as apparent at a first glance, but when carefully analyzed, it is obvious that her attraction to 'bad boys' perhaps has underlying reasons.