Ponyboy grows into more of an adult after talking with Cherry and after understanding that everyone faces problems and that the socs and greasers are not that different. By the end of the novel, after Ponyboy has witnessed the deaths of Bob Sheldon, Dally, and Johnny, he has lost his innocence because he has now experienced the struggles that the other gang members have been through. Also, when he goes to the church, he is no longer in a sheltered, safe environment with his brothers who sheild him from the violence. Thus, the church scene is also a big catalyst for change in Ponyboy.