The 57 Bus

The 57 Bus

by

Dashka Slater

Cherie Character Analysis

Richard’s oldest friend. Richard and Cherie grow up in the same neighborhood and have known each other all their lives. Cherie supports Richard, even after he is arrested for Sasha’s assault, and she is deeply affected by his actions and legal difficulties. Cherie has a special relationship with Kaprice Wilson, and she benefits greatly from her truancy program at Oakland High School.
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Cherie Character Timeline in The 57 Bus

The timeline below shows where the character Cherie appears in The 57 Bus. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 2: An Old Friend
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Richard’s childhood friend Cherie talks about Richard’s first day at Oakland High. He didn’t attend the school until their... (full context)
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
“[Richard] gets on my nerves but I love him to death,” Cherie says. “He is my friend. I don’t know what I would do without him.” Richard... (full context)
Adolescent Crime vs. Adult Crime Theme Icon
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Cherie also points out that Richard is shy around those he doesn’t know. He falls to... (full context)
Part 2: Miss Kaprice
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
During the first month of Richard’s time at O High, Cherie gets into a fight and is sent home. She texts Richard in the middle of... (full context)
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
When Cherie gets to the bus stop, however, she is with Kaprice Wilson, O High’s truancy coordinator.... (full context)
Part 2: The Best Mother Ever
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Kaprice is the “surrogate mom” to many kids at Oakland High. Cherie even calls her “Mom,” like many other students do, and they all keep Kaprice updated... (full context)
Part 2: How It Was Before
Adolescent Crime vs. Adult Crime Theme Icon
Cherie remembers back in 2012, when she and Richard were freshmen, they used to “cut school... (full context)
Part 2: Fighting
Adolescent Crime vs. Adult Crime Theme Icon
One day back in 2012, Cherie and Richard skipped school with a group of friends, including their old friend, Skeet. They... (full context)
Part 2: Arrested
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
“We were just young,” Cherie says. “We didn’t even think we could go to jail for it. Honestly, we didn’t... (full context)
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Each of them was sentenced and “went their separate ways.” Cherie was sentenced to probation and made to wear a “GPS monitor on her ankle,” but... (full context)
Part 2: If
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Skeet’s death “killed Richard,” Cherie says. Skeet started to hang out with some pretty bad kids after he ran away... (full context)
Part 2: Murder
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
...and a sixteen-month-old boy.” Death, unfortunately, is commonplace in Oakland. “Every year we lose somebody,” Cherie says. “It’s just like, who’s next? I’m scared for myself because bullets don’t have no... (full context)
Part 2: Stripped
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Later that fall, Richard is held at gunpoint and robbed while walking to Cherie’s house. “In Oakland it’s called getting stripped,” and they take Richard’s wallet, shoes, phone, money,... (full context)
Part 3: Y’All Don’t Know
Adolescent Crime vs. Adult Crime Theme Icon
Binary Thought and Inclusive Language Theme Icon
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
...the school, and the principal keeps reminding everyone to treat people with “compassion and tolerance.” Cherie is also hurt. Richard’s true friends don’t believe that he “intentionally” burned Sasha. “Like, ‘Oh... (full context)
Part 4: Look Where His People Went
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
...trouble, and some even get killed like Skeet. “I’m not saying jail is for everybody,” Cherie says, “but it probably could save his life because look where his people went.” (full context)
Part 4: How It Ended Up
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Cherie reflects on her group of friends from Oakland High. So many have gotten into trouble... (full context)