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Part 4: Department 11
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The 57 Bus, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gender and Sexuality
Adolescent Crime vs. Adult Crime
Binary Thought and Inclusive Language
Discrimination and Social Justice
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
By the end of August, Sasha is ready to leave for MIT. They are scared about leaving the “Bay Area bubble,” and says they will “have to work a little harder to seek out their people” at MIT. The fire is “a distant memory,” and Sasha is moving on. “I don’t really feel hated,” Sasha says. “I feel like one person hates me—maybe.”
Unlike the justice system, Sasha appreciates that Richard does not truly hate them. Sasha has forgiven Richard for what he has done, and this is evident in their description of the attack as a “distant memory.” Sasha has nearly forgotten about Richard’s actions; which Richard argues is key to true forgiveness.
Themes
