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Part 3: Still Kinda Dying
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
Within two days, Richard is charged as an adult with two felonies: “aggravated mayhem” and “assault with intent to cause great bodily harm.” Both felonies have “hate-crime clauses” that will increase the time he serves by “one to three years” if he is found guilty. The maximum sentence is life in prison, a punishment he “wouldn’t face” if he was charged as a juvenile instead. Lloyd and Jamal are never questioned by police.
The fact that Richard is charged as an adult so quickly suggests that this was the plan all along. Very little effort is put into questioning Richard, and Lloyd and Jamal are never questioned, despite providing the tools and encouragement for the attack. This illustrates how common it is for juveniles to be charged as adults in Alameda county.
Themes
