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Part 3: Locked Out
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
It is not long before news of Sasha’s attack spreads through their group of friends, and life at school grinds “to a halt.” Sasha’s attack is “unfathomable. How could such a thing happen in the queer-friendly Bay Area?” They have no idea who could have done this, but Healy decides he doesn’t like him. “Hate his guts,” Healy says.
Healy’s blind hate of Richard, despite not knowing anything about him, is ironic since it is a similar biased prejudice that leads to Sasha’s attack in the first place. Sasha’s injuries are proof of the dangers of bias and prejudice, yet Healy fails to see this.
Themes
