Dashka Slater, by Because I fall neatly within the binary, I feel comfortable right now, he explained. Teachers and parents! Discount, Discount Code The 57 Bus is about a real-life incident that occurred in Oakland, California, on November 4, 2013. Thats how everyone knew Richardas the funny one, the one who made people smile. A 7-year-old boy was run over by his school bus moments after he got off it earlier this year, according to attorneys representing his family Illinois State Fair announces 2023 theme days The . Author's NoteHow Do You Know What Gender You Are? Everyone should read this. Lastly, Nemo identifies as asexual and doesnt do sexual relationships; Nemo is not physically attracted to anyone, regardless of sex or gender, and as such, they completely avoid sex and sexual relationships. The word kilt seemed to have gotten lodged in the minds of reporters. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. All languages embody the obsessions of the people who speak them, and so Sashas language was meant to reflect the interests of people whose world was dominated by growing seasons, grains, and harvests. Inventing languages and hanging out online with other conlangers. Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. creating and saving your own notes as you read. But we also think that hatred only leads to more hatred and anger. Instant PDF downloads. Richard is given the shorter sentence and allowed to stay within the juvenile system. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Created by. ; Richard is charged as an adult with multiple felonies, including hate-crime enhancements. Divert Richard. Dashka Slater for a customized plan. The 57 Bus Themes Dashka Slater This Study Guide consists of approximately 61 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The 57 Bus. Thus, through varying experiences of gender, and a close examination of terms like grey-sexual, the book juxtaposes Sashas compassionate, expanding consciousness with a society still struggling to catch up. A key theme of the novel is gender and sexuality, which play a large role in Sasha's life. For example, until recently, all bathrooms were either for men or women. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Richard is sixteen, but when he sets fire to Sasha's skirt, he finds himself charged as an adult, primarily because he is considered to have committed a hate crime. Laura Hughes, by Sasha solves the problem by discarding gender as a sorting category: for instance, they decide to pick whichever bathroom is less crowded. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. The 57 Bus, by Dashka Slater, tells the story of then eighteen-year-old Sasha Fleischman's life-changing encounter riding the bus home from school in Oakland, California, in October 2013.Sasha, a . According to Nemo, Gender fluid means I have the potential to be anything, any gender at any time. Nemo, who also uses the they/them pronoun, identifies as both masculine and feminine, and as such, they can be male, female, masculine, feminine, neither, both. Each of these gender identities highlights the differences across the gender spectrum within the LGBTQ community. Sasha was named Luke at birth, but at a young age, Sasha decided that neither gender correctly applied. Teachers and parents! "The 57 Bus", a non-fiction, young-adult book by journalist Dashka Slater, explores the tragic interaction of two teenagers. Following the incident, communities near and far affirmed Sashasand everyonesright to not be harassed or hurt or bullied for how they dress, or whether they are gay or trans or agender. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. SparkNotes PLUS From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. In a small private high school, Sasha, a white teen with Aspergers, enjoyed a tight circle of friends, blazed through calculus, linguistics, physics, and computer programming, and invented languages. One moment that changes both of their lives forever. Especially since after I was attacked, the whole world was supporting me. Adult Crime, read analysis of Binary Thought and Inclusive Language, read analysis of Discrimination and Social Justice, read analysis of Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness. This implacable binary between "us" and "them" defines both the assault on the 57 bus and its consequences. The word for sun was jejz, which was also the word for day. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Dashka Slater's The 57 Bus is an award-winning book that follows the story of a teenage binary person, Sasha, and their classmate, Richard. Dashka Slater Richard is usually a positive person, often goofing off to try to make people laugh, but he has made some poor choices and often skips school with other students who make poor choices. He is also easily influenced by others, since he was given the lighter by his friend, Jamal, and sets fire to Sasha's skirt as a result of Jamal's urging. Closely tied to the idea of restorative versus retributive justice is the subject of adolescent crime, as well as the outcomes of the incarceration of juveniles. . A sense of community is also demonstrated in response to the attack on Sasha. When Richard, an African American junior from nearby Oakland High School, boards the bus and sees Sasha, a genderqueer kid in a skirt, Sasha quickly becomes the object of Richards misguided prank. Most of the characters in the book experience some form of discrimination. RELEASE DATE: June 2, 2020. Surely it's not too late to stop things from going wrong. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Sasha decides to leave all of the cards that reference Luke in the deck, and they digitally scan the cards to preserve them forever. $24.99 Print Word PDF This section contains 2,805 words (approx. 57 Bus is inspired by a true event that took place on a bus in Oakland, California in 2013, when an 18-year-old agender high school student's skirt was set on fire by another student. While he makes some choices that may be divisivefor example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes allyhe always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving. Unlike Andrew (formerly Samantha), who definitively says I am not a girl and transitions, Sasha does not reject or accept any gender identity and questions the concept of gender itself. The acclaimed author of Between the World and Me (2015) reflects on the family and community that shaped him in this adaptation of his 2008 adult memoir of the same name. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. The 57 Bus tells the true story of two California teens, Sasha and Richard, who meet by chance on an Oakland bus. The more time Sasha spent in the room, the more comfortable it felt. I dont really feel hated, Sasha explained. In their spare time, they drew maps of new bus, subway, and streetcar lines, or read up on historical public transit systems. By the second half of sophomore year, that name clearly no longer fit. While the DAs office decides to try Richard as an adult given the shocking, public nature of the crime, and popular opinion brands Richard as akin to a sociopath, Slater notes that Richard in in fact neither an adult nor a proven sociopath. It's So Much Fun to Learn & Play with Busy Beavers. The justice system is ignorant in that it assumes the only way to punish Richard is with incarceration, where a kid from the "right" side of town might not have been punished in quite the same way. Debbie recalls being sent home from school for uniform violations, which she also recalls never happened to the boys in her class, showing that she was discriminated against because of her gender, and that unrealistic social expectations are placed far more on girls than on boys. Common Sense Media. influencers in the know since 1933. Test. Karl is beaten up while out for a run because his attackers assume he is gay. If it weren't for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. One fateful day, Sasha was asleep in a gauzy white skirt on the 57 bus when a rowdy friend handed Richard a lighter. What about family members who say inappropriate things? Such a fascinating, informative, well-written book. Richard admits during interrogation that he does not like gay people, and he is not particularly informed about transgender identity, so he assumes that Sasha is gay, because from Richard's perspective, Sasha is a teen boy wearing a skirt. After Richard repeatedly flicks a cigarette lighter near the gauzy fabric of Sashas skirt (thinking it will just smoke and smolder as a joke) and Sasha bursts into flames, Sasha is severely burned and Richard is charged with two hate crimes. Sasha is the target of Richards bullying because he doesnt like gay people, and he assumes that Sasha is homosexual. A New York Times Bestseller the 57 bus quotes. The fire left third-degree burns over 22 percent of Sasha's body. The sight of dude Sasha, their skirt dangling gauzy and white on the edge of their seat, is both funny and terrifying to Richard and his friends Lloyd and Jamal. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Sasha views gender not as a binary difference between male and female, but as a spectrum with varying degrees of masculinity and femininity, including even the absence of gender. Free trial is available to new customers only. Contact us illustrated by Among the binaries listed are "Victims and Villains," "Cruel and Kind" and "Guilty and Innocent" (215). $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Ed. / What was Sasha doing as a senior in high school? The books approach is journalistic. GradeSaver, Different Perspectives on the 57 Bus Fire: The Book vs. Further, the brain does not reach adulthood even at eighteen, becoming fully formed only in a persons mid-twenties. An inventor of their own languageAstrolinguaand a gifted student who blazes through calculus, linguistics, physics, and computer programming, Sasha inevitably applies their intelligence and aptitude for questioning to the issue of gender. I like androgynous. Match. Slater observes that, in mainstream consciousness, there are two kinds of people in the world: Male and Female. Gender, according to Sasha, is the word for what people feel about themselves, how they feel inside, and it does not necessarily align with the biological sex assigned at ones birth. publication online or last modification online. All rights reserved. He gives Richard a lighter. Few readers will traverse this exploration of gender identity, adolescent crime, and penal racism without having a few assumptions challenged. Through the writing of The 57 Bus, Slater passionately advocates for LGBTQ understanding and empathy, and effectively argues that gender and sexuality are not synonymous terms. Part 1: How Do You Know What Gender You Are? You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. "his chest a megaphone"- this is a metaphor in page 46 of the book 'The 57 Bus'. eNotes.com Karl, Sasha's father, is also quick to forgive Richard. Sasha, who prefers the gender-neutral pronoun they instead of he or she, and does not identify as either male or female, wears their skirt alongside a masculine shirt and vest, which draws the negative attention of Richard and his friends. Ta-Nehisi Coates. The writing is intense and insightful, and the reader comes away more aware and feeling more compassion for both teens. How do you talk about race with friends and family? Richard, a light-skinned Black teenager, is a junior at Oakland High School. But the text demonstrates the falsehood of these black and white designations. Browse titles with similar subject matter. This is why Richards lawyer, Du Bois, is shocked when he learns Richard may be sent to adult prison at eighteen: Slater shows that most prison sentences do not reform juveniles; instead, they turn juveniles into hardened criminals, providing endless fodder for the criminal justice system. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. With a journalists eye for overlooked details, Slater does a masterful job debunking the myths of the hate-crime monster and the African-American thug, probing the line between adolescent stupidity and irredeemable depravity. Sexuality was the category for who you were physically attracted to. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Sasha does not really identify with either; on the other hand, Sasha's friend Andrew, who was born a girl, always knew that he was not a girl. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 I mean, Ive already been asked enough questions about my genitals. A true story of an event that actually happened is a great way to start a dialogue. RELEASE DATE: Oct. 17, 2017. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Part 1: Gender, Sex, Sexuality, Romance: Some Terms, Part 3: Under the Influence of Adolescence, Part 3: Lets All Take Care of Each Other, Part 4: Some Gender-Neutrality Milestones, read analysis of Adolescent Crime vs. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Nemo, another of Sashas close friends, identifies as gender fluid. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Refine any search. It is especially useful when applied to crimes within families or committed by juveniles. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." The city, described as being racially and culturally diverse while also suffering from some of the highest rates of wealth inequality in the nation, is home to Sasha and Richard, two teenagers. Whats more, the meaning of identity itself is fluid for a digital native like Sasha, whose selves extend into virtual domains and games. Categories: Identifying as agender, Sasha constitutes an other for the heteronormative majority; and though class and race privileges protect them from pervasive discrimination, Sasha ultimately faces danger in a more public space. Adventuredome Indoor Theme Park 466 Amusement Parks2880 S Las Vegas Blvd, The Strip This is a placeholder "It's not Six Flags, but the rides are thrilling enough for a fun time." more 2. TEENS & YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION | Du Bois does not deliver Richards letters to Sasha, because he thinks that the admission of guilt will hurt Richards case. TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES, by The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater 31,571 ratings, 4.15 average rating, 4,811 reviews Open Preview The 57 Bus Quotes Showing 1-22 of 22 "Never let your obstacles become more important than your goal." illustrated by When Richard, an African American junior from nearby Oakland High School, boards the bus and sees Sasha, a genderqueer kid in a skirt, Sasha quickly becomes the object of Richard's misguided prank. He would do anything for a laughput on one of his female cousins sexy cropped sweaters, for example, or post a selfie on Instagram of himself dressed in a bra and a wig, gazing into the bathroom mirror with a sultry expression. That boy was on fire, wasnt he? a man remarks as Sasha pushes through the back doors to the sidewalk. for a group? In the books central incident, sixteen-year-old Richard sets fire to Sashas skirt as Sasha sleeps on the bus, leaving their legs badly burned. A beautiful meditation on the tender, fraught interior lives of Black boys. RELEASE DATE: Jan. 12, 2021. Subscribe now. So it was a nice change to be seen as female. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives: 9781526361233: Amazon.com: Books Buy new: $13.24 Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns FREE delivery Thursday, February 9 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon Or fastest delivery Tuesday, February 7. Inside you'll find 30 Daily Lessons, 20 Fun Activities, 180 Multiple Choice Questions, 60 Short Essay Questions, 20 Essay Questions, Quizzes/Homework Assignments, Tests, and more. Part 1: How Do You Know What Gender You Are? Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. We truly hope that you will gain some understanding and empathy in the years to come. Get the driver to stop the bus. This nonfiction account is based on the New York Times Magazine story that journalist, novelist, and children's author Dashka Slater wrote about a 2013 assault that occurred when two teens were riding home from school on THE 57 BUS in Oakland, California. When she tells him about the program that she runs for underperforming students, he asks if he can join the program voluntarily. Have you read any other books about someone who's gender-nonconforming? An ambulance takes Sasha to a burn unit in San Francisco. The 57 Bus. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. On November 4, 2013, Sasha rides home on the 57 bus. TEENS & YOUNG ADULT BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR, by Part 4 begins with a section titled "BINARY," which challenges the false premise that "there are two kinds of people in the world" (215). Parents need to know that The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives is a compelling, sometimes emotional nonfiction story of a 2013 assault in Oakland, California, when an African American public school teen boy named Richard set fire to a sleeping, gender-nonconforming white private school teen named Sasha -Graham S. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Further, boys like Richard are more likely to be arrested for alleged crimes: When Richard is arrested for assaulting Sasha, his racial identity plays a part in the decision to try him as an adult. Forgiveness is a broad term; Sasha and her parents want justice rather than vengeance for Richard's crimes, and so they question whether incarceration is the most effective punishment. Trouble signing in? Its per capita rate of violent crime made it the second most dangerous city in America, but its citizens still paid some of the highest rents in the country" (7). In these ways, Sasha exposes the arbitrariness of gender as a sorting category and neutralizes its importance in their life. Since that petition, there have been strong efforts to add additional options to legal forms for gender designation. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Ashley Lukashevsky. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original illustrated by Knowing how shy Sasha was, he admired Sashas newfound willingness to speak up, to stand out, to be seen. Powerful Stories About Martin Luther King Jr. Maybe sometime in the future you will be the one coming to the aid of someone being bullied., Actually, [Andrew] said, Im starting to identify a little bit asI dont even know the word I want to use yet. The fire was becoming a more distant memory, even though Sasha still wore compression stockings. The beginning of the book expresses the desire to do something to stop the events that are about to take place. Fear of other peoples judgements, their questions, their hostility, their fascination. What are the key themes of Dashka Slater'sThe 57 Bus? They fall asleep, tired after a long day at school.