In The 57 Bus , Slater uses several petitions to paint a picture of social activism. Three characters emerge to have extraordinary boldness to persuade systems into amending their normal ways of operation. Institutions and legislations may be slower to respond to activist movements, but characters such as Sasha, Debbie, and Karl idealize the determination to create change through petitions regardless of the rigidity inherent in society.
The act of petition is first evident in Sasha’s push for the recognition of the cisgenders both in her school and in the country at large. Sasha’s petition fell short of 100, 000 signatures in a month, which is the minimum requirement for a successful government response to a petition. However, it attracted approvals from 27,000 people. The 27 000 signatures implied that there are thousands of people who support Sasha’s right to exist as a cisgender. Perhaps the main impact of this petition was not to persuade its target, the government, but to recruit people to a new cause. Thus, this petition’s short term’s effect might seem to be zero, but contrary to this conventional understanding, the long-term effect of recruiting more people would eventually create a change.
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In the subsequent buildup of events, petition was evident when Karl, Richard's father and Debbie, Sasha's mother, tried to prevent the court from sending Richard to prison. To them, life behind bars could not mould the character of a juvenile such as Richard. Instead, they wished for an environment that would cause true redemption for Richard and meaningful forgiveness from Sasha. The fact that the court sentenced Richard to a prison indicated that the justice system is far from embracing activism. Regardless, the petition affected change on the individual levels as Richard showed genuine remorse and Sasha was willing to forgive.
In sum, through bold acts of petition, Sasha, Debbie, and Karl play important roles in the field of activism. These characters are not only perceptive of the inequality and injustices in their society but also have the courage to push for institutional and social reforms.
