Previous
Chapter 19
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Noughts and Crosses, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Racism, Division, and Tragedy
Awareness and Privilege
Love, Lust, Power, and Violence
Friendship
Youth, Innocence, and Growing Up
Family
Summary
Analysis
Sephy must not be coming, but this makes sense. Callum knows he behaved the way he did in the lunchroom because he was afraid. He’s tired of being afraid. Sephy arrives, interrupting Callum’s thoughts. They admire the beautiful sunset, and then Callum said he truly did try to visit. Sephy says she believes him—Mother would totally forbid Callum from visiting. Callum realizes that the old Sephy is back, but he still feels the urge to apologize. Sephy, though, apologizes for missing their outing to Celebration Park. Hesitantly, Callum asks if Sephy remembers their last trip there. Sephy says she does; it was a lovely day. Callum thinks that his memory of the day is very different.
Just like Sephy, Callum is caught in a difficult spot. He’s afraid for his safety if he acts like they’re friends in public, but he also fears losing Sephy’s friendship if he rejects her, even if he does so for safety reasons. In this passage, it seems like he’s starting to choose to prioritize Sephy’s friendship over his own safety. When Callum brings up the last visit to Celebration Park in this way, it suggests that whatever happened affected Sephy and Callum differently—presumably because of their differing skin colors.
Themes
