Noughts and Crosses: Chapter 27 Summary & Analysis

As Sephy watches Mother drink wine, she realizes it’s been a long time since she’s seen Mother without a wine glass in hand. She startles Mother by asking her if she can have a party for her 14th birthday. Mother looks up from her glossy magazine filled with beautiful dark-skinned women—and Sephy realizes there are never nought women in the magazines. The first nought model was featured in a magazine last year. Sephy comes back to the present when Mother agrees to the party (she must have had a lot to drink to be in such a good mood). On some level, Sephy resents the wine for making Mother happy, when she and Minnie clearly can’t.

When Mother gives Sephy the option of a magician or an entertainer, Sephy reminds Mother she’s turning 14—and then says she’d like an entertainer. Mother tells Sephy to go tell Sarah to plan it. This shouldn’t be a surprise; Mother and Mr. Hadley never even buy Sephy’s birthday and Crossmas presents themselves. Sarah does and she has good taste, but Sephy never uses those gifts. Sephy figures that just like the gifts don’t matter to her parents, she doesn’t matter to them either. Only one person matters and now, it’s up to Sephy to show him he matters. She’s going to surprise Mother and everyone else at her party and expose them for the racist hypocrites they are.