AI ToolsNew
Tools to make learning and teaching easier
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
Callum is waiting for his parents to go to bed, but they’re too busy arguing. Mum is arguing that Alex Luther has the right idea using peaceful protest methods; Dad insists that because Luther is in jail all the time, his method isn’t working. He uses “blanker” to refer to noughts, and says that the General (the anonymous head of the Liberation Militia) is actually helping. Mum thinks killing just makes a bigger impression. Callum is tired of listening; his parents have this fight all the time. Sephy gave him their secret signal earlier (three phone calls that she lets ring twice before hanging up). Sephy is now going to call any minute, so Callum is waiting by the phone.
Mum and Dad’s argument seems to mirror arguments about how Black people should best fight for equality. Alex Luther seems to mirror Martin Luther King, Jr., who advocated for peaceful protest and spent time in jail; the Liberation Militia, meanwhile, is militant and, to take Mum at her word, kills to make a point. That Mum and Dad are having this argument indicates that there are big questions in this society about how noughts should fight for more rights. But Callum is still pretty young and focused on his own things, so his parents’ fight isn’t interesting to him.
Themes
Just as Callum starts upstairs, figuring Sephy won’t call, she calls. Before Sephy can say whatever she wants to say, Callum asks what classes they have tomorrow. He groans when Sephy says they have history, but Sephy doesn’t know what’s wrong with history. Mr. Jason torments Callum, but if Sephy can’t see that, Callum says he won’t tell her. Callum asks why Sephy called, and Sephy invites him to her birthday party in two weeks. Mother doesn’t know he’s invited, but Callum says he’ll come. When they hang up, Callum realizes that if he’s right about Sephy’s intentions, it’s true that to her, he’s a nought first and a friend second.
It's infuriating and hurtful for Callum that Sephy doesn’t seem to notice that Mr. Jason treats him terribly—and Callum is getting tired of having to explain these things to Sephy. This is another drag on their relationship. And the party seems to be shaping up to damage their relationship further. As Callum understands it, Sephy wants to use him as a prop to prove Mother and her friends are racist—but she doesn’t realize that Callum, as a nought, could end up in danger for showing up.
Themes
Upgrade to unlock the analysis and theme tracking for all of Noughts and CrossesNoughts and Crosses!
Get LitCharts A+
