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Chapter 31
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 on his bed, thinking about what Mrs. Paxton said about Mr. Jason. He doesn’t believe Mr. Jason secretly likes him: Mr. Jason definitely hates Callum. Just then, Lynette knocks on the door and asks to come in. She says she isn’t okay, and Callum says he isn’t either—but he’ll survive. Lynette asks Callum about school and then asks how he manages to keep going. He says he wants to be someone and make a difference. Lynette asks what he’d choose if he had to choose just one, being someone or making a difference.
As far as Callum is concerned, actions speak louder than words—and Mr. Jason’s mean treatment tells him everything he needs to know about how Mr. Jason feels about noughts. Still, though, Callum has dreams of overcoming these challenges if he’s able to tell Lynette that he wants to be someone and make a difference. This dream seems to be what motivates Callum to stick with Heathcroft at all.
Themes
Callum laughs. But then he says he’d rather be someone and have lots of money and respect. Lynette gives him an odd look, but Callum insists it’s no use making a difference if you don’t get any money for it. Callum asks Lynette what keeps her going, but she smiles an odd smile and says that being “bonkers” kept her going. Now that she’s not living in a fantasy, she feels empty. She asks if he also believes everything seems pointless—Callum got into Heathcroft, but no college will take him. Lynette apologizes and as she leaves the room, warns Callum to be careful—bubbles tend to burst, and the higher Callum’s bubble gets, the further he’ll have to fall. Callum is annoyed—Lynette should be cheering for him. But he knows she’s hurting.
Callum’s answer is selfish and seems to disturb Lynette a little bit. But keep in mind that Callum is also very worn down from living a life in near poverty, so it’s perhaps not surprising that he aspires to be rich rather than to help others. Lynette is clearly struggling, but in a different way. She seems to feel increasingly hopeless now that she’s realized she’s not a Cross. It’s also hard for Callum to realize yet again that his family members don’t support his dreams. And surviving each day at Heathcroft is even more difficult without support at home.
Themes
