Noughts and Crosses

Noughts and Crosses

by

Malorie Blackman

Noughts and Crosses: Chapter 74 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Mum and Callum hold hands and wait for the foreman to speak. The judge asks the foreman if they found Ryan guilty of political terrorism. The foreman says something, but Callum doesn’t hear it. Around Callum, people are in shock and bury their faces in their hands. Mum looks frozen. Callum doesn’t know why he can’t hear the foreman. But when the judge asks if the jury finds Ryan guilty of murdering a woman, Callum hears the verdict.
Though Callum doesn’t share explicitly what the jury’s verdict is, given the reactions of people around Callum and Mum, they’ve found Dad guilty. This drives home that the justice system in Sephy and Callum’s world isn’t just or fair. Readers know Dad is innocent, and yet he’s convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.
Themes
Racism, Division, and Tragedy Theme Icon