Test 2 Second Year Flashcards
Racism
hatred between Noughts (“blankers”) and Crosses (“daggers”) runs deep. Exemplified by the riot outside Heathcroft. Racism is the cause of a lot of social and political conflict.
Violence
this can be seen in both the Hadley and McGregor households but most significantly in the wider community. Sephy is beaten up by three girls for sitting at the Nought table.
Discrimination
Noughts are denied the same standard of education simply because of their skin colour. This keeps them on the poverty line and allows the Crosses to maintain control of society. Also, Callum is interrogated for being on the train with
Sephy.
Friendship
the strong bond of friendship between Callum and Sephy is shown throughout the novel. It remains unbroken despite familial and societal pressure. It develops into an intimate and passionate relationship towards the end of the novel.
Courage
both Callum and Sephy show incredible courage in maintaining their relationship. Both are judged by their own class for associating with the enemy. Sephy is determined to prove her loyalty to Callum even though she is being ridiculed by her peers.
Identity
- Callum and Sephy are able to be friends because they see each other as individuals, not just as ‘a nought’ and ‘a cross.’ In their friendship with each other, they are able to set aside the prejudice most people in their world feel. Both characters become more mature as the book progresses and in part this is thanks to giving up the labels that they grew up with - nought or Cross, McGregor or Hadley, rich girl of Meadowview boy - and making their own
choices.
Religion and morality
Religion and morality are represented as forces constantly at war with one another. In Noughts & Crosses, what religion preaches contrasts strongly with Sephy and Callum’s beliefs. The Good Book is an allusion to the real-world bible. The Good Book is contradictory, in that it preaches equality while also implying that Crosses are closer to God than noughts. (Quote)
Hope
Hope is at the core of this novel. Its whole premise is that we must have hope and keep striving for a better, more equitable world. In revolving her novel around the theme of hope, Blackman inspires her readers to fight for justice and meaningful change in the real world. Both hope and the absence of hope greatly influence the protagonists’ decisions. E.G. In the first half of the novel, Callum is far more optimistic than Sephy. As a child, Callum dreams of changing their flawed system from the inside. He tells Lynette that he wants to be someone and to make a difference. Callum tries to achieve this by working hard to get into Heathcroft, the all-Cross school. Heathcroft, essentially, breaks him. At Heathcroft, Callum endures countless instances of discrimination. Generally, hope shapes Callum’s and Sephy’s worldviews. They each, alternately, despair of or regain hope. Overall, the novel inspires the reader to notice real-world inequalities and to work towards bringing about meaningful change.
Justice
In a highly inequitable world, the pursuit of justice is something that plagues both Callum and Sephy. Firstly, the world Callum and Sephy live in is flawed on a structural level. Although slavery no longer technically exists, noughts rely on Crosses for employment. Whether the job is as a maid, chauffeur, or assistant, noughts are treated poorly by their superiors. Authority figures are all Crosses. Schools, hospitals, the police force, and even the government are dominated by Crosses. E.G This becomes especially apparent to Callum when he enters Heathcroft School. He notices how educators highlight the historical achievements of Crosses, but not those of noughts. Because Crosses write the history books, they are able to control the perception of their world.
Education
Blackman explores the issues surrounding education and racism. Although education is somewhat presented as a route towards equality and social mobility, we see that in reality it is a lot harder. Callum is an intelligent and hard-working nought, and even when he gains a scholarship to attend a better school, he is met with violence and bullying. As such, we see that often racism cannot be solved by changing laws and systems alone, but must involve a change in people’s attitudes.
Family and acceptance
Family and acceptance do not always go hand-in-hand in Noughts and Crosses. Both Sephy and Callum struggle to feel a sense of belonging in their families. While neither wishes to admit it, they both subconsciously seek validation from their family members. The older Sephy gets, the more she notices how peculiar her family’s dynamic is. As a child, Sephy worships her father. Kamal coming home is always a grand occasion for his daughters, who notice nothing problematic in his conduct towards their mother. In reality, Kamal is unfaithful to Jasmine, as well as physically abusive. When Jasmine takes a lover in order to get Kamal’s attention, he beats her, displaying unprecedented cruelty. Sephy only realizes the extent of her mother’s unhappiness when Jasmine tries to kill herself. Jasmine uses alcohol to cope with her problems. This is a habit that Sephy mimics, showing how toxic traits can be passed on to the next generation. Sephy is not close with her sister, Minnie, either. Each member of the Hadley family suffers in their own way but are incapable of finding comfort in one another’s presence….
