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
It’s now been three months since Lynette’s funeral. Mum announces to Dad, Callum, and Jude that she’s going out; she’s been going on walks every night and staying out late. When Dad asks how long Mum is going to be like this, Mum points to the map on the table and asks if he’s going to give “that” up. Dad says no, so Mum leaves and slams the door. Callum asks what’s going on and steps closer to the table, but Jude rolls up the map and Dad stays quiet. Callum notices the map is a blueprint. Grimly, Dad says that he and Jude need to go out to a meeting.
Tensions at the McGregor house continue to rise. Mum wants to prioritize her family, but she refuses to do so if Dad and Jude won’t do the same (instead, they’re prioritizing whatever the map/blueprint is all about). Not revealing what the blueprint is also shows readers how in the dark Callum is about what’s going on with his family. It seems like he’s the only one who doesn’t know exactly where everyone’s energy is focused.
Themes
Feeling very excluded, Callum asks why he doesn’t get to go. He begs to go—he just wants to belong to something. Jude refuses, but Callum tells Dad that if Jude is old enough to belong to the Liberation Militia, then he’s old enough, too. Dad scolds Jude for telling Callum they’re part of the LM, but Callum says he figured it out on his own. Dad says in any case, Callum can’t come—it would mean the end of Heathcroft. Callum insists he’s wasting his time there anyway, since there’s only one other nought besides him still there. Dad insists that Callum must stay in school. Jude warns Callum to not tell his “dagger friend” about the LM—that’ll kill Dad and Jude.
Callum demonstrates that he’s somewhat aware of what’s going on—but he also reads as young and naïve as he asks to join the LM along with Dad and Jude. Callum just wants to feel like he belongs somewhere, and he doesn’t feel at all like he belongs at Heathcroft. It’s a sign of how disillusioned Callum is becoming that he no longer wants to attend Heathcroft. Previously, he wanted an education, even if it wasn’t going to get him a career—but he doesn’t see the point anymore.
Themes
