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 high up in the courtroom’s public gallery. Dad is down below, along with the jury—which is composed entirely of Crosses, as usual. The clerk stands up and asks Dad if he pleads guilty or not guilty. Callum stands up and shouts, “Dad, don’t do it!” The judge and the jury glare at Callum, and Dad meets Callum’s eyes before shouting that he pleads not guilty to each charge. Everyone in the room gasps, and by the end, the public gallery is cheering. The judge throws everyone out.
Noting that juries are normally all Crosses suggests that noughts often don’t get a fair trial, given how biased and racist Callum’s world is. When Dad pleads not guilty to the charges, it invigorates the noughts in the public gallery and gives them some hope. At least for a while, Dad can stand up for himself with dignity and pride—and encourage others to do the same.
Themes
