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
Sephy walks barefoot along the beach, feeling at peace. She knows now that Mr. Hadley will always prioritize politics over his family, and that’s okay. She also knows that she’ll always be a disappointment to Mother. That’s fine too; Mother is disappointed with her own life and just wants to live vicariously through Sephy. Sephy will make her own choices, however. And when it comes to Callum, Sephy is happy to settle for friendship.
Over the last two and a half years, Sephy has come to many conclusions about her family and where she fits into it. She’s mature enough to realize that her parents are people, with their own weaknesses. And she realizes that she, too, is her own person, and she can make choices for herself that will allow her to find happiness that her parents never could.
Themes
Sephy checks her watch and turns around—Callum is right there. He’s grown, his hair is longer, and he looks mysterious and grown-up. Sephy smiles and approaches with arms out, expecting a hug. But she can tell something is wrong. Callum steps forward, kisses Sephy coldly, and then Sephy sees four other noughts behind him. She realizes what’s happening and runs for her life. It’s so dark that Sephy can barely see where she’s going—and she realizes that she’s miles away from anyone and going the wrong way.
Callum shows how closely entwined love and violence are when he decides to kiss Sephy before letting his cell kidnap her. And Sephy now has to confront that Callum isn’t the boy she knew years ago: he’s changed, and these days, he’s not safe or trustworthy. And she realizes too that because she doesn’t trust her family, she’s alone and in danger, as nobody knows where she is right now.
Themes
Sephy turns to run for the sea, but someone grabs her. Sephy kicks them and keeps running, but runs right into a punch in the stomach. Whoever punched her says, “That’s for my sister.” Sephy can barely breathe as someone picks her up, shakes her, and then starts to drag her over sharp rocks. Everything goes black as a bag is put over Sephy’s head.
The person who punched Sephy is presumably Jude—he’s punching her to get revenge for Lynette’s death. Jude seems to pin his whole family’s struggles on the fact that Mrs. Hadley fired Mum years ago, and for now, Sephy is an easy target.
Themes
