Noughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman
Summary:
- Young adult novel.
- Dystopia - explore social and political structures.
- Alternative history where African people gained a technological and organisational advantage over European people.
- Alternative 21st century Britain.
- Sephy is a cross - dark skinned, wealthy and superior, Callum is a nought - light skinned and poor.
- Sephy and Callum are best friends in secret as it is frowned upon due to the different skin colours. They are torn apart due to the segregation and opposing sides but are star crossed lovers who are unable to be together due to one being a nought and one being a cross. Sephy goes to boarding school where Callum joins a rebel group of crosses. Years later Sephy is captured by Callums rebel group and their childhood love is rekindled and they consummate it. Sephy becomes pregnant with Callums baby but Callum is arrested due to presumed rape and is therefore hanged. Sephy give the baby her fathers last name when she is born.
Themes:
Racial Injustice - the horror of racial injustice is one so severe, that many would rather die than witness.
- e.g. Callums father is electrocuted trying to escape as he couldn't face the world any longer after his experiences.
- Callums death - due to racial injustice from the assumption that he raped Sephy.
Love - Love can, but will not always result in a happily ever after. Those lucky enough to find true love, should embrace it with open arms.
- Callum putting himself in danger to visit Sephy.
- Callum telling Sephy he loves her in his dying moment.
Conflict - The ongoing war between the two different races.
Malorie Blackman - A bit about the author.
- Born in 1962.
- Qualified in computer science.
- Racially abused after calling for more diversity in childrens books.
- Noughts and crosses name idea came from the fact that it is "one of those games that nobody ever plays after childhood, because nobody ever wins."
- Addressing racism - she noticed that plasters are only designed to be inconspicuous for white peoples skin.
- Plays piano, computer games and writes poetry.
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