Noughts and Crosses Essay Questions

Why does Callum join the Liberation Militia? Are there many factors? If so, which do you consider the most important?

There are many potential answers to this question, because Noughts & Crosses depicts many routes to the L.M. Some of the factors you might discuss include being recruited by his brother, Jude; his father's death while wrongfully imprisoned; Lynette killing herself and putting the burden of her secret on Callum; his resentment of Sephy's privilege, and then her leaving; his history of anger that he can't control without outside support; and how all other systems that might have provided him support and opportunities, like Heathcroft, failed him.

While she's at boarding school, Sephy decides that nonviolent action, working from the inside, is the right way to change the system. Does the novel itself seem to agree with her? Do you? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

The book doesn't provide a firm answer on what form of protest, if any, is the "right" way to change an unequal system. The L.M. isn't portrayed as a good organization, but their methods do get things done, as we see Hadley complain that pressure from the L.M. is influencing policies like allowing noughts into schools. On the other hand, Alex Luther, a nonviolent activist, is mentioned to be making a difference, with support from noughts like Meggie McGregor and from liberal Crosses. There certainly are liberal Crosses shown (for example, Mrs. Paxton, the Math teacher; Kamal Hadley's televised debate with Minister Pelango, who argues for more radical measures to encourage equality; and Kelani Adams, Ryan McGregor's lawyer). There are also noughts whose actions reinforce the status quo, like the men who beat Lynette nearly to death.

One lens through which this question could be approached is the novel's recurring question: Do the ends justify the means? Meggie and Ryan argue about this on page 263, and the question is debated throughout the rest of the book.

Though Callum and Sephy live very different lives, the narrative describes parallel experiences that they have. What are these parallels? Do they make Callum and Sephy seem more alike or more different?

Some parallels in the novel's structure include Lynette's suicide and Jasmine's suicide attempt, Callum's home being tear-gassed while Sephy realizes she has to leave home, and Callum and Sephy's final prayers as he is hanged. There are also many small moments that provide parallels between them, like when Sephy doesn't notice Callum's approach on the beach after the time skip, and then when Callum doesn't notice Sephy's approach in the rose garden/greenhouse. Then there are literal experiences they share: they are both examined and then cross-examined during Ryan's trial; they watch the same news broadcasts at the same time; they both attend Ryan's hanging; and they are both given a choice by Kamal Hadley, between Callum's life and their unborn child's.

In many ways, the novel's emphasis on the parallel events in the couple's lives demonstrates that, regardless of situation or privilege, terrible things happen—particularly when Lynette and Jasmine attempt suicide on the same day. However, at almost every turn, the terrible events in Callum's life are worsened by his lack of privilege and resources. Lawyers and police officers treat him harshly, his family receives much worse care in medical emergencies, and the people and institutions that might support him instead treat him with hostility or indifference.

The picnic incident is clearly important to both Callum and Sephy. What do their recollections have in common? What’s different—and do you think those differences mean anything?

Both Callum and Sephy remember the facts of their trip to Celebration Park: Sephy bought first-class tickets for them, but officers came through the carriage to check Callum's ID specifically, treating him with hostility. The officers were ready to kick him off the train until Sephy intervened, and then they didn't even want to see her ID—they just trusted her.

Their recollections differ in how they make Callum and Sephy feel in the present. Callum had to sit quietly on the train and actively try not to hate all Crosses—including Sephy—and his memory of this colors their entire trip to Celebration Park. Sephy, on the other hand, remembers it being "a wonderful day together"...except for the small problem on the train. For Sephy, this was a strange one-off—sure, the Crosses behaved poorly, and she's ashamed of them (and a bit ashamed of herself), but the rest of the day was magical. For Callum, this moment is one part of a large tapestry of indignity and abuse he's suffered at the hands of Crosses, and he's frustrated that Sephy only sees the one bit, not the larger picture.

Callum tells Sephy that she killed his father. Is this true? Why or why not?

This question comes to the theme of responsibility. When Callum climbs Sephy's balcony and tells her that she killed his father, he doesn't mean it literally—of course Sephy didn't go to the prison and personally murder Ryan—but his accusation is viable on a deeper level. The systems that give Sephy wealth, status, education, and joy are the same systems that disenfranchised Ryan McGregor, ultimately resulting in his death. Sephy's fancy house was bought with generational wealth accumulated while noughts were enslaved and murdered for Crosses' profit.

Whether Callum is right to accuse Sephy of killing his father is not an easy question to resolve, and Blackman encourages us to continually return to these hard ethical dilemmas. Could Sephy have done more to help save Ryan, like speaking to her father, testifying more fervently, or campaigning on Ryan's behalf? Does the fact that she didn't do more, but could have, mean that she killed Ryan?