Noughts and Crosses Essay
Malorie Blackman
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At the start of the novel, Callum is a quiet boy who is studying to get into a college only built for crosses (black person), when he is a nought (white person).
Callum has no choice but to live in a world full of hatred against his race and segregation. Callum does what he is told to get through life and go to the school his family wants him to but the crosses dislike for him is clear ‘NO BLANKERS IN OUR SCHOOL. NO BLANKERS IN OUR SCHOOL’. He gets teased at school by the teachers ‘what’s the matter boy? To poor to even pay attention’ this leaves Callum to feel unwanted and humiliated and wrongfully treated at school.
Towards the middle of the book Callum is going through a breakdown with his family and social life. His sister committing suicide and his father arrested for planting a bomb into the Dundale mall, which he did not do. Ryan’s son Jude placed the bomb because he was doing what he believes in.
Callums family is split after Maggie (mother of Callum) orders Ryan (father of Callum) to leave the house by the morning her feelings are clear when she says ‘I want you out of this house by morning. Ive thought about it and this is the only way, It’s too late for you and me, but it’s not too Jude, im not going to let you drag a noose around his neck. I love him too much to let you do that’. This leaves Callum to feel all alone and more closed in than he was in the beginning of the book.
At the end of the book, Callum changes by deciding to join the LM (liberation Militia), the liberation militia is a ‘gang’ of white people who are a secret team who do what they believe they must to get justice. Callum is persuaded by his brother to join the liberation militia. ‘This is your chance to make a difference, are you in or out?’ This left Callum to feel as if he had to become part of the Liberation Militia, this...