Noughts And Crosses

Throughout her novel Malorie Blackman forges an allegory that highlights the injustices experienced by marginalized communities. She uses the fictional world of her novel to create a narrative representation of real life. Through this representation, she asks the reader to question the world-at-large and the injustices that plague it.

Blackman creates an alternative history in which Black humans enslaved white humans. She sets her novel years after slavery’s end and documents the injustices white citizens face as they fight for equal rights and representation. Through her exploration of the tragedies and discrimination faced by Callum’s family, Blackman offers a wider commentary on the ways in which Black humans are disenfranchised throughout the world. As Callum and Sephy grow up, they develop an awareness of the injustices in the Cross-dominated society they live in. Sephy comments on the way the media promotes a skewed representation of noughts. Through her relationship with Callum, she begins to ask questions like, “How come in all the early black-and-white films, the nought men were always ignorant drunkards or womanizers or both? And the women were always near-brainless servants?” (122). She recognizes how “the noughts were never in the news unless it was bad news” (122). Blackman poses these questions through the character of Sephy and addresses them not only to the world within the novel but also to the world in which the reader lives. She calls the reader to question how the media represents marginalized communities in society. Blackman poses these questions with the hope of inspiring the reader to think critically and learn from the experiences of marginalized people as Sephy does.

Blackman also criticizes the injustices within the justice system. She documents the trial of Callum’s father, Ryan McGregor, as he faces his charges of political terrorism and murder. The McGregors struggle to find free or affordable legal representation. Rejected from multiple attorneys, it is only through the generosity of an anonymous benefactor that they can enlist the aid of capable attorneys willing to take on Ryan’s case. Blackman notes that the jury chosen for the case consists of “twelve good Cross men and women” (284). Here, Blackman highlights the lack of representation often provided to marginalized defendants. She poses another rhetorical question and asks the reader “how else could justice be served?” (284). Although Callum asks this question with a sarcastic tone to highlight his rage at his father’s lack of representation on his jury, Blackman addresses the reader earnestly and calls the reader to contemplate how justice could better be served for those like Ryan McGregor, a marginalized member of society.