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61 pages 2 hours read

Malorie Blackman

Noughts And Crosses

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2001

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Essay Topics

1.

Explain the meaning of the title, Noughts and Crosses.

2.

Discuss the significance of the beach as a symbol. What function does it serve?

3.

Analyze the effect of Blackman’s use of alternating narrators.

4.

What is the relationship between Callum and Jude? What purpose does their relationship serve throughout the novel?

5.

One could argue there are multiple climaxes or points of no return in this novel. Choose one example. Explain the significance of this moment on the novel as a whole.

6.

An allegory is a narrative representation in which characters, settings, and events represent a hidden meaning. What is the allegory Blackman constructs in Noughts and Crosses? What is the hidden meaning?

7.

Choose a moment that depicts the moment of Sephy’s transition into adulthood. Discuss how this moment represents Sephy’s development as a character.

8.

What journey does Callum complete by the end of the novel? How does his final act connect to this greater journey?

9.

Noughts and Crosses is the first book in a series. What characters, storylines, or symbols do you think will be developed later in the series? Why?

10.

Discuss the role Lynette plays in this novel. What does she symbolize? How does she contribute to the novel as a whole?

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