Noughts & Crosses
Noughts & Crosses is a series of young adult novels, written by Malorie Blackman, set in a world where the people with dark skin (Crosses) are dominant over the white people (Noughts). The title is a reference to the game Noughts and Crosses (tic-tac-toe).
Tropes used in Noughts & Crosses include:
- Alpha Bitch: Bliss, one of Callie Roses classmates. To the point where she calls Callie's hair "Blanker hair."
- Alternate History: The reason why there is so much prejudice against Noughts is because they were enslaved by people from Africa, rather than the other way round.
- Beta Couple: Cara Imega/Jude, and Tobey and Callie Rose.
- But Not Too White: Which is the in-universe equivalent of But Not Too Black.
- Children Are Innocent
- Crapsack World: If you're a Nought. Also, Britain is a rare example of dystopia/CrapsackWorld in that society functions well.
- Crowning Moment of Heartwarming: At the end of Noughts And Crosses, Sephy and Callum confessing to each other that they love each other as he is hanged.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: And how. Much of the attitude against Noughts mirrors prejudice against Black people during segregation in America, and to a lesser extent attitudes towards black people in Britain until the 1960's. The Liberation Milita are realistic Well-Intentioned Extremist, and Kamal Hadley's political policy of "sending white people back where the came from," resembles some peoples ideas about immigration in (modern) Britain. There is even a reference to a KKK-esque band of Crosses who tied a Nought to the back of a car and dragged him till he died for being in a Cross only area.
- Downer Ending
- Dude, She's Like, in a Coma: Tobey to Callie Rose.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Jasmine from the start, then Sephy as a teenager.
- White Menial Labour: Meggie is a housemaid, Sarah is a cleaner, Tobey works in a shop for a while, Callum in a garage...
- Not So Fantastic Racism
- Fantastic Slur: Nought, Cross (although those are politically correct, "Nought," means to be nothing, not worthwhile,) Blanker, Dagger, Halfer. The list goes on.
- Generation Xerox: Sephy names Callie Rose after her father.
- La Résistance: The Liberation Militia
- Mama Bear: Meggie. Mcgregor. And Jasmine Hadley.
- Meaningful Name: Persephone (Sephy) Hadley.
- The Ophelia: Lynette, in a creepy, realistic way. "But I'm a Cross. Look at my skin, so dark and rich..."
- Papa Wolf: Ryan Mcgregor to his children.
- President Evil: Kamal Hadley was planning on being Prime Minster, but he didn't succed.
- Save the Villain: Sephy to Jude, so she can help his mother, Meggie.
- Sleazy Politician : Kamal
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Sephy and Callum.
- Token White: It is mentioned by Meggie that in all T.V shows there will only be ONE nought if any.
- Unfortunate Implications: Invoked In-universe.
- Where Da Nought Women At: Lynette and her mentioned boyfriend, Jed. They are almost killed because of it, sending her over the edge.
- Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: JUDE.