Discrimination and Microaggression in Noughts & Crosses Essay Example

Many forms of Discrimination and Mircoaggerions often go unnoticed but not in Noughts & Crosses, Discrimination and Mircoaggerions are brought to light in this novel and make us wonder why people are treated in cretain way and why people are treated differently. Discrimination and Microaggression should be taken seriously and brought to light because it negatively affects the lives of those who are discriminated as shown in Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman through how Calum and other noughts vs how Sephy and other Crosses are treated.

Through out the book as callum and other crosses face discrimination and mircoaggressions in varoius of ways that negatively affects callum’s and other crosses personal life. Callum is accused of stealing tickets and treated like a criminal when he did nothing wrong. In chapter 24 pg 107 Two cross officers approach Callum. They took Callum’s ID and asked him various questions about the ID and himself. Then they questioned how Callum got his ticket and then asked him to follow them. The two cross officers did not believe what Callum said until Sephy appeared. Notably as a result of this and countless encounters alike. Callum Knew he was not taken seriously nor trusted because of how he looked. This affected Callum negatively and made him feel awful about how he’s treated in society and how crosses view him. Going to shops became stressful because of the chance he might get accused of stealing.  Concerning Callum’s sister Lynette, She killed herself to flee the discrimination and mircoaggerssions she faced due to her dating a cross when she is a nought. In Chapter 38 Callum finds a letter under his pillow, It belonged to Lynette. Callum reads the letter and it states “ I’m not ashamed of who I am anymore, but I do not want to live in a world where what I am is not good enough, where nothing I do will ever be good enough because I’m a nought.” From this letter it appears that Lynette is worn out by how society and the discriminationn and microaggressions so much so that above all killing her would be more preferable than dealing with the discrimination and mircoaggerissons soely due to her being a nought and dating a cross. To wrap things up Callum being accused of stealing a train ticket, and Lynette being pushed to kill herself to flee from Discrismation microaggression is just two of many cases of how terrible noughts are treated in society and why it should not be ignored. This as well applies to our world. Many forms of discrimination and mircoggerissons are not brought to attetion to due to people thinking it is something that does not matter. Discrimination and mircoaggerissons matters because of the way it negatively affects people’s lives. By looking at how noughts are treated compared to crosses it is quite easy to see how much noughts are discriminated against.  

There are abundant cases of where Sephy and other crosses are looked as better constart to how Callum and other noughts are treated and looked at. Also on how crosses do not have the same issues as noughts. In Chapter When the cross officers approach Sephy and Callum, Sephy is surprised that she is being questioned Callum was not. When Sephy offered to show her ID but the cross officers politely declined. From this incident it’s fair to anticipate that Sephy is privileged. She is not used to being questioned for just existing in public, like Callum is. Sephy can go anywhere and do anything without people questioning her for being there due to her being a cross. Another evidence of crosses being looked at as better than noughts is In chapter 17, When Spehy is watching the telly and the news come up.