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What Are Examples Of Segregation-Related Violence And Tension

822 Words4 Pages

Hari Gopinath
ENG1D0-L
17 December, 2021

Segregation: The rule that defined certain people as “better”
Although all humans should be treated equally, for centuries, certain groups of individuals have been discriminated against for their skin color. This is a prime example of racial segregation. Segregation was a huge problem in society because it caused tension and violence, which made one race feel inferior to another. In Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, the world is divided into two races; the white noughts, and the black crosses. There are several examples of segregation related violence and tension in the novel.
First of all, if a group of people is said to be inferior to another group, it is only natural for tension to grow between …show more content…

For example, when Lynette and her cross boyfriend Jed were on a date, they were brutally attacked by a group of noughts who resented the two for having a mixed race relationship. “three years ago, Lynette and her boyfriend were attacked. By our own. Three or four nought men... Those men almost beat Lynette’s boy to death and they beat Lynette so badly she was in hospital for over two weeks... And d’you know why Lynette was attacked?’ Dad car­ried on as if Jude hadn’t spoken. ‘Because her boyfriend was a Cross.” (Blackman 122). This proves that when segregation is heavily enforced on a society, the tension between the two segregated groups will eventually turn into violence. In the coming years, Lynette was so traumatized by this event that she had an identity crisis and began to believe that she was a cross. “‘See?’ Lynette’s small, puzzled voice rang out as clear as a bell. ‘I don’t behave like that. I can’t be a nought. I just can’t.’” This proves that violence caused by segregation can lead to feelings of inferiority. In Lynette's case, the feeling of inferiority in her race from the attack was so severe she firmly believed her delusion that she was, in fact, a cross. Therefore, it also becomes clear that tension on such a large scale almost always leads to violence, and this violence will make a certain

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