blog




  • Essay / The Consequences of Discrimination in The Chrysalids

    History by John Wyndham clearly describes the dangers faced by people believing they belong to a superior race or group, as this often leads to war. John Wyndham's novel The Chrysalids reinforces this idea as it illustrates the danger of people believing that only one race or group is right. In the novel, there are three types of communities that divide people based on their differences. Therefore, The Chrysalids is a relevant postmodern text that warns society about the importance of treating others in a non-discriminatory manner by exploring the three divisions of society: Waknuk, Fringes, and Sealand. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay First of all, it is important to know that the people of Waknuk believe that they were created in the “image of God.” Members of this community are likely to discriminate and physically harm those who deviate from these expectations. This is because they have all the necessary things in life and much more because of the power they have in society. David was raised in his community to believe that everyone should be created in the “image of God” or be banished to the margins to fend for themselves. This is seen when David reflects on the definition of Man in the following way: "...each leg shall have one foot, and each foot five toes, and each toe shall end in a flat nail...and every creature which shall appear to be human, but is not formed and is therefore not human. It is neither a man nor a woman. It is blasphemy against the true image of God, and hateful in the sight of God.' It's sad to think that this is what David is being taught, because it reinforces the idea that anyone, even if slightly different, would be considered abnormal. David's father is really interested in this idea because he is a community leader. Indeed, one day, while David was wrapping a bandage around his hand, he absently wished for a third hand, which made his father furious. David feels that the atmosphere changes since the story says: “silence fell over the whole room like applause”. Hearing his own son say this causes David's father to verbally attack him. This illustrates the Waknuks' strong opinions on what a human being should look like and be like, creating much concern among those who do not fit the expected image. In addition to the Waknuk community, it is also important to understand who the Fringes are in the novel, as they are the deviations who are hunted down and tormented for being "different." They are all different due to their genetic mutations. However, they are still people who want the freedom to be themselves. The Fringes are all offspring of Waknuk but feel that there is nothing wrong with them and therefore have a strong hatred towards the people of Waknuk as they are physically mistreated by them. David also thinks this when thinking about Sophie, “yet there was nothing wrong with Sophie. She was an ordinary little girl – although she was much more sensible and braver than most.” As David grows up, he learns that Fringes are scary people and resemble monsters. He quickly realizes that this is not true, because when he meets Sophie, she looks like him, but with an extra toe. The people of Fringes are forced to steal from Waknuk because they do not have the items needed to live. This leads to many conflicts including some battles. In the story, there is a battle and David is waiting for information to make sure everyone is safe:.