the chrysalids

THE CHRYSALIDS

UNIT INTRODUCTION

THE CHRYSALIDSWhat is a Chrysalid?

Chrysalids refers to chrysalisis, which is the transformation of a caterpiller to a butterfly

Why the title?

THE CHRYSALIDSThe Setting

•Waknuk – David’s home town and name of father’s farm•Labrador – Christian civilization following the “Tribulation.” Society matches the 1700s-1800s.•Capital of Rigo, Island of Newf•Wild Country•Fringes – Lawless land full of danger and mutations•Badlands – Dangerous area•Black Coasts – Dangerous area affected by radiation•Sealand – Technology exists here. Universal telepathy

THE CHRYSALIDSThe Setting

•Society is based on farming and agriculture•People are controlled by rigid beliefs about morals and religion•Religious beliefs are cruel and OPPRESSIVE•People believe TRIBULATION caused world to be this way as a punishment from God•“OLD PEOPLE” refers to us – the current readers•Radiation has caused mutations•Chrysalids is a novel set in the future with a setting of the past

THE CHRYSALIDSSocial Life

•Purpose in life is dealing with Tribulation•Need to follow ETHICS to climb back into God’s grace•Church is the ultimate authority•“Rules” found in Nicholson’s Repentances•Anything not normal must be destroyed•Anything not normal is an insult to God•Mankind’s greatest duty is to see that the human form is kept true and proper•Nicholson’s Repentances describes true human form

THE CHRYSALIDSChapters 2-4CHAPTER 2

• History of David’s family and household

• Background: Religious family – Focus on “Repentances” and Bible

• David’s father (JOSEPH) – Strict religious leader. Grandfather (ELIAS) – Founder of Waknuk

• Individuals responsible to watch for BLASPHEMIES and OFFENSES – Including killing animals

• Information about Blasphemies and their relationship with the Pure People (Raiding farms)


• David spending more time with Sophie• Steam Engine: Technology of Old

People• Tension between Sophie’s Dad and

David• David remembers getting a splinter

and nobody helps him at home so he wishes to his father for a third arm. Gets punished – pray to God, received beating

• David dreams of Sophie being killed by Joseph

• David wants Sophie’s Dad to trust him


• Telepathy with cousin Rosalind• Uncle Axel finds out but keeps it a

secret• David’s telepathy = Sophie’s toe• Group of telepathic people get together

to keep secret: David and Rosalind, Michael, Rachel and Anne, Sally and Katherine, and Mark.

• Fringe people planning on invading Waknuk. Some are captured and appear normal

• One guy looks like David’s father but has long arms and legs: Spider-Man

• Uncle Angus: loves to annoy Joseph. Argument about selective breeding: Giant horses and tail-less cat

• David spends more time with Sophie and starts teaching her school stuff

ReligionGenocide

Comment on Our Society

THE CHRYSALIDSTheme

THEME:Theme is the main topic, lesson, or idea that is the focus of a story/narrative• Novels often explore more than one

themeCONFLICT:Conflict is the tension or problem between different forces or characters in a story.• You should already know conflict from

short stories. Conflict includes:• Character vs. Character• Character vs. Nature• Character vs. Society• Character vs. Self

What types of CONFLICT have you seen in The Chrysalids so far?

What THEMES have been introduced?

Change

Fringe People vs. WaknukJoseph vs.

Blasphemies

David vs. Waknuk Beliefs

THE CHRYSALIDSCharacter

CHARACTER SKETCH:A character sketch is a description of the different TRAITS of a character, including their personality, relationships, emotions, and actions based on events in the story.

David

Relationships

Emotions

Personality

Actions

Family: Mom and DadSophie

Uncle AxelOther telepathic

kids

Anger

GuiltCuriositySadness

Dishonouring Father

Befriends SophieWants to Run Away

Defends friends

Protective

LovingCurious

Energetic

Character’s ACTIONS lead to TRAITS, which are words that describe the

character.


• Spring proves to be free of Deviations• Waknuk wins “Purity Record” – All good!• David and Sophie sneak off together• While fishing barefoot, they meet Allan, who

finds a “peculiar footprint” – says he will tell everyone

• David attacks Allan and he’s knocked unconscious

• Sophie and David tell Sophie’s parents. Family forced to disappear

• David returns home and finds Inspector at house

• David lies about knowing Sophie. Receives beating

• David worried about telling/holding secrets (THEME)


• David uses telepathy to talk to friends about Sophie• David has vivid dreams about Big City• Inspector continues to question David• David begins doubting his culture/beliefs• Joseph announces that Sophie’s family has been

captured• Uncle Axel and David discuss the world beyond

Waknuk• Rigo (Capital); Black Coasts; “Unspeakable

monstrosities”• David learns of different races outside of Waknuk –

and that each believes they are the “true image of God” (Comment on different religions / THEME)

• Axel and David talk about telepathy. Eight people other than David, though eighth person hasn’t answered

• Axel will find out what happened to this person

THE CHRYSALIDSDystopia

Why is the world such a dark, bad place in the future in so many novels and films?

Social Commentary

WarningChallenge Leadership/Governemnt

What THEMES are you seeing in the novel so

far?

MAKING CONNECTIONS:

-text to text-text to world-text to self

How does The Chrysalids compare to other novels/films that explore similar ideas?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A7CHIlgNW0


• David’s mother gives birth. Child must be certified “normal” before it is allowed to exist

• Tension between Joseph Strorm and Inspector• Petra Strorm certified as normal• David’s Aunt Harriet comes with new baby –

uncertified because not normal• Harriet wants to borrow Petra for certification.

Answer is no. Harriet chased out of house by Joseph• Harriet found dead next day by a river. Baby is not

there.


• Harriet is wiped from knowledge/existence after her death

• Suggestion that her death was a suicide• David prays to lose his ability – just wants to be

normal• Axel helps David calm down• Missing Telepathic boy died in a wood-cutting

accident• Reader is introduced to other telepathic children.

Michael teaches rest of kids new information (he lives in a different area)

• Chapter ends with a new Telepathic person revealed


• Big jump in time. Now six years later.• David gets urge to run – runs to river and finds Petra about to

drown• Rosalind comes, too. People suspicious of how they knew to help• David fears that Petra will be killed. Tries to telepathically warn her.• Last year was a bad year for Deviations. Lots of “purgings”• Old-Timers blame Deviations on “corruption in government and

carelessness in youth” (SOCIAL COMMENTARY HERE?)• Society getting paranoid – fearing new Tribulation (More

COMMENTARY)• Everything calming down until Anne (telepathic person) announces

she is going to get married

the chrysalids

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