The Chrysalids - Questions
1. A description of Waknuk, The Fringes and the Badlands. Comment on the differences
between the two settings and the reason for the marginalisation of people living in the
Fringes.
Waknuk is a religious community that doesn't believe in individuality. Everything has to
basically be the same. Any differences or "deviations" are hateful in the sight of god.
Animals with deviations are slaughtered because they don't fit the normal and are looked at
as a creature made by the devil. The community follows their bible, Nicholson's Repentance
that states that any human that "seems to be human, but is not formed thus is not human.
It is neither man nor woman. It is a blasphemy against the true Image of God" (p.13). These
humans that are not the same and that are not considered as humans are sent away and
banished to the Fringes. These people are then left there to fend for themselves with no
sympathy from the people of Waknuk.
The Fringes is basically where all of the people with deviations go to live. It's on the edge of
Waknuk and there is a scarce amount of food, because of the bad soil and contaminated
things. Therefore, they live apart from the people of Waknuk who are a norm (the image of
God). It is the place where all the outcasts were sent; all the people who were considered
blasphemies of God. Also, a forbidden area still rife with animal and plant mutations.
Human deviations are exiled to the Fringes, a lawless region to the south of Waknuk.
Sealand is the land that the Sealand Lady comes from. It is a place with sea all around, and
two parts to it. It has lots and lots of houses that are bigger than those found in Waknuk.
They use cars and aeroplanes. The sun shines brighter there, and boats harbour around
goods in the bay.
2. Tribulation. What is it? What has been the impact on the society in Waknuk?
Tribulation was the holocaust or apocalypse-like incident that wiped out a large part of the
population and caused them to start over. The idea of Tribulation is based on the expulsion
from Eden as a result of Eve’s sin. Tribulation has impacted Waknuk it brought them/us back
to a time where mutants/deviants were regarded as evil and not the real image of God
(norm). It was probably a nuclear bomb which caused mutation in the people like people
gaining telepathy, extra body parts etc.
3. A character study on 4 of the Waknuk characters that you consider the most significant.
Joseph Strom, David's father, is one of the leaders in Waknuk who wants to create a perfect
society. Joseph hates deviancy and loves God. He is not open minded and does not change
his mind about deviancy even though his family has a history of deviancy. Joseph has the
same views and beliefs as his father, Elias Strom, and expects the people in his family to
have the same views and beliefs.
David Strom is the main character in the Chrysalids and is a deviant who has telepathic
powers like the Sealand People. He does not think that deviancy is wrong and he finds the
words of God puzzling.
Petra Strom is the sister of David Strom, she has similar telepathic powers as David but hers
is way stronger than David's and the Sealand people which shows that the powers are
evolving stronger and stronger.
Uncle Axel is the uncle of David. He does not think that deviancy is wrong and is kind to
David and tells him to not to tell anyone about his telepathic powers. He helps David and is
willing to kill to protect someone from finding out about David’s deviancy. He has also sailed
and seen many different communities who each think they are right and because of that he
is open minded about deviancy and is the contrast of Joseph.
4. A character study on 2 of the Fringes characters that you think are the most significant.
Spider man is the brother of Joseph Strom and the uncle of David Strom. His is a deviant and
has long arms and legs like a spider as he was described by David in the Chrysalids. He is
older than Joseph and he was supposed to be the leader of Waknuk if not for his deviancy
so he wants revenge against Joseph. He has no problems with deviancy as he is deviant
himself.
Sophie is a girl who has 6 toes on each foot so she is classified as a deviant by most of the
society of Waknuk. She is David's friend and lives in the society of Waknuk hiding her
deviancy however someone eventually finds out and she leaves for the Fringes to escape.
David meets her in the Fringes and the end of the book and she helps him out. Her mother
is said to possess some telepathic power.
5. Comment on the attempt made by the leaders of Waknuk to create a perfect society.
The leaders of Waknuk which includes David's father, Joseph Strom, want to create a
perfect society free from deviancy. They want to kill all the deviant animals and people and
burn all the deviant crops.
6. Comment on the differences and similarities in the attitude of the Sealand people.
The Sealand people think that they are superior that the Fringes and the Waknuk people
and they don't really care if the Fringes and Waknuk people die as they demonstrated at the
end of the book. People with telepathic powers are normal to them unlike the Fringes and
Waknuk people however they regard people without telepathic powers as useless.
Like the Waknuk people, they don't care about the Fringes people which is shown as they
kill them at the end of the book with their webs.