Introduction

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham is a science fiction novel first published in 1955. It is set in a dystopian future and follows young narrator David Strorm, who is born into a deeply religious and fundamentalist community that forbids any genetic deviations from living on. The town of Waknuk is based on the small town of Wabush in Canada, and the text references real geographical locations such as Labrador, Newfoundland, and New Zealand throughout. 

The Chrysalids, dealing with themes of religion and warning against a refusal to change or evolve, received a mixed critical reception at its release. However, it is often considered by readers as author John Wyndham's best work. It has served as inspiration and influence for several now-classic dystopian novels, such as Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.

Plot Summary

Years ago in Waknuk, the Old People were punished by a catastrophic Tribulation for their deviation from the true image of God. Now, the world lives in fear of the same happening to them. Any deviation is considered an Offence or Blasphemy that must be eliminated through burning, ceremonial slaughter, or exile. While Waknuk is developed land, it is surrounded by the Wild Country, the Fringes, and the Badlands. These outskirts are the land of the Devil and are home to dangerous creatures and deviant, exiled beings. 

One day, 10-year-old David Strorm is exploring the outskirts of town when he comes across an unknown girl named Sophie. As the two play together, Sophie falls onto nearby rocks, and her shoe becomes stuck. Although Sophie insists on keeping her shoe on, she is forced to remove it, and David discovers that she has six toes. He agrees to keep her secret but begins to question whether small deviations are really as awful as he has been told. 

David reveals he is a deviant when talking to his kind and protective Uncle Axel. He has telepathic powers that allow him to send thought shapes directly from his brain to other Waknuk children with the same deviation—Michael, Sally, Katherine, Mark, Anne, Rachel, and David's cousin Rosalind. 

David and Sophie are discovered one afternoon by Alan Ervin, who learns of Sophie's extra toe. Alan is part of a society in Waknuk that harshly rejects any physical differences from the norm. David and Sophie unsuccessfully attempt to kill Alan, and Sophie and her parents are forced to leave town.

Weeks later, David's new little sister, Petra, is born. The telepathic children begin to fear their hidden existence and start working closer together to share information and protect themselves by keeping their powers hidden. 

A few years later, David becomes overwhelmed by a painful thought-shape while farming. ("Thought-shapes" refer to the method of telepathic communication used by the characters who possess this ability.) David's thought-shape commands him to run, and he finds Petra trapped in deep water. He discovers that Petra also has telepathic powers, but ones that are uncontrolled and extremely strong.

As Petra's powers grow, the group teaches her how to control her thought-shapes, decreasing their overwhelming power and forming them into understandable signals. While doing so, Petra tells them she is receiving signals from someone far away that none of the other telepathic children can hear. 

Eventually, Anne informs the group that she is going to marry Alan. The group is alarmed, as they know it will be tough for her to hide her deviation, but she marries him anyway. Six months into their marriage, Alan is found dead, and Anne commits suicide. 

Uncle Axel warns David that people are becoming suspicious and reveals that he killed Alan. That night,...