Conformity In The Chrysalids

In the novel The Chrysalids by John Wyndham we see a society who values conformity and perfections over everything, failing to realize the imperfections they all contain. Some have hidden imperfections, which once found out are seen as mutant abilities. Others have such messed up, and horrid morals and beliefs, ones which are far from perfect. Then if you try to compare the people of Waknuk to the Sealand people you notice that they will always find imperfections in the other. This novel shows that although they may only notice visible mutations and imperfections you can find something imperfect in everyone.

One of the first things we see in the novel is the people of Waknuk’s belief of what everyone should look like, the true image of God

The way they react in such horrid ways to things as simple as a joke about their beliefs is anything but perfect. We see this horrid reaction by David’s father after a simple joke about wishing he had a third hand was said: “Now go to your room, and pray, you wretched boy for a forgiveness you do not deserve, butch which God, in His mercy may yet grant you. I will come to you later.”(P.27) This quote tells us how intense Joseph feels about his beliefs and even after this quote we are led to believe David's father caused a great sense of harm to him for simply making a small joke, but to Joseph it disturbed his beliefs so greatly he felt that was a necessary action. Again we see the imperfections of their beliefs in the way they feel is the right way to treat people. Having a simple extra toe is enough to have someone isolet to the fringes forever, or as we learn a woman giving birth to a mutant three times will have you stripped of your reproductive ability. To them they see their ways as perfect, others don’t see it that way. Their beliefs are wrong and often strips a lot of people of their human rights and causes a lot of horrific mental and physical abuse to people, thus giving even the norms in the book