Change is an essential part of life. John WyndhamÃÂs, The Chrysalids, proves change may be hard, but it must progress as the title implies, like a caterpillar transforming into a cocoon, then emerging a butterfly. Although change is inevitable, it is not easily accepted by the society of Waknuk.
Even though Waknuk denies change, it is going through small variations from their old ways of life. Waknuk tries to remain a static town, like a cocoon denying evolution, because the people do not want to change their lives. ÃÂÃÂ nobody caring beyond a bit of lip-service. You can see it everywhere nowadaysÃÂ Bringing Tribulation down on us again, they areÃÂ But itÃÂs comingÃÂ ÃÂ (Wyndham, 87 to 88). When people let some deviations pass, others think that God will send Tribulation again for them to start over again and do things right. In addition, the society is changing the severity of their punishments.
First edition hardback cover
First edition hardback cover
English: Mullerup beach on the west coast of Seala...ÃÂMy father reckoned there was a lot less trouble with mutantsÃÂ when there were any, they were burnt, like other deviationsÃÂ But what happened?... they must be outlawed and driven to the Fringes, or, if they are infants, simply exposed there to take their chanceÃÂ ÃÂ (88 to 89). In the past generations, the punishments towards deviations were taken more seriously than they are now; the penalties are less extreme presently in the book. Furthermore, in Waknuk, there was the one allowance which contradicted the teachings of the old way of life, the use of the Great horses. ÃÂTheyÃÂre government approvedÃÂ the breed was produced simply by mating for size, in the normal wayÃÂ (36). Even though the horses look like deviants, it is allowed into the community for the sake of profit, and so it bypasses the rule for deviations. Therefore, through Waknuk trying to be static, the...