G
M
,
K
S
A
M
’
.
DO G
.
N
.

The Chrysalids
Topic: Courage
Group Members: Anthony Lim Jun Hong (1)
Peng Wei Xing (18)
Mark Wee (25)
Yong Wen Shiuan (31)

Examples of Conflicts between characters in the
Chrysalids
Examples of Conflicts between characters in the Chrysalids
Conflict between David and Joseph Strorm/Inspector
David’s courage to keep mum to protect Sophie VS
Joseph/Inspector’s commitment to the religious Waknuk laws
Conflict between Aunt Harriet and Emily Strorm over
Harriet’s baby
Aunt Harriet’s courage to stand up to her plan to conceal her child despite the consequences of defying societyVS Emily’s fear of repercussions from Joseph and the law and to conform to the society
Conflict between David Strorm and Alan Ervin over
Sophie’s extra toe
Courage to aid friends illegally vs Courage to uphold society’s law
Inner mental conflict within David in the Wender’s
House
Courage to weather the eerie night alone vs Fear of the darkness and odd noises, movements

Choice of Topic:
Conflict between Emily Strorm and Aunt Harriet over Harriet’s baby
Conflict:
Aunt Harriet’s courage to stand up to her plan to conceal her child despite the consequences of going against society VS Emily’s fear of repercussions from Joseph and the law and wish to conform to society
This conflict arises as a result of the different values held by Aunt Harriet and Emily
Strorm, who represents the Waknuk society that David resides in. Aunt Harriet’s brazen request to her sister, Emily Strorm to adhere to her plan of swapping babies, knowing her overbearing husband is strongly against the concealment of Blasphemies, exemplifies her courage. Whereas Emily Strorm’s submissiveness to her husband and his religious beliefs and fear of repercussions overpowers her commitment to her fellow sister.
This incident brings out the fact that the conflict is not merely occurring directly between Aunt Harriet and Emily Strorm, but also between Aunt Harriet’s courage to ask her sister to do something against her principles and the law and her sister’s fear of the consequences she could potentiallt=y face as well as her unwillingness to go against society.

Implications and results of such conflicts
• Aunt Harriet has no choice but to submit her
Deviation baby for inspection. However, it is likely that she fears for the safety of her child if he is sent to the Fringes and thus commits suicide by drowning herself in a river to prevent such a predicament. This symbolises a
• loss for the minority of the society who disagree with the commonly-held beliefs.

• In this case, the conflict is defused but not completely resolved. The conflict ends when Aunt Harriet commits suicide. Both parties do not reach a resolution and Aunt
Harriet does not carry out her plan of swapping babies.
However, despite Aunt Harriet’s tragic death, the Waknuk society continues to stand by its principles of exiling and sterilising mutants as if nothing ever happened.

The Author’s message
It is impossible for the minority to go up against the majority and win
Based on the above, the theme that can be articulated is given below:
Courage to stand up for one’s beliefs against a majority is ultimately futile.

Justification for the Theme:
Quote 1: ‘I couldn’t help it, Sophie,’ I sobbed, ‘I couldn’t help it.’ (pg. 45)
The quote shows that David, after being severely punished by
Joseph Strorm, eventually gave in to him and told him about
Sophie, Martie and John Wender. Though he had the courage to keep mum in front of his own father and stand up for his beliefs, it was all for nothing as in the end, he lost and divulged the information to Joseph, who represents the majority of the
Waknuk society in this conflict.

Quote 2: They have broken Katherine. They have broken her… Oh, Katherine, dear… you mustn’t blame her, any of you. Please, please don’t blame her. They are torturing her. It might have been any of us. She’s all clouded now.
She can’t hear us…Oh Katherine, darling…’
The quote shows that despite Katherine’s efforts to not betray their friends, she eventually gives in under torture. This is another example of how the minority’s courage which in this case, is Sally and Katherine, will prove futile against a majority (the torturers and society in general).

Quote 3: That was one of the parts of the journal that
got Marther into a lot of trouble with orthodox people, for it implied that deviations, so far from being a curse, were performing, however slowly, a work of reclamation. Along with a half a dozen more heresies, it landed Marther in court and started agitation for a ban on further exploration.
•
This quote shows that conformity is the norm and anyone who has the courage to express even mildly radical views will be frowned upon by the masses and face negative consequences.
Marther, who had the courage to stand up for his beliefs and publish his findings, was taken to court after the majority found his ideas heretical.

Quote 4: ‘This is the third time. They’ll take my baby away again like they took the others. I can’t stand that- not again. Henry will turn me out, I think. He’ll find another wife, who can give him proper children. There’ll be nothing- nothing in the world for me- nothing. I came here, hoping against hope for sympathy and help. Emily is the only person who can help me. I-I can see now how foolish I was to hope at all.
•
This quote tells me that Aunt Harriet’s plan has been dashed after Emily rejects her. She had the courage to put everything on the line for a chance to save her child, a noble task.
However, with her actions deemed as heretical by society and the majority, her plan was doomed to failure and she was unable to find even sympathy in her fellow sister. This is supports the theme as it shows that a minority who have the courage to try and stand up against the majority who have different beliefs will be doomed to failure.

What narrative or literary devices does the author use to reinforce the message/meaning of the text?:
Quote 5:“Blessed is the norm.” “The norm is the Will Of
God.”
These motifs tell me that conformity was very important to the people of Waknuk. This suggests that any dissent among the populace, anyone who had the courage and tried to challenge this norm would be severely persecuted by the majority. This supports the theme that the courage of a minority with different beliefs cannot triumph over a majority of the society with the societal norm beliefs.