Cruelty In John Wyndham's The Chrysalids

Cruelty exist not only in real life but also in novels, movies, and any kind of fictional work. The Chrysalids, a novel written by John Wyndham is the story about the young telepath named David who must face cruelty because he lives in a religiously intolerant society that bans and destroys that which is not perfect, or in the image of God. For the people of Waknuk, rules often come before family. Humans send others that are considered blasphemies (which was a sin caused by bodily imperfections) to the Fringes. And they brainwash their children and teach them to become intolerant. All of which prove that humans are cruel and inhumane.

The citizens of Waknuk live in a world where social acceptance is based on physical appearance. Many rules exist to …show more content…
He’s a very close minded man which makes it impossible for him to see all the values in others who appear different than him or than the citizens who are considered to be "normal". He will eliminate anything that may resemble a deviant at all. David offhandedly says a remark about how he wishes he had a third hand to make tying a rag easier (in the Strorm household this is considered to be blasphemous – to be unhappy with the body given to you by God). Joseph Strorm considers this to be the Devil’s talk and angrily responds; “Pray, you wretched boy, for a forgiveness you do not deserve, but which God, in His mercy, may yet grant you...” ( ) When Sophie’s secret is revealed (having a six toe), she is deemed a mutant. In David’s father’s eyes, she is not physically "right" nor pure. He then proceeds to beat his very own son in hopes of getting his son to confess as to where she has fled to. Joseph Strorm will do anything to have a society that consists only of people that have no physical abnormalities and are physically pure, he is relentless in persecuting those whom do not meet these