The Chrysalids Study Guide

After having suffered a harsh beating from his father for sleeping at the Wender’s deserted house, he is left alone in his bedroom and he talks to his friends who share his telepathic ability he tells them about Sophie and her secret. As he attempts to find sleep, he dreams again of the once familiar Big City. In desperation, David decides to escape from Waknuk. When he awakens the following morning, He is questioned by the Inspector and David is still very evasive David’s doubts in his culture grow steadily especially with the lecturing of the Inspector about the Devil tempting us from purity during this discourse, they are interrupted by David’s father who announces that the Wender’s have been captured. David is grief stricken and guilt ridden until the Inspector reassures him that the capturing of the Wender’s was purely by chance of routine patrollers and that it was not what they had spoken about that had given them away. A few days later, David confides in his Uncle Axel and tells him of his plans to run away, Uncle Axel strongly advises against doing so. Despite David’s persistence, Uncle Axel continues to tell him of the world beyond the county of Waknuk. He explains what lies south Rigo, things that have never been taught to David in school. He then explains that the terrain outside of their familiar territory is plagued with dangerous deviations and that there are unspeakable monstrosities in areas known only as the Black Coasts. The explorer, Marther, gave this name to the lands beyond in his writings during various expeditions particularly one on the Venture, the only known ship to have returned from the land beyond the black coasts with tangible artifacts. He goes on to elaborate on the intense deviations and their nature. Uncle Axel Also attempts to comfort David about his gift and explains that there are many different races outside of Waknuk and therefore many different definitions of what the norm is and how each of these different races believe they are of the true image of God. He also points out inaccuracies in the book, Repentances and tries to break David of the mold of thought he is forced into from school and his father’s harsh teachings. The existence of other possible true forms suggests that David and the others who share his gift could just as well be closer to the true image of god as anyone else. He inquires to know exactly how many people David can actually speak to and David explains that there were formerly 8 he has been unable to reach the eighth member for some time now he worries that something bad may have happened to him and that it may come across all the others who share their gift. Uncle Axel promises to discover the reason behind the absence of their 8th counterpart. David is convinced tostay in Waknuk for the time being.