The Chrysalids Study Guide

The man Anne is to wed is not only a person of the norm but the son of the local blacksmith - the same Allan who discovered Sophie Wender’s secret during childhood. At first the group take the proposed marriage seriously because of the social difference between the two families. However, the engagement is formally recognized. Despite vivid warnings against this union, Anne is determined and goes so far as blocking the others out. The remaining people of the group are understandably uneasy being aware of the vulnerability and submissiveness a bride can incarnate and the reputation of Allan based of previous acts. David shares this dilemma with Uncle Axel and he strongly agrees with where David stands. He even suggests that itway even be worth killing Anne to protect their secret. David however refuses this option. Once Anne is officially wed, she severs any ties with everyone else who share the gift of thought-shapes. During this, feelings between Rosalind and David blossom and they discover true love. However, since Rosalind is the daughter of Angus Morton, there is some familial rivalry, which complicates their love causing them to remain secretive of their bond. A mere 6 months after Anne’s marriage to Allan, he is found dead in a forest with an arrow through his neck. David and the group simultaneously attempt to reach out to Anne who is convinced that they had something to do with Allan’s death. The next day, Rachel part of the group and also Anne's sister, tries to confront her, but Anne does not answer her door. Alarmed, Rachel reaches the neighbor and they break into the house to find that Anne has hanged herself. By her corpse, there is a letter addressed to the inspector the neighbor finds but since she is unable to read, she assumes it is addressed to the deceased girl's family. Rachel opens the letter and finds that it denounces all of the people who are able to send thought shapes. Theletter is destroyed. However tragic the means to an end; the tension breaks. The murder of Allan still remains unsolved. Gossip plagues Waknuk but no one is unanimously suspected.