Perception In The Chrysalids

In human nature there are two ways to determine how we classify people, perceptions of others at attributions. Perception describes the way we filter people, and attributions explains how we react to people. In the novel the Chrysalids by John Wyndham a major key theme is perception of others, along with how religion can blind judgement. In the society of Waknuk domination of strict religious beliefs and traditions on perfection makes waknukians fear “difference” of appearance. Anyone/thing that is not in the purest form is hateful in the sight of god and is therefore not pure a “deviant’’ (Wyndham 18). Throughout the novel the waknukian society moves father away from perfection due to their prejiduceness against “deviants’’, which creates fear, Isolation and anger.

Waknukians are easily influenced by religious beliefs. These beliefs teach them to fear anyone/thing not normal. Fear manipulated the society into thinking normal meant good and ‘’deviant’’ meant evil. Waknukians live in a “society of fear’’ which changed people’s characters and resulted in unfortunate events. This is shown when Aunt Harriet came to visit and tried to convince her sister to let her borrow Petra (Emily’s daughter) to get her deviant baby certified, but got denied by Emily (Wyndham 71). The fear of the unknown resulted in family

It is their strict religious beliefs that cause fear, Isolation and danger between “deviants” and “norms”. It is also the actions taken to keep themselves as pure as possible that show their true colors. If it is purity they seek for the “true image” aren’t their oppressive actions towards “deviants” sinful?, so they will never truly will be pure, and perfection will never be achieved because perfection cannot be conquested only