The Chrysalids (aka Re-birth)

Duncan Lawie has sent a review of John Wyndham's The Chrysalids. It's known by its alternate title Re-birth. One of the most popular science fiction authors in the British Commonwealth in the 1950s and 1960s, Wyndham looks at the nature of humanity. The Chrysalids (aka Re-birth) author John Wyndham pages 200 publisher Caroll & Graf, 11/1993 rating 9/10 reviewer Duncan Lawie ISBN 0786700416 summary An excellent novel investigating the nature of humanity, set in a blighted Earth fearful of deviation from the righteous path.

John Wyndham was probably the most widely read science fiction author in the British Commonwealth in the 1950s and 1960s. This was largely due to his being publicised outside the genre and for his attention to the interests and attitudes of a wide audience unfamiliar with science fiction tropes. The first half of his career - before the Second World War - was undistinguished. He wrote under a number of names, usually variations on John Beynon Harris, but settled on Wyndham when he returned to writing after the war. At this time he developed a type of science fiction often referred to as "cosy catastrophe", where disaster strikes and the world is plunged into chaos which the protagonists must survive so that they can begin to rebuild.

The Chrysalids is an example of Wyndham at the height of his powers. It is set centuries after Tribulation ended the world as we know it. The population of Labrador seeks to rebuild the society of the Old People with the aid of the Bible and writings from the time of Tribulation which codify the Image of Man. Any being which does not match the True Image is `hateful in the sight of God' and must be destroyed as an abomination or exiled from human society. This position extends to all known flora and fauna and is enforced by government inspectors. It quickly becomes apparent that this is an attempt to keep the genetic stock pure after a massive nuclear war. The book's narrator, though outwardly normal, has an ability along with a number of others to "think together". As the book opens, he has no real awareness that he is any different from anyone else. As he grows older he comes to the realisation that the memorised lines from the Sunday service have a real relationship to the world around him and his place in it. He has the good fortune of an uncle who offers him advice that fires the instinct for caution into active self preservation. Gradually, events put the group under suspicion and they face significant trials with scant possibility of survival.

The Chrysalids is skilfully written, displaying the increasing danger and frustration for a hidden community of telepaths in a society which prizes normalcy above all else. Their striving for "averageness" despite an ability which allows them insight far beyond their fellows and in the face of widespread communal fear of the different strikes a chord with generation after generation of reader. There is also clear advocacy for change in this novel. While accepting that any creature will fight to preserve itself and its type, there is an emphasis on the importance of change as the only means of improvement and a belief that evolution has no ultimate end point. This leads to the thesis that it is inherently right that humanity give way to those who come after us. This Darwinian perspective may seem reasonable in the long view but the book draws into renewed sharpness questions which have been debated for decades.

The final pages are almost overwhelmed by Wyndham's need to state his position clearly, but the novel does regain equilibrium. As a whole, the book achieves considerable complexity of idea and action whilst maintaining straightforward language. The story progresses primarily through character development, which allows a natural flow and shape in the plot. It is a book which rarely pulls its punches and this is a contributing factor to its continued success and validity almost 50 years after its original publication. The Chrysalids is a tight, well developed novel from a master of a peculiarly English style of science fiction.

Pick this book up at Fatbrain.

Comments

It was a great book...

[Anonymous Coward]

...and I'm glad I didn't study it in High School like most of my friends. I think most of the implications of the book are lost on this generation, since the threat of a nuclear Apocalypse is not nearly as imminent as the 1950's. However, the idea of the State controlling and regulating us is more true today then ever before. For those who haven't read it and are into SCI FI, shame on you! Just read it! You won't be disappointed. AC

Re:It was a great book...

[Slamtilt]

That's a problem in a few Wyndham novels, I think. I went through a Wyndham phase a few years back, when the Beeb did a 'Day of the Triffids' serial. I went and read that, The Chrysalids, and also The Kraken Wakes. They all had rather feeble deus ex machina endings, I thought. I don't think it's spoiling them to say that, though; they're pretty good, or at least the first two (TKW didn't leave much of an impression).

Re:It was a great book...

[gorilla]

I disagree. I think the realistic chances being killed by a nuclear weapon is much higher now than in the 50's.

In the 50's, nuclear weapons were only possessed by a small number of nations who were generally well accustomed to diplomatic means, had no major entrenched hostility to each other, and had just fought a long shattering conventional war.

The weapons were controlled by the military, who put many procedures & safeguards in place to prevent the accidental or unauthorized use of the weapons.

The only way that nuclear weapons would be used would be for a conventional war to go hot, and since the second world war, none of the nuclear powers have directly fought each other.

Nowadays, almost any nation could get a nuclear weapon if they decided to expend the effort. This includes many countries with leaders who obtained control by miltary means, have disputes with their neighbours over control of territory or resources, and sometimes have religious or other disputes with their neighbours going back thousands of years, and modern disputes with the USA and the United nations.

A country which has already sent suicide bombers against US targets, or is fighting a bitter border war with it's neighbour is going to be more likely to use an atomic weapon than any of the nuclear powers was in the 50s.

Deviations!!

[Rahoule]

After reading this book, anytime I or my brother see a strange looking animal or plant, we say to one another, "It's a deviation!!" (Or an "offence" or a "blasphemy," etc.)

I read this book in grade10 English. Grade10 English was my favourite of all the English courses I took in high school, largely because of this novel, and the other one we read, Animal Farm. It's possible though, that these may have, um, influenced me and created a few of my left-wing views, or at least my reaction to fundamentalism. David Strorm's dad is a raging fundamentalist, and...wait... That would be a spoiler.

I also wish I could communicate in "thought-shapes," too. For example, if I was taking a test in school, I and several other telepaths could send and receive thought-shapes throughout the test and..."help each other out."

Great book. I'd like to say more, but I'd probably spoil it for those that haven't read it... I will say this, though... It's a great book, except for this one line: "They've broken Katherine!" Umm...sure.

Best of the era

[skelly]

I always enjoyed the 1950's era science fiction for its simplicity of style and brevity of technical mumbo jumbo. The Chrysalids and other post apocalytic novels like it were always better written than some of the drivel that comes out today. At least these novels leave many of the notions of fantasy to the imagination

One of my all-time favorite books

[sab39]

"The Chrysalids" has been one of my all-time favorite novels for some time now. It deals with difficult and important moral and ethical issues, but it manages to do so without ever failing to be a great *story*.

From just reading this review you might come away with the impression that this book is somewhat dry, and the story is secondary to the points that the book is intended to make. Fortunately, this is not the case. Every character in the book is well developed and you really identify with all of them -- you feel their fear, their sadness, their joy -- especially but not exclusively the narrator. Even the one character with whom you aren't supposed to identify (not mentioning any names to avoid spoilers, but it should become obvious reasonably early into the book) is well developed and completely believable.

There are moments that will shock and horrify you, and other moments that will fill you with feel-good fuzzies. There are even some points where you're on the edge of your seat hoping that a disaster can be averted. The story proceeds at a good speed making the book completely un-put-downable.

I agree with the reviewer that the book deals well with tough ethical issues. But don't forget to mention that it's a really good read for its own sake too!

Stuart.

Slightly OT: Thoughts on Wyndham

[Yosemite Sue]

Pleasant surprise to see a review of a Wyndham book on /.! In many ways, Wyndham seems to be a relatively unknown author (at least, judging from how rarely I see his books in bookstores).

I have been a fan of Wyndham since I was twelve or so - my dad was a high school English teacher, and had The Chrysalids and Day of the Triffids in the house. (OT - I think a good way to turn people off of an author is to force them to read that author in school, and dissect the work into tiny pieces. Luckily, I liked The Chrysalids before having to read it in class, so I was unaffected!) I read all of his books (and stories) back then, but last summer I decided to re-read what I could.

It took a few visits to various bookstores to track down the books I wanted, but it was worth it. Although some things are a bit dated, Wyndham is surprisingly contemporary in many ways. I've always enjoyed his treatment of female characters, and he seemed to have a wide range of knowledge about different scientific areas. I certainly enjoyed and appreciated "Trouble with Lichen" more as an adult, and after having completed my own microbiology studies ...

Anyhow, it's nice to see some other folks who appreciate Wyndham, too. :-)

YS

Different from Original?

[348]

Good review. I have not read this or the earlier version but it sounds quite good. I wonder how this compares, deviates or compliments the original.

A good book, with flaws

[jd]

*SEMI-SPOILER WARNING*

Please note that this post contains potential spoilers. Opening your web browser indicates agreement with the invisible licence printed between the lines of this warning, which state that you assume any and all reduction in enjoyment from the book, subsequent to reading this post.

Phew! Having got that out of the way, onto the critique:

First off, I'd like to see a helicopter fly essentially around the globe without refuelling. This is not the only scientific flaw in the book, but it's one of the most glaring. Plot devices are important in any story, but they don't need huge neon signs announcing them, either.

Secondly, many people seem to read the book as "anti-religious". It isn't. It's anti-intolerence, sure, and SOME of the intolerent characters are religious, but by no means all. Read the book again, and check the actions of the guys in the Fringes. Not exactly the sort of people you'd want to hang out with, if they're just as psychotic as the "pure".

Nor is this about "conforming". David's uncle's arm was the "wrong" length by a small margin, and from the sounds of it, that wasn't found out until adulthood. That's not about "conforming", that's power-play - using politics and paranoia to remove potential opponents.

THAT, to me, is the entire central core of the book - the use of power and fear, by ANY side, to exert control and destroy any potential threat. The nature of the threat is as irrelevent as the excuse used.

IMHO, that is what made the ending so sickening. To "rescue" the kids, the helicopter massacres hundreds of people, under the pretext that they "didn't really have lives", and were "only" Norms. In short, the murder of something different was justified -solely- because it was different. Sure, there was more compassion from the New Zealanders, but not so much that they spared any life that did not conform to their notion of the ideal.

This is a great book, in a great many ways, but it is also VERY disturbing. Justification for murder came so easily to each and every one of the characters in the book, based on nothing but difference.

IMHO, this book is worth reading, but it's no light read, and there's no truly happy ending. I'd put it alongside the Cthulhu Mythos in terms of it's depressing hopelessness.

Re:A good book, with flaws

[Rahoule]

Warning: Spoilers

If I remember correctly, the book mentions the helicopter people as coming from 'Zealand' which is somewhere in Denmark...

No, it really was New Zealand.

The way the kids first find out about the "Sealanders" is from Petra, who is incredibly powerful at broadcasting "thought-shapes" and incredibly sensitive to receiving them. At one point in the book, Petra tells Rosalind about the "other," "far-away" voices. When Rosalind asks Petra where they are coming from, Petra points to the south-west. On a globe, going from eastern Canada to New Zealand is definitely heading south-west. Later in the book, the "Sealand" woman marvels at how Petra can throw a thought "halfway round the world."

As for the long helicopter journey, the book does take place in the future, probably around the year 2200 or 2300, so perhaps better fuel efficiency or a better type of fuel was available. According to the "Sealand" woman, New Zealand was largely untouched by "Tribulation," and did not receive the incredible technological and societal setbacks Labrador did.

2200 to 2300 is a plausible range of years because the book was written in the 1950s, when the threat of a nuclear war was real, and Mr. Wyndham probably assumed it would happen in the late 20th century or early 21st. Assume the war took place around 2000. David Strorm, the narrator, mentions that he doesn't know "how many generations" had passed since Tribulation (the war). His mention of the history (or lack thereof) of Nicholson's Repentances also backs this up.

Re:fellow canadians

[Awel]

That's because the only reason you read it in high school was because the author was Canadian, just like you.

Actually, John Wyndham was British. Just because the story is set in Canada doesn`t mean he was Canadian. You don`t have to live in Canada to remember that it exists.

rather amazing experience with Chryzalids

[porky_pig_jr]

I remember taking Chryzalids from the Public Library. Roughly at the same time I've picked up the CD 'Crown of Creation' from Jefferson Airplane. (heard it long time ago on LP, then was waiting for CD). I read Chryzalids for a while, then started listening Crown of Creation. To my amazement I've realized that the song 'Crown of Creation' actually used the words from Chryzalids. In Chryzalids: 'In loyality to their kind they cannot tolerate our mind, in loyality ot our kind we cannot tolerate their obstruction'. In Crown of Creation it is something very similar. Then again the same phrase: 'Life is change. That's how it differs from the rocks'. It happened 10 years ago. I still remember that. Coincidences like this can really blow your mind. To the best of my knowledge, noone every detected that Crown of Creation uses the words from Chryzalids. If you're not familiar with this CD, pick it up, this is probably the top of Jefferson Airplane and one of the best examples of psycodelic rock. (another example of Jefferson Airplance quoting classics is a song Rejoyce with quotes from Ulysses) Wyndham is the excellent writers. The day of Triffids is another novel worth reading. 'Cracatit (sp?) is another really good one.

Different titles & other thoughts

[maroberts]

I notice that the UK and USA call several of John Wyndham's books different names, almost as though Americans are too stupid to understand the UK titles [this is not meant to be an adverse comment about Americans, before this gets marked as Flamebait]
e.g.

• The Kraken Wakes AKA From the Deeps
• The Chrysalids AKA Re-birth

I enjoyed reading both these titles, along with Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos (AKA "Village of the Damned" in the movie world), and they still sit on one of my bookshelves.

I thought The Chrysalids was remarkably prescient, as I often regard "think-together" and the hive mind postulated in the book as analogous to how the Web has allowed widely separated teams of people to work on the same project. The opposition to this development in people seems to be opposed by many forces in society albeit not as violently as the community in the book tries to suppress difference.

Re:I haven't read it, but I have...

[Bearpaw]

I started to read your post, but I realized that I'd heard the same thing so often that there was no point to finishing it. Hopefully I'll be exposed to some great new concept in someone else's post ...

Re:canukes!

[Christopher B. Brown]

The odd part is that I studied it in (high?) school, in Canada, and there was no comment made about the "Canadianness" of the story.

Frankly, I'm going to have to look back at the book to verify just where it is that it makes a sufficiently clear reference to Labrador to indicate that that is where it was placed...

Mind you, in it being written in 1955, Labrador had only been a part of Canada for six years, which means that it was too early for there to be any long term understanding of the notion of the region being part of Canada.

I'm not sure if an understanding of the actual culture of Newfoundland is, or is not, relevant to the story. Rather interesting if it is, as that's a rather obscure place, not terribly well-known, in many ways.

I think I'd read the story in rather different light if that be the case...