Chysalids compared to By the Waters of Babylon
Uploaded by saskatoon666 on Dec 14, 2000
Two very good stories are The Chrysalids by John Wyndham and “By The Waters Of Babylon” by Stephen Vincent Benet. Both these stories are sci-fi and depict what human civilizations will be like after a nuclear holocaust. The result of the holocaust has altered the Hill People and Waknuk people’s morals and religious beliefs. The main difference between the stories is one is viewing the future as positive the other is portraying the future negatively. The Chrysalids was a better story. It portrayed what humans act like. In the following paragraphs many points will be looked upon to prove that The Chrysalids is a better story.
The Chrysalids takes place in an eastern part of Canada called Labrador. It is set in the future after a nuclear holocaust has occurred. The town of Waknuk is isolated because the surrounding areas have heavy radiation and nothing can survive there. Because of this isolation Waknukians had to make up new religious and moral beliefs. Both these stories have many similarities as well as many differences. Some of the most visible similarities are in the setting. They are both set in the future after a nuclear holocaust. Both stories are set in small villages where laws are strict and the surrounding areas of the villages are forbidden. Both civilizations have lost all knowledge of past civilizations, they must recreate beliefs and morals the best they can. As well they also thought very highly of the Old People. What these villages do not understand they make up stories to explain them.
Some of the differences in setting are some Hill People know what is around them. No one in Waknuk knows what is around them. In “By The Waters Of Babylon” priests are allowed to go into dead places, where as in Waknuk no one is allowed to go into the fringes. “By The Waters Of Babylon” takes place in New York. The Chrysalids is set in Labrador. What the Hill People do not understand they attributed to God where as in Waknuk what is unknown is associated with the devil.
The novel The Chrysalids starts out when the main character, David is having a dream. The dream is about a city with flying objects in the sky and buggies without horses to pull them. After this dream David is curious of what this city is. He realizes he has the gift of telepathy. He and...