The Role of the Characters in The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

The Role of the Characters in The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

In the novel The Chrysalids by John Wyndham, several minor characters are presented to help convey the themes of the text. Alan Irvin, Sophie Wender, and Axel Morton are several of the minor characters, who are presented in the novel, that assist in the communication of themes to the reader. These characters help develop themes such as intolerance, and the nature of a closed society. John Wyndham also employs various literary techniques including personalisation, and development of character depth, which are imposed upon the characters to better convey the themes of the novel.

Axel Morton is a well-travelled person who has seen much more than most of the people who lived in Waknuk. He is one of the few in Waknuk society who had ventured down the coast, and in doing so he saw things, which made him question the religious indoctrination, which occurred in Waknuk. Axel questions the so-called "True Image" which is preached by the orthodox members of Waknuk society as his travels showed him just how many apparently deviational people thought that they were in the "True Image" in reference to the "Old People". "Whether they have seven fingers, or four arms, or hair all over, or six breasts, or whatever it is that's wrong with them- think that their type is the true pattern of the Old People, and anything different is a deviation". This quote from Axel Morton shows that no one could really be sure of what the "True Image" was, because as stated in the novel, no texts from when the "Old People" were around stipulated what was or wasn't deviational. Axel Morton had a much different value system to the other people of Waknuk, and did not believe that deviations were as b...

... middle of paper ...

... knowledge. The character of Alan Irvin helps convey the theme of the nature of a closed society by revealing his lack of sensitivity or compassion to deviants due to his myopic belief system, and his ignorance of outside knowledge.

Wyndham uses the minor characters in the novel to convey the themes, which are represented in the text. Although the characters are in fact minor, their role in the conveyance of the novel's themes is crucial, as they help support the main characters presentation of themes. Wyndham successfully employs the use of personalisation, development of character depth, and character sympathy in order to present themes through the minor characters of the novel. Through use of the minor characters, not only specific themes are conveyed, but the minor characters of the text also enable Wyndham to develop his themes from a number of perspectives.