The novel is called The Chrysalids. What do you think is the significance of this title, especially in relation to the novels themes? Support your answer with close reference to the novel.

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  1. The novel is called “The Chrysalids”. What do you think is the significance of this title, especially in relation to the novel’s themes? Support your answer with close reference to the novel.

The title of the novel illustrates the repression in Waknuk society, which relates to the theme of the discrimination of deviants in the repressed Waknuk society. The Waknuk society abides by the “Definition of Man”, which defines how a man or woman is supposed to look like in the Waknuk society. The society abides by this definition very strictly, and becomes intolerant of those who do not follow by the definition, which shows how rigid and narrow-minded the society is. In relation to the title, ‘Chrysalids’ refers to the cocoon stage of a butterfly, which signifies a protected stage of development. Likewise, the Waknuk society is wrapped up in its own world, protected from external influences with their religious beliefs. The external influences that the society tries to protect from are the people or objects which appear different with regards to the definition. Just like a cocoon wrapped up protectively in its own casing, the society protects itself from these external influences by ensuring that the people in the society strictly abide by the definition, making sure that the people or objects which do not follow the definition, meaning that they are not in the true image, are gotten rid of by banishing them to the Fringes and sterilizing them. The Waknuk society is willing to go to such extreme methods because they fear being influenced by the external influences and they also want to protect themselves from being influenced which is similar to how a butterfly in its cocoon stage behaves. Therefore, the title Chrysalids illustrates the conservativeness in the Waknuk society, parallel to the confined state of the cocoon stage of a butterfly.

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The title of the novel reveals the necessity of change in the Waknuk society, with regards to the theme of change is inevitable in the novel. This is further proved as the Sealand woman mentions that “life is change”. A chrysalid, the cocoon stage of a butterfly, is definite to evolve into a butterfly after the stage is completed. This shows that change, is an inevitable process. Likewise in comparison, the Waknuk society also has to undergo a change in life which is necessary and inevitable. The title of the novel, “Chrysalids”, signifies the Waknuk society, and also represents an ...

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