Chrysalids Chapter Summary Flashcards
chapter 1
The main character, David, is a young boy who discovers that his classmate Sophie has six toes. Initially he does not think much of this discovery, but later he realizes that her 6-toed feet are against societal norms and would result in severe punishment if discovered by the rest of society. David starts to wonder why society even has such a norm against Deviants in the first place.
chapter 2
The religion is focused on keeping the “pure” form of humans, as defined by their text Nicholson’s Repentances. Anyone who does not conform to the norm is considered Deviant, and most Deviants live in the Fringes.
chapter 3
They discuss the lives of the Old People, with each of them accounting for what their elders have told them. David has a dream at the end of the chapter in which Sophie is being purified/sacrificed like an “Offence” to his father.
chapter 4
David confides in Uncle Axel about his telepathic abilities to communicate with other nearby people via “thought shapes”. An invasion from the Fringes occurs in Waknuk. The Inspector and Joseph disagree over Angus Morton’s great-horses, which are larger than normal horses but government-approved.
chapter 5
Alan sees Sophie’s footprint and becomes suspicious of her and starts to chase her. Under the punishment and pain inflicted on him by Joseph, David reveals that Sophie is a Deviant.
chapter 6
David tells his telepathic community of friends, via thoughts, about the incident with Sophie. In a conversation with the Inspector, David finds out Sophie and her parents were caught. Later, David confides in Uncle Axel and tells him that he wants to run away because he feels scared.
Chapter 7
David’s mother Emily gives birth to a baby, who is named Petra. Petra, nonetheless, is still certified normal by the Inspector since she has no deviating body parts physically. Aunt Harriet is later found dead in a river after trying to get her child certified as normal as well.
Chapter 8
David is upset by what happened to his Aunt Harriet. Uncle Axel shares some of his philosophy about how the true image of man is unknown. The telepathic group share their names and locations with each other so that they can be more aware of each other in case of any emergencies.
Chapter 9
David dreams again of his father sacrificing an offense, but this time, the sacrifice is Petra. David talks to Old Jacob about the many impurities in the crops and stock this season. The next day when the telepaths each try to communicate with Petra she is not able to receive their communications.
Chapter 10
David and Rosalind are in love, but the parents of both are arranging match-making sessions. One of the telepaths, Anne, announces her plans to marry Alan. Less than a year after Anne marries Alan, Alan is murdered. Subsequently, Anne hangs herself.
Chapter 11
Petra rides her pony into the woods to meet a scary creature. Later, she lets out a loud telepathic cry for help, which attracts the entire telepathic group, and also is so strong that it blocks them from communicating with each other. Uncle Axel confirms David’s fears that there are people who are suspicious of the telepaths. Uncle Axel reveals that he is the one who killed Alan because he suspected Alan knew about the telepathy group.
Chapter 12
David, Petra, and Rosalind escape from Waknuk with the help of Sally and Katherine after they are arrested for being telepaths. While they flee, they continue communicating with Michael, who has not been suspected as deviant and who is helping to throw the town search party off David’s trail. Petra makes contact with a fa- away woman from a place called “Zealand” or “Sealand”, which only she can speak with due to the distance between the two places.
Chapter 13
Michael warns David, Petra, and Rosalind that there is a search party following their trail. They now believe Sally and Katherine may be already dead. Petra continues to communicate with the Sealand woman and finds out that everyone in Sealand can communicate telepathically. At the end of the chapter, something falls out of the trees and hits David on the back of the head.
Chapter 14
David, Rosalind, and Petra have been kidnapped by the Fringes people. Michael is with the army of people from Waknuk and is updating David on the army’s whereabouts. David meets Gordon Strorm/the spider-man again, who is the leader of the Fringe group. David fights Gordon because Gordon wants to take Rosalind to bear his children. David is thrown out of the Fringes encampment; Rosalind and Petra are kept there as prisoners.
Chapter 15
David wakes up in a cave with Sophie, who saved him and now brings him to her cave/home. Sophie is Gordon Strorm’s romantic partner, and she is jealous that Gordon wants Rosalind over her, because Sophie was sterilized and cannot have children. She rescues Rosalinda and Petra from Gordon’s tent by killing the guard watching them.
