Chapters 15-17

In the final chapters, David notices he is being dragged by Sophie to safety. Since the beginning of the book, Sophie has changed. In chapter 15, one of the biggest changes is when Sophie kills the guard from the Fringes to rescue Rosalind and Petra. Having been treated so unjustly by the people of Waknuk, she has become more capable of violence.
 One of the themes seen in this book is change. The title, “The Chrysalids”, means the changing of a caterpillar to a butterfly. As the characters mature, they slowly adapt to their society with their differences. Also, the girl from Zealand that saved David, Rosalind, and Petra quoted on page 196 “The essential quality of life is living; the essential quality of living is change; change is evolution: and we are part of it.” I don’t think this is true because change isn’t the essential quality of living, but instead our faith is. Though many things do change not everything does.
The ending of the book didn’t surprise me. David, Rosalind, and Petra were rescued by the girl from Zealand and brought to David’s dream city. The book clearly explained Waknuk, the Fringes, and Zealand but what was the rest of the world like? Did they treat mutants the same way as Waknuk did?

Chapters 13-14

In chapters 13 and 14, David, Rosalind, and Petra's journey continues to the Fringes. Petra is still communicating with the girl from Zealand, the city David dreamed about. She explains to them that she is sending help to bring them to safety, but until help arrives, the protection of Petra is very important. David explains to Petra that if they get caught, he will have to kill her and Rosalind to prevent them from torture. I don't think Petra quite understands this and what it means to be different. Also in these chapters, they get captured by the people from the Fringes. There, David meets the spider-like man, Gordon, who he met in Waknuk many years ago that looks a lot like his father. Gordon keeps Rosalind and Petra captive for breeding purposes ands sends David away where he is beaten. In the next few chapters, I think that Sophie will have an important role along with the girl from Zealand.

Chapters 11-12

In these two chapters, David and the others tell Petra about her telepathic ability to keep her out of suspicion. I wonder if Petra realized she could communicate this way before David told her. Soon after that, David learns that Sally and Katherine have been captured. Then, David, Rosalind, and Petra escape to prevent captivity themselves. They leave just in time. I think the protection of Petra has significance to the upcoming chapters, and predicts that she will have an important role. Her gift of telepathy has saved her from all dangerous situations, including her falling in the river and her encounter with a creature while riding her pony. Also, in these chapters we learn that Uncle Axel is the one who killed Alan, Anne's husband. This doesn't surprise me because he was the one who knew the most out of everyone and had a reason to kill him.

Chapters 9-10

Chapters 9 and 10 mainly focus on Rosalind, David, Petra and the others who are telepathic. While David was working outside, he felt an unstoppable feeling to run. He ran until he reached the river where he found Petra struggling in the water. If David and Rosalind hadn't had the gift of telepathy, Petra probably wouldn't have survived because no one would've known she was drowning. When they return, people are amazed that they knew Petra was drowning and start questioning them. Petra also has the ability to speak telepathically. Once again, David starts having dreams of his father killing a deviation, this time not Sophie, but Petra. I think it's a good idea David decides not to tell Petra she is telepathic. Since she is so young, the chances of her keeping it a secret aren't very good. Soon after this, they learn that Anne, one of the people who is telepathic, is getting married. Anne isn't just getting married to any guy, but to Alan, the boy who noticed Sophie's sixth toe. Once the engagement is announced, Anne begins to ignore the others and the advice they tried to give her. The others who are telepathic, are worried that this may put them in danger. Why would Anne marry Alan knowing that her and the others would both be at risk of getting caught? David addresses Uncle Axel about the situation who suggests killing Anne, but David refuses. A few months later, Alan is found dead, causing Anne to kill herself. I think either someone from the Fringes or Uncle Axel had killed Alan. The neighbour lady and Anne's sister, Rachel, find a letter from Anne addressed to the inspector about all people who speak telepathically. Anne must have been trying to get revenge. At the end of chapter 10, Michael, also one of the telepathic, says "One of us has been found not strong enough..." I think this means that one of them has been caught. This could lead to something terrible for all of them.

Chapters 7-8

In chapter 7 David's mother gives birth to his baby sister, Petra. Since they believe that those who are different aren't considered human, David and his family must wait to receive a certificate from the inspector to say the baby is normal. I think it is strange how they can't acknowledge that their mother is pregnant until it is confirmed the baby is human. David's Aunt Harriet comes to visit, expecting to leave her baby with them and borrow Petra to keep her baby from being taken. David's father and mother can't believe she would even suggest this, keeping a deviational baby against the law. Their rules in their world are so strange yet they wouldn't think about breaking them. In chapter 8, we are introduced to the eight telepathic children, including David. He becomes worried that if anyone were to ever find out about his differences, he would end up in the same situation as Sophie and her family. I think that David is already brave enough to tell Uncle Axel about his telepathy. Also, Uncle Axel tells David "we don't have to be like the Old People, but instead try being ourselves, and build for the world that is, instead of for one that's gone... What makes a man a man is something inside him." I like how he says this to David, who is different, that we don't have to be like everyone else. It's not what's on the outside that matters, it's what's on the inside. This sounds almost completely opposite of what they believe.

Chapters 5-6

Throughout the past few chapters, we see that the people of Waknuk really take what they believe seriously. Alan, the blacksmith's son, is one of the many characters that believes any person who has even the slightest deviation is wrong. While David and Sophie were playing in the stream, Alan noticed Sophie's footprint on a rock clearly showing her sixth toe. I wonder if Alan knew the problems Sophie would have to face when he told the people of Waknuk about her. Sophie's family left Waknuk to escape some of those consequences, but unfortunately were captured. David and Sophie had a great friendship, leaving the question if Sophie and her family will every come back to Waknuk. But I think that Sophie will eventually be killed because of her differences. In chapter six, the inspector says "Every part of the definition is as important as any other; and if a child doesn't come within it, then it isn't human, and that means it doesn't have a soul. It is not in the image of God, it is an imitation, and in the imitations there is always some mistake." I think this quote is interesting because in their community they think that if someone isn't perfect, they aren't considered a human or made in the image of God. But us as Christians believe that no one is perfect and everyone is made in the image of God. The people of Waknuk definitely have some strange beliefs.

Chapters 3-4

In chapters 3 and 4,David shows that he has grown to care more about Sophie. He visits with Sophie a few times a week and once her foot is healed he brings her to the steam engine. When bringing Sophie home, David gets the chance to meet Sophie's father, Mr. Wender. Tension is seen between the two of them, and David realizes that Mr. Wender does not trust him. But that doesn't keep David from his friendship with Sophie. Later on, David dreams about Sophie being killed by his dad, leaving David worried about the danger Sophie could be in because of her differences. Their friendship continues to grow despite their differences. David also reveals his gift of telepathy to his Uncle Axel who finds David talking to himself. Why? David seems to trust his uncle more than anybody, even his own father. I think that David and Sophie will discover more mysterious things about Waknuk and slowly learn to adapt to their community.