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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 peoples 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 the others with telepathy must keep it a secret or they will be banished to the fringes.
After some time he has a baby sister that has very strong telepathy. The group later gets found out and they are forced to seek refuge in the fringes. Petra, Davids little sister starts communicating with a lady from a place called Sealand. The people from Sealand then come to save them. Near the end of the novel the Sealand people arrive and save them. When they finally arrive in Sealand David realizes that the dream he had was of Sealand.
The story By the Waters of Babylon is about a young man named John. He is the son of a priest in his community. He ventures off into the dead places. While sleeping in an old building from the old people, he has a dream. It is about a city with bright lights and funny looking objects. He then seeks out this city of the gods.
On his quest he finds the truth, about the old people. They did not have magic but they had technology instead. John brings back the news and tells his father. His father accepts the truth and they slowly tell their community.
The Chrysalids and By The Waters Of Babylon also have many similarities in plot. The main character in both stories travels to forbidden lands. Also the main characters were both sons of highly respected men in their communities. Both of the characters end up with a better life in the end. Both characters have dreams about the truth which makes them go on quests.
These novels had some differences in plot as well, but not too many. One main difference is that the societies view dead places differently. Waknuk views dead places as a place of the devil in comparison to The Hill People who view dead places as a place of the gods. In Waknuk the truth is covered up so people do not have different views, where as in Babylon they are told the truth. The characters from The Chrysalids are David Strorm and Joseph Strorm. The two characters from By The Waters Of Babylon are John and his father.
John and David are very similar in many ways. Both are curious and seek out the truth. They do not believe what they were taught as children. Both John and David have had dreams of cities that were much different than their own. Joseph and Johns father are both religious and have strong beliefs. The difference between the two fathers is that Johns is willing to accept the truth in comparison to Davids father who refuses to listen to the truth.
The reasons for the characters to go on quests is completely different. David goes on his journey because he is being hunted, he is afraid of dying. John goes to seek out the truth, he knows he is going to die if he goes to the place of the gods. The theme of The Chrysalids is the evil that humans possess. All was lost after the holocaust and they rebuilt their society.
They interpreted the bible into laws of purity. Those who were not pure were punished. The theme of By the Waters of Babylon is that humans can change and will listen to the truth. The theme is also about the way they look at the world. They see it as Gods creation and are respectful of his creations.
The themes of these stories are alike in the sense that they both show strict religious views. There laws are very strict and clear. The themes are different in the way that society is presented. In The Chrysalids humans are portrayed as being ignorant and negative. On the other hand By The Waters of Babylon presents humans as being accepting and optimistic. The most significant difference in these stories is the way the societies think.
The Waknuk people refuse to change and are very stubborn. The Hill People are accepting of the truth and are willing to change. The novel The Chrysalids went into a lot more detail and seemed more relatable then By the Waters of Babylon. The best story is The Chrysalids. It portrayed society more accurately. It was also more exciting and realistic.
Both these stories were well written. They had many similarities as well as many differences. The better story of the two is The Chrysalids by Jon Wyndham. His story went into greater detail and was more exciting. The plot of The Chrysalids was also a lot more elaborate. After observing many points about setting, plot, characters and theme the more accurate story of humans is The Chrysalids.
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