Effect Of Prejudice In The Chrysalids example essay topic

Prejudice was once described by Senator George Aiken when he said, "If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and colour we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon". This quotation could not be more correct. People around the world will have prejudiced views even if there is not anything to discriminate against. This quotation also shows the ignorance and the stupidity that people demonstrate towards variety and diversity.

When there are people who hate there is prejudice. Not only do prejudiced outlooks destroy people, they also cause many of conflicts between people, communities and countries. These small conflicts can then inflate and become worldwide issues that influence everybody. There are a great deal of prejudiced feelings in the novel The Chrysalids, and in the film The Power of One. In these works prejudice is a predominate issue and it creates many vital conflicts.

After reviewing these works it is easy to see how bigotry leads to pain, sacrifice and hate. Prejudice in The Chrysalids and in The Power of One can be compared in terms of causes, effects and ultimate consequences. Next, prejudice in The Chrysalids and in The Power of One can be compared in terms of effects. One effect of prejudice that occurs in The Chrysalids is defiance.

It is obvious that defiance occurs quite frequently in The Chrysalids. One of the first incidences of defiance was when David did not turn in Sophie for her blasphemy. The inspector told David that "concealment of a blasphemy - not reporting a human deviation is a very serious thing" which shows us that disregarding the laws in Waknuk is unacceptable (51). Defiance occurred often in The Chrysalids because the laws in Waknuk were very difficult to abide by and many people disagreed with them. Consequently, because people disagreed with the laws they were more likely to break them. Similarly, defiance is also an effect of prejudice in The Power of One.

An example of defiance in this film could be seen when PK began to teach the black people. During the time period that this movie took place black people were not allowed to learn how to read and write. PK along with a few other white people disagreed with the law. They felt that the only way that black people were ever going to be able to pass knowledge on to one another would be if white people taught them. As a result, PK set up an illegal program in which he would teach the black people how to read and write. This showed how unreasonable laws cause people to break them.

PK disagreed with the law that was set so he broke it. Therefore, defiance of the government occurs when one has a strong opinion against the laws set. Another effect of prejudice in The Chrysalids is conflict. The people of Waknuk were prejudice towards anything that deviates from the true image. This causes many conflicts for David and the other telepaths. For example when David was having a conversation with his Uncle Axel about Anne his uncle says, "It is too dangerous Davie.

Remorse, abnegation, self sacrifice, the desire for purification all pressuring upon her" (95). This quotation showed the struggle that David and the other telepaths were having with the fact that Anne wished to marry someone who is not a telepaths. This meant that Anne would most likely tell her husband that she and the others are telepaths and then they would all be discovered. This conflict took place because of the prejudiced feelings that were directed towards anything that was different. If the people in Waknuk were not prejudiced, then David would not have been having such a problem with Anne marrying a norm. Likewise, conflict is also an effect of prejudice in The Power of One.

An example of this was the fighting between PK and the boys at school. PK was the only English boy at his school full of Dutch students. When the war started, the English were fighting against Hitler. Unfortunately, the Dutch were in favour of Hitler. Therefore, because PK was English the Dutch boys picked on him. This example shows how prejudiced feelings cause conflict between people.

If the boys were not prejudiced towards the English then PK would not have been harassed. An additional effect of prejudice in The Chrysalids would be dehumanization. Sophie depicted the dehumanization that transpired in The Chrysalids: "You can't understand the awful emptiness that's waiting all around us here" (167). This quotation describes the Fringes, which was the place that people who were different were sent to. It proves how prejudice causes dehumanization through unfair treatment and abuse. In a similar manner, dehumanization is also an effect of prejudice in The Power of One.

An example of the dehumanization that occurred in The Power of One would be when the black people were sent to camps, beaten and used as slaves. All of these acts demoralize people. They make them feel as if they are worthless and they separate them from the ordinary people. These acts are carried out because of prejudiced feelings towards the black people. In conclusion, prejudice in The Chrysalids and in The Power of One can be compared in terms of effects.