Patriarchal Ideology In The Chrysalids

A patriarchal social system can be defined as a system where men hold all authority over women in all aspects of life. Men also have the most influence on society and the way it functions. When this kind of philosophy exists within a civilization, it can very well form the way each gender is treated. This is extremely clear in John Wyndham’s novel, The Chrysalids. I believe that the citizens of Waknuk hold a patriarchal ideology and that this ideology directly influences the way men and women are treated and represented in Wyndham’s novel.
One key aspect of a patriarchal society is that all positions of power and major influence are held by men. This is exactly the case in Waknuk. The two most powerful and influential people in Waknuk are Joseph Strorm, a religious leader, and The Inspector, the man who inspects newborn babies to see if they are deviations or not. These people being men leaves very little room for the opinions and input of women. Even Joseph’s wife, Emily Strorm, does not have much part in how the people of Waknuk think or behave like Joseph

To me, this responsibility means not taking advantage of your power in a way that favours only you or your group of people. Needless to say, the majority of the men of Waknuk, especially Joseph Strorm, misuse this unjustly granted power by emotionally abusing women and getting away with it. And as a consequence of the patriarchal ideology and social structure, this abuse is generally accepted and considered quite normal. Women in Waknuk can expect to be treated cruelly or disowned by their husbands for producing a deviant child, putting an extreme and unfair amount of pressure on them. Meanwhile, the father of the same child faces no consequences-- he can move on and find a new wife who will give him a “perfect child”. No one really seems to question this practice because it has become a customary part of the lives of the