The Steps to Paradise All the explorers who have reached their “promised land” have had guides whose impacts helped them reach their journey. Neil Armstrong had two other astronauts who accompanied him on his spacecraft. Along with these two directors, Neil Armstrong had approximately 100 scientists at NASA working as guides to help Apollo 8 land on the moon. There is a similar occurrence in John Wyndham’s book The Chrysalids where David Strorm has many pilots to help him reach his “promised land”. The most important people to guide David were Sophie; a friend of David’s who is a deviation. Michael is one of the oldest chrysalids in their group and he is a guide for David. Petra Strorm, who is David’s youngest sister and also a chrysalid. Lastly, the Sealand woman who happens to be a chrysalid from a distant place helps David reach his destination. These people may not know it but they are step ladders for David to reach his “promised land”. Sophie is David’s friend who happens to be a deviation with six toes on each foot. Due to her difference, she is the initial guide that helps David reach Paradise. When David accidently wishes he had a extra hand after being at Sophie’s house to play, his father rages really angrily at his choice of words. David’s father torments him later that evening and he became confused as a puzzle. David says “If it was such a terrible thing just to think of having three hands, what would happen if one really had them- or anything else wrong; such as, for instance, an extra toe? Because Sophie has an extra toe on each foot it makes David realize what would happen to Sophie if her toe was discovered, if David’s condition was this bad after wishing for something, Sophie’s would be a lot worse because she has that thing. Thus, Sophie helps David observe the evil held within Waknuk and to have thoughts about leaving it which is his first step towards reaching for his city dream. Later on when David is in the custody of the fringes people and is being dragged to a path, he tries to resist but they beat him up. All of a sudden he was being dragged along the branches in the air. When Sophie put him down he realized that he saw her after a long time and she rescued him from the fringes people. Sophie saved David’s life when she saw him captured by the spider-man. She questioned David? “Dear David, have they hurt you badly?” Sophie helps secure David because if she hadn’t saved David from the fringes people than David would be dead and he wouldn’t have reached his promised land. Sophie is the primary step for David to reach his promised landmark. Michael, who is an older chrysalid than David, guides David, Petra and Rosalind safely outside of Waknuk when there is a search warrant for these deviations. When Katherine and Sally are captured, Michael immediately warns David and Rosalind, early dawn as they are sleeping, to escape from Waknuk. Michael knew the government would arrest the chrysalids if they don’t start moving quickly. Michael explains this on page 122 “Hurry up both of you, while there’s time. If they do know much about us they’ll have tried to time it to send a party for you, too- before you could be warned. Get moving quickly”. Later on, as the three chrysalids are escaping, Michael questions David as to what direction they are heading towards. David replies that they are going south-west; Michael plans to mess with the government by reporting that the chrysalids have been going south-east. Michael also suggests stopping anyone that sees them. He explains his reasons for this on page 127 “If anyone does see you, stop him getting away with the news, at all costs. But don’t shoot. There’s an order going out not to use guns except when necessary, and as signals- all gunshots to be investigated. Thus Michael’s plans for David, helps the chrysalids escape from the government and he restricts them to using their guns which helps to bail time for David to reach his desired land. Michael is the