Chocky

Some have dismissed this book as a minor Wyndham effort. I would disagree. Chocky is great sci fi all the way around. It's the story of two parents who have an adopted son and a biological daughter. The daughter used to talk to a pretend friend named "Piff." The son is now talking to something he calls "Chocky," but the parents notice that this is very different from Polly's "Piff." From there Wyndham takes the reader on a great journey, and one becomes very intimately acquainted with this family of four, especially the father, who is actually the main character. Some have described Wyndham as a more "conservative" science fiction author. Beyond stating that "conservative" is a pretty meaningless phrase when you think about it (it really doesn't tell you anything about a person's actual stance), I must say that I really don't see this at all. What was probably meant rather is that his writing is very British, which it is, but I've always liked that. In at least two of his books Wyndham launches into an attack on the world's dependence on oil. This is one of the two, and it was written in the 1960s! It is important that Wyndham was able to pull this off without letting the story devolve into a lecture; he is rather good at slipping his personal views into the context of the story's narrative. For instance, it's pretty obvious that Wyndham does not believe in god. He never comes out and has a character state this, it just emerges as an impression out of the characters' dialogue. The mother in the book starts questioning how well children can be at distinguishing what's real from what's fantasy if they are predominantly raised in a world where adults run around professing belief in things that don't actually exist. She of course is talking about humoring Mathew's insistence that "Chocky" is real, but the father then warns her that she is treading on dangerous ground with that comment, as most parents do in fact believe in things that aren't real. Later in the book the parents argue that even if "Chocky" is pure fantasy that it will still impact Mathew's life, just as "god" can impact the lives of people who insist that "god" is real, even if god does not exist anterior to their believing he does. The only difference between an invisible, odorless, soundless, intangible elephant, an elephant the existence of which cannot be verified, or more importantly, falsified, and no elephant at all, is only that it exists in the minds of the people who believe in it. As the parents in the book say, "When people live their lives by their beliefs objective reality is almost irrelevant." Many of Wyndham's other views come out in this book as well, especially at the end (but I won't give it all away). His frustration with women is especially hilarious. He portrays women as constantly competing, incapable of not competing with each other, and as smoothly backstabbing creatures employing what he calls an "indetectably refined blend of sympa

When Matthew starts talking to himself his parents become worried. Then he begins to be able to do amazing things, such as complicated mathematics and extraordinary art. He explains that it is not himself doing these things but the person who lives in his head "Chocky". Another great read from John Wyndham.

...delightful surprises! Matthew, 11, a bright, pre-adolescent boy has been receiving visits from a mysterious, possibly alien being called Chocky. He and Chocky have long, esoteric conversations that suggest that perhaps Chocky is not a resident of Planet Earth. The question is, does Chocky exist? And what gender is Chocky? Matthew initially identified Chocky as male, then later on Chocky is referred to as being female. The dialog is nothing short of brilliant; the dynamics are uncannily convincing. This is an excellent book. Matthew has a highly irritating younger sister. I just loved it when their father told her to shut up when she wanted to drone on about Twinklehooves, a fictional horse in one of her books. What a foolish girl chock full of inane chatter. I also thought that response served her right as nobody wanted to listen to her silly palaver. Matthew, on the other hand had an open, receptive mind and was able to receive Chocky. Chocky comes through for Matthew's irritating sister. When she nearly drowns, Matthew saves her, but says that Chocky saved her. His drawings become startlingly sophisticated, a talent he also attributes to Chocky. Matthew starts to view the world through Chocky's eyes and when his work is submitted to an art show without his permission, Chocky's "existence" snowballs. The boy's parents fear he will be kidnapped for his knowledge of esoteric matters via Chocky. Chocky realizes Matthew is in danger and that others will try to use him to get to him/her, Chocky and Chocky's information. Once Chocky imparts this final message, s/he leaves Matthew, never to return in any form. It is believed that Chocky is an extra terrestrial. The conversations between the boy and the being are deep and profound; they expound on questions of routine existence that many take for granted. Chocky raises Matthew's level of appreciation for his life and the people in it.

John Wyndham has such a definitive British style, most apparent in "Chocky". The stiff upper lip element is obvious, when an alien intellignence infiltrates the mind of Matthew, son of a middle class family. It is an understated read, which adds to the "real" element of the atmosphere, which is strong...it alsocreates an air of nostalgia too...Matthew is a delightful character and the family dynamics are all too real, if you grew up in that type of environment. I recommend Wyndham to anyone wanting to test the waters of Science Fiction, but have a fairly conservative outlook.