SUMMARY OF THE DAYOF TRAFFIDS

Classic Novels Do Not Have a Used By Date

The book in the day of the trifids is indeed not a book which does not have a use by date. The book was written over half a century ago and has survived the test of time being a record selling book loved by many generations of keen science fiction readers. the day of the traffids key characters, themes and setting. These key features of the novel make it a classic novel which can effectively be related to todays modern society inspiring many films and other novels. Blindness and despair. The world is in a major catastrophe as there are the triffid plants storming the earth destroying cities and towns and people. Bill displays many heroic qualities. This heroic stature is represented visually in the poster. Here we see an image of bill the main protagonist in an image where he is placed above the earth..EXPAND!!! However He also expresses deep emotions and sensitivity as well as fear which readers of all generations can aspire to. These emotions are clearly represented through the visual presentation. Where we see and image of bill expressing deep emotions highlighted through the dull and emotional color of grey.The reader can emphasize with bills emotions and feelings and relate to him much easier. Bill does not possess any special powers. He is just an exceptional human being who does make mistakes and is not always right. He is a good person who expresses the musch needed human qualities love and compassion towards those around him. There...

Characterization
The characters chosen in the novel in the day of the triffids are crucial to the novel and really do make the novel a true classic which does not have a use by date. Bill mason, the narrator is the main protagonist oin the novel. He is a developed character who drives the plot and effectively communicates to the reader what is happening in the novel. Bill is portrayed in the novel as a hero because he is an unexceptional human being. Bill is just your everyday guy who is placed in a world inflicted by Note: Triffids are large plants that have the ability to move and a poisonous sting. They produce useful oil and are farmed for that reason.

Summary and Chapter List

Chapter 1: The End Begins Bill Masen, a 'triffidologist', has been recovering in hospital after being temporarily blinded by a triffid strike. He awakes on the day that his eyes are to be uncovered to find that all is silent and there are no staffs around. Uncovering his eyes himself, he finds that everyone is apparently blind from watching the green flashes from comet debris that occurred the night before.

Chapter 2: The Coming of the Triffids Bill describes his earlier life and goes into details about triffids. He explains how the triffids came originally from the USSR and spread to the rest of the world. He also recounts how he encountered a triffid whilst a child which led to his career in triffid farming.

Chapter 3: The Groping City Bill makes his way through the streets of London which is filled with helpless blind people. At one point, he tries to intervene with a group of blind people being controlled by a sighted person but is knocked out. He faces the future with a mixture of apprehension and excitement.

Chapter 4: Shadows Before Bill is wandering the streets when he hears a scream and finds a sighted young woman being beaten by a blind man. He rescues her and she reveals her name as Josella Playton who had missed the comet through a wild party. They drive to Josella's home but find that her family has all been killed by triffids.

Chapter 5: A Light in the Night On the way to pick up some anti-triffid gear, Bill and Josella are almost caught by a mob of blind people. They evade them, find the gear and clothes, and make their way to an empty flat in a tower block. They plan to leave London soon to somewhere in the country. During the night, they spot a light flashing in the city.

Chapter 6: Rendezvous In the morning, Bill and Josella make their way to the University of London, the source of the light, where they spot a group of blind people led by a sighted man arguing at the gates. The crowd is dispersed and the pair enters. They learn that the occupants of the University, mostly sighted, are planning to leave London the next day. Bill and Josella are sent out to gather food.

Chapter 7: Conference The University community gathers for a conference. After an encouraging speech by Beadley and a few words on organization, Dr Vorless, a professor of sociology, explains that the community will have to adapt new rules to survive. Later, Bill and Josella discuss the new life that awaits them and agree to 'marry'.

Chapter 8: Frustration Bill is woken by what appears a fire and is knocked unconscious. He awakes, bound and locked in a room. He learns that Coker, the man who had been arguing in front of the University, had

captured several of the University group and plans on using them to keep some blind people alive longer. For a few days, he works with his party, finding food for them. Then they succumb to a disease.

Chapter 9: Evacuation Bill tries to find Josella but fails. He returns to the University and finds an address, Tynsham Manor, where the party had been intending to go. He also finds Coker who had had the same problems as Bill and now realizes his plan had been wrong. They agree to drive together to Tynsham.

Chapter 10: Tynsham Bill and Coker arrive at Tynsham Manor to find it led by Miss Durrant, a religious woman who had objected to the new sociological rules at the University meeting. Michael Beadley and his party had travelled there with her but left when they realized their viewpoints were incompatible. Coker finds the community very poorly set up to survive, even having to start an electric generator which had been lying their unused.

Chapter 11: ...And Further On Bill tries to find some word of Josella while Coker takes stock of the situation at Tynsham. Durrant suggests that Josella might have gone onto Beaminster in Dorset. Coker finds the situation suitable for survival but Durrant's attitude would be a

disadvantage. After a few days, Bill and Coker leave for Beaminster. They encounter many triffids on the way.

Chapter 12: Dead End At Beaminster, Bill and Coker are stopped by a trio. They had been fortifying a local building, expecting to be attacked by mobs from the towns and cities. When the situation is explained, the two groups join up. They search the surrounding area for Josella and other survivors, including using a helicopter, and the party increases in size. Eventually most of the party decides to travel to Tynsham but Bill, remembering an earlier remark by Josella, decides to travel to Sussex to continue his search.

Chapter 13: Journey in Hope Bill drives east towards Pulborough. In a small village, he comes across Susan, a young girl, whose family has been killed by triffids. The next day, they continue together and reach Pulborough but Bill does not know the exact location of Shining Farm where he expects Josella to be. In the evening, they shine a light and eventually receive another in reply. Finally they arrive at Shirning Farm and Bill is reunited with Josella.

Chapter 14: Shirning At Shirning, Bill learns of how its occupants, Dennis and Mary Brent, and Joyce Taylor, had coped with their blindness, and how Josella had escaped from London. Mary gives birth and Bill later

drives to Tynsham to find it deserted except for plague-ridden bodies.

Chapter 15: World Narrowing Over the next few years, Bill and the others develop Shirning. They learn some farming and also take steps to defend themselves against the triffids which are increasing in numbers. Journeys to towns and cities have to be abandoned due to dangerous buildings, blocked roads or hostile inhabitants. Josella has a child and, in the sixth year, she and Bill spend a day at the coast where they ponder on the comet's origins. Then they see a helicopter.

Chapter 16: Contact They return to Shirning to find Ivan Simpson, once of Beadley's party, is there in the helicopter. He explains how they had ended up on the Isle of Wight and created a community there, and how Coker had been located a month before. He offers Bill and the others a chance to join them where Bill can be employed finding a way to destroy the triffids. They agree to move to the Isle of Wight but will spend the rest of the summer at Shirning first.

Chapter 17: Strategic Withdrawal The next day, Bill and Susan return from gathering fuel to find a strange military vehicle in the yard. He finds a party of armed men inside the house who tell him that they are part of a feudal-type organization and they intend to take control of Shirning, allocating

more blind people to it and removing Susan. In the evening, while the men are asleep, Bill and the others leave for the Isle of Wight.