Family Tree by Charles L. Fontenay
In a small town, Masefield Truggles, president of the Social Standards Protective League, seeks to expose Blan Forsythe, a man rumored to practice polygamy. Truggles believes Forsythe's lifestyle threatens societal norms and embarks on a campaign to gather evidence against him. He interviews Forsythe's ex-wife, Phyllis Allison, who insists she still loves him and claims their son, Donald, possesses extraordinary abilities. Truggles learns that Forsythe is a tetraploid man, possessing double the normal number of chromosomes, which may grant him superhuman qualities. As Truggles rallies the townspeople against Forsythe, he organizes a series of meetings to reveal Forsythe's alleged immoral behavior. However, during a climactic confrontation, it is revealed that Donald is indeed Forsythe's son, born from a union that defies conventional understanding of reproduction. The townspeople, initially enraged, are confronted with the reality of Forsythe's nature and the potential for a new evolution of humanity. In the end, Forsythe decides to leave town with Phyllis and Donald, seeking a life away from societal judgment. Truggles, faced with his own insecurities and failures, grapples with the implications of Forsythe's existence and the nature of humanity itself, ultimately realizing that his efforts to uphold social standards may have been misguided.
By Charles L. Fontenay · First published 1957 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Action · 11,972 words
First lines
_You don't like Darwin's theory of Evolution? Maybe you're right. Maybe Man's ancestors weren't monkeys after all._
How do you get rid of a superman?
What this Textopian page supports
Family Tree is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles L. Fontenay, dated 1957 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Charles L. Fontenay
- Date: 1957 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Action, Romance, Suspense
- Length: 11,972 words
- Structure: 1 section, 305 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Family Tree by Charles L. Fontenay
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Family Tree?
- How does this novel by Charles L. Fontenay fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Science Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The book involves technologically advanced civilizations and interplanetary travel, typical elements of science fiction.
- Adventure — There are several moments of thrilling, risk-filled experiences which is common in adventure fiction.
- Action — The narrative includes cinematic sequences of high-stakes fighting and intense situations, aligning with action genre.
- Romance — Some parts of the story involve character relationships and emotional connections, which is a common theme in romance genre.
Tags
family · genealogy · relationships · heritage · drama · history · identity · secrets · conflict · love · loss · narrative