The Meaning of the Work

SPOILER ALERT! The end of the book reveals a lot about the novel, and it would be impossible to properly discuss the meaning of the book without at least some discussion of how it ends. The mystery is what makes the novel great, so if you are planning on reading it (which I recommend you do) don't read this post yet. Fair warning!

Throughout the first three-fourths of the book, I was lost as to what the themes of the story are. It appeared as though Kathy was just telling us a story about her childhood! However, after finishing the gut-wrenching ending to the novel and processing it for a few days, I have come to understand that the book ambitiously tackles some major ideas about life itself.

As I mentioned earlier, for the majority of the book Kathy focuses on telling us about her childhood and past. She lives through her fond memories from Hailsham and the Cottages. These memories are what gets her through her loneliness, and when she is driving alone she sees “things that will remind [her] of Hailsham. [She] might pass the corner of a misty field, or see part of a large house in the distance as [she comes] down the side of a valley, even a particular arrangement of poplar trees up on a hillside, and [she’ll] think: "Maybe that's it! I've found it! This actually is Hailsham!" (6). Even after it’s been over two decades since Kathy left Hailsham, she feels significant grief over the closing of the school. Hailsham is what connects her to her old friends, and when she meets one of these friends from her school days she says, “when we finally mentioned the closing of Hailsham, that suddenly brought us close again, and we hugged, quite spontaneously, not so much to comfort one another, but as a way of affirming Hailsham, the fact that it was still there in both of our memories” (193). Memories can bring us closer together to not only those who we have lost but also those who are still with us and share those memories with us.

I think that Ishiguro is trying to show how important our childhood and our memories can become. They are very powerful, and they can stay with us for a long time after the event- as Kathy once says “The memories I value most, I don’t ever see them fading” (165). Even once people and places are out of your lives, the memory of them can shape you for many years later. In this way, Never Let Me Go is a little similar to Song of Solomon in that both novels tackle how important the past is to shaping us into who we are today.

The idea of memories outlasting events and people ties to another theme of the passage of time. Kathy tells her life story in a series of flashbacks, and it all seems to go by so fast. She and her friends go from being young and naive at Hailsham, to the Cottages, and then become carers and donors. Tommy describes trying to hold on to things as time passes like a river washing around you. He says, “I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end, it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart... in the end, we can't stay together forever” (282). No one can stop the passage of time. No matter how hard they hold on to someone or how badly they want it to slow down, time keeps moving. Ishiguro is making this comment in this novel by showing us how quickly time passes for his characters and that they are not able to save even the things they love most from time.

Even though time goes by so fast and Kath and her friends know their lives are short, they are very passive and merely go through the motions. The main characters in the novel all conform to what they are supposed to do, and they do not question. They believe and are told that “your life must run the course that's been set for it” (266). There are no clone uprisings and no questioning why they do not have the same rights as 'normal' people or why they have to do art, they merely go out into society and calmly do what they are told to do. Kathy at one point says that “something in [her] just gave up” (179).

Part of this passivity is because the characters do not really want to face their situation head-on. If they think too much about what is going to happen to them, they will not live as happy lives as they do in the novel. At the end of the book, Miss Emily explains to Kath and Tommy why she does not tell them about what their lives were going to be like when they are young. She tells them

Sometimes that meant we kept things from you, lied to you. Yes, in many ways we fooled you, I suppose you could even call it that. But we sheltered you during those years, and we gave you your childhoods... You wouldn’t be who you are today if we’d not protected you. You wouldn’t have become absorbed in your lessons, you wouldn’t have lost yourselves in your art and your writing. Why should you have done, knowing what lay in store for each of you? You would have told us it was all pointless, and how could we have argued with you? (245)

Although it is true that being ignorant and conforming may make for a more simple, calm life, the flip side to this is that nothing ever gets changed if people do not acknowledge and ask about problems.

Even if Kathy and her friends were not going to take drastic measures and try to escape or rebel, if they had better acknowledged their futures they would have been nicer to each other and made more of the time that they had while they could.  Kathy nails this idea by saying, “If we’d understood that back then––who knows?––maybe we’d have kept a tighter hold of one another” (197).

Sometimes it is easier to be ignorant. We do not want to face the fact that we are going to die or that millions have detrimental diseases that cannot be cured. Noticing every little bad thing in the world would make us all miserable- you have to ignore some of it and carry on. What I took away from reading the book is that there is a fine line between being too ignorant and hyper-focusing on all that is wrong in society and your life. As Miss Lucy, a Guardian at Hailsham perfectly puts it, “If you’re to live decent lives, you have to know who you are and what lies ahead of you” (81). We should come to terms without own death and evaluate how we are making every moment count without becoming dragged down by thinking of all the problems in life. It is in this way that these ideas are largely relevant to our world today, even if we are not clones.

AP?

Although reading can and should be enjoyable in itself, I am in an AP Literature class and the purpose of our reading is mainly to prepare for the AP test in May. There are so many acclaimed books to read that it would be impossible to cover them all in one year. So, why should Never Let Me Go be granted time in an AP Literature class?

I think the first thing to consider when determining whether to read a book for AP Literature is if the book is of appropriate literary merit. In the question three instructions for the AP test, the College Board indicates that the book written about in the response must be of “literary merit” (sorry Twilight).

However, this concept can be somewhat subjective. Although someone may think a book is of this literary quality others may disagree. I did a bit of research on how the book Never Let Me Go was received, and it seems that most people agree that it is of ‘literary merit.’ The book can be found on several AP Literature summer reading lists, it was shortlisted for the 2005 Booker Prize, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Time magazine named it the best novel of 2005. So, why is this novel so good?

Firstly, the author of the book is very impressive. Kazuo Ishiguro was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2017. This prize was also awarded to acclaimed authors such as Toni Morrison (1993), Ernest Hemingway (1954), and William Faulkner (1949).

Beyond its impressive author, Never Let Me Go is an extremely well-written book that deserves its accolades. The characters are fleshed out and realistic. They have realistic problems, personalities, and it feels as though the reader really gets to know them throughout the novel (see the blog post about characters). Not only are the characters well-developed, but the world that they live in is also creative and detailed. The descriptions of the surroundings are vivid are full of literary devices. For example, a passage from earlier on in the book reads,

The woods were at the top of the hill that rose behind Hailsham House. All we could see really was a dark fringe of trees, but I certainly wasn’t the only one of my age to feel their presence day and night. When it got bad, it was like they cast a shadow over the whole of Hailsham; all you had to do was turn your head or move towards a window and there they’d be, looming in the distance. (50)

I don’t know about you, but I can vividly picture the woods that Kathy describes in this passage, and I can feel the discomfort that they give her. Even in this short excerpt, we see the use of personification through the trees as having a presence and looming, and simile discussing how large the trees’ shadows seemed. Passages such as these can be found on almost any page in the book.

However, the main reason that I would deem this book of literary merit is due to its skillful writing style. Ishiguro masterfully weaves his story in such a unique way. He once said, “as a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened.” This really shows through in this book, where showing Kathy’s perspective takes priority over what actually happens in the society. Ishiguro’s use of narration and way of storytelling is what sets his novel apart and really brings the story to life. So although the book may not need as much interpreting as some of the other books we have read this year in class, I think that is definitely considered of literary merit.

Would Never Let Me Go be useful enough for the AP test to be worth reading in class? This I am not sure. The book is listed as a suggested novel for three separate question three prompts, even though it was only written in 2005. These prompts include the one from 2009 regarding comments on social or political issues, the one from 2010 asking for a discussion about the significance of “home”, and the 2016 prompt discussing deceptive characters. Although these are the only prompts that directly mention the book, I see how Never Let Me Go could be useful for many others. For example, the 2017 prompt asks students to discuss the importance of a character’s origins, and I think that one could respond to this prompt by talking about Kathy’s childhood at Hailsham and the fact that she is a clone. Additionally, the question for 2013 asks about a character's coming of age and a pivotal moment in their development. Although I have not yet finished the book, for this prompt I could write about when Ruth tells Tommy that Kath does not like his animal drawings which breaks apart their friendship and causes Kath to decide to go into training to become a carer.

Although the book would apply to many question three prompts and teaching it in an English class would definitely be justifiable, I think that it does not have a place in our AP Literature class with Mrs. Laclair. In my opinion, the book may be a little too straightforward to be worth our time in class. With the other books we have read, I have often come to class confused about a certain event or character, and Mrs. Laclair has a discussion with us and often reveals something new about the novel. I feel as though I am understanding this book fine on my own (although I could be wrong) and that our time in class could be better spent on more challenging books that would be equally as helpful on the AP test. These other books would help students to better develop their close reading skills. This said, many teachers do have Never Let Me Go in their syllabuses, and I am glad that I chose this book as my free choice text. Perhaps it will be helpful when taking the AP test in May!

Meet the Characters

Writing a post about the characters of the book Never Let Me Go first would have made for a better introduction to the book, but so little is revealed about these characters and their roles in society in the first section of reading that I felt it would be have been difficult to write. However, after completing half of the book, Ishiguro has finally revealed enough information to allow for a more thorough explanation of his characters. Although we still do not understand completely the circumstances surrounding these main characters and the problems that they are facing, here is my understanding of the main personalities in the book Never Let Me Go.

We find out something extremely unusual about all of the characters in this section of the reading. They have been copied from other people for the sole purpose of donating their organs when they grow older. In the first section of the reading, Kath hints that there is something unusual about her and her friends. She talks about how people from the outside world treat them differently, and about how they have to keep their bodies healthier than other people. Now everything has become clear. Kath, Tommy, and Ruth are clones.

Although the main characters of this story are not like you and me, they still have the personalities of ‘normal’ people. They all grow up at Hailsham, a boarding school where they attend class and are treated respectfully by their Guardians (AKA teachers). Being a clone does not mean that these kids have no ambitions, feelings, or intelligence. They are not robots by any means. However, these ambitions and feelings only make it more crushing that these kids can not grow up and lead normal lives and must give organ donations. This is one of the main conflicts that the characters have faced so far in the book; it is hard for everyone to come to terms with their designed futures. As Miss Lucy, a Guardian, tells her students, “Your lives are set out for you. You’ll become adults, then before you're old, before you're even middle-aged, you’ll start to donate your vital organs. That’s what each of you was created to do” (81). Even though the main characters in the novel are living under unusual circumstances, their friendships and relationships with each other seem very realistic, and I have often encountered relationships in real life that are comparable to those between these characters.

Kath is the main character and the narrator of the novel; we see the story unfolding through her eyes. Kath starts off her story by saying, “My name is Kathy H. I’m thirty-one years old, and I’ve been a carer for over eleven years now” (3).  We find out later in the book that a carer is someone who looks after people who have just donated their organs, and that she is very good at her job. It is no wonder that Kath is a good carer; she is very considerate and kind. When Tommy, a boy in her year at Hailsham, is being picked on, Kath feels “a little stab of pain” (8) and goes up to him and tells him to stop his temper tantrum because he will get mud on his favorite shirt. The fact that Kath feels bad for Tommy even though “for the others, it was detached,” and that Kath remembers that “Tommy was wearing the light blue polo shirt he’d got in the Sales the previous month- the one he was so proud of” (8) shows how considerate and observant Kath is. This is only one example. Kath is constantly showing how observant she is through little things that she says and notices, prompting Tommy to say, “You notice everything, don’t you, Kath?” (23). When she and her friends get to the Cottages, the place where they go after their time at Hailsham and before becoming donors, Kath immediately “began to notice all kinds of things the [older kids] had taken from TV programmes” (121). Not only this, but Kath also notices Ruth, one of her best friends, trying to imitate them. Kath is a careful observer, often on the outside of situations rather than directly involved in conflicts. I find Kath fairly likable, and her observant nature makes her a good narrator for the story, and I relate to her quiet, shy side. However, I think she is a little drab at times and could do more acting instead of observing. I understand, though, that if Kath was more proactive the book would be more about her actions than what is happening in the society around her.

Ruth, one of Kath’s best friends in the novel, could be seen as a foil character to Kath. Where Kath is quiet and observant, Ruth is the leader of the group and is very controlling. When Kath is caring and concerned for Tommy when he is bullied, Ruth thinks that “it’s his own fault” (10). She is very outspoken and she cares a lot about what other people think of her. Ruth will go through great trouble “putting on airs and pretending” (129) to make sure that others see her in a good light. These aspects of Ruth’s personality are shown through the stories that Kath tell us readers about her during their time at Hailsham and the Cottages. While at the Cottages, Ruth wants to fit in so badly with the older people there that she begins imitating them and ignoring her friends. Here she is someone “who was always trying to impress the veterans, who wouldn’t hesitate to ignore [Kath], Tommy, or any of the others if she thought [they’d] cramp her style” (129). Kath and Ruth do not always get along, yet Kath still seems to have a special place in her heart for Ruth. I don’t really know why Kath likes Ruth so much. In my opinion, Ruth is a bully, and I would not want to be friends with her if I was Kath. However, it is possible Kath admires Ruth because they are foil characters. Ruth is everything that Kath is not, and maybe Kath aspires to be a little more outspoken and popular like Ruth is. Either way, I hope that Ruth outgrows her childish ways as the novel progresses.

Tommy is the last main character in the novel, and he is my favorite of them all. When Tommy is a young student at Hailsham, he is bullied because he is not creative. Tommy used to have a huge temper back then, and he blows up anytime anyone teased him. However, with a little help from a Guardian and Kath, he learns to control his temper and turns into a kind, goofy young man “with a big open smile” (13). Kath and Tommy get along very well. They are both very observant and often discuss things that they notice about their teachers at Hailsham. Tommy confides in Kath and trusts her immensely. The main reason that I like Tommy more than the other two girls is that Tommy tells it how it is. Ruth and Kath often get into cat fights, and instead of expressing what is wrong they ignore or insult each other. When Tommy is upset, he expresses himself. He also does not care for social norms; when he approaches Kath in a stairwell at Hailsham, Kath finds “the whole thing mildly embarrassing” whereas Tommy does not care what others people (14). I find Tommy charming and more mature than his friends. Although he is dating Ruth right now I do not think that they are right for each other and I anticipate them splitting up soon.

Sorry that this was such a long post, the characters in this novel are complex and difficult to describe without giving examples of how they respond in certain circumstances. I hope that the character description was helpful though, and allows you to better understand who the main players in the novel are. Bear with me, future blog posts will be shorter!

Ishiguro's Unique Writing Style

In his 10th novel Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro develops a unique style with his writing that is quite different from other books of the same genre.

The story unraveling in the novel is told to us readers in the first person by Kath- one of the main characters. Kath speaks as though she knows us personally, and that we have been living in this same dystopian world that she lives in. She addresses us saying, “I don’t know how it was where you were...” (13), meaning that she thinks that we live in this futuristic world with her and just grew up in a different school. Additionally, in the first chapter when Kath is discussing a rumor she says, “I’ve heard it said enough, so I’m sure you’ve heard it plenty more” (4). Obviously, we have not heard about anything that Kath thinks we have since we are not from her world. This direct storytelling directed at the reader is an unusual tactic that Ishiguro uses to write his novel.

If we were telling a story to one of our old friends, we would not feel the need to explain what we meant when we were talking about say a high school or a lawyer. In the same way, Kath does not explain to us readers what she means when she says in the very first sentence of the entire book, “I’ve been a carer now for over eleven years” (3). Throughout the first quarter of the book, the word “carer” is used multiple times as well as “doner” along with other terms, and no explanation is offered as to what these words may signify. Us readers are left guessing at what Kath is talking about. This lack of explanations offers a mystery feel to the book. We do not know what is really happening, although we are given hints that Kath and her friends at Hailsham, the boarding school that they all attend, are different from people of the outside world. This element of mystery added to the story is a deliberate stylistic choice that Ishiguro made, and it makes us want to keep reading and keep thinking.

Another unusual yet interesting style in this novel is how the story is told with relation to time. The narrator is telling the story in a series of flashbacks and memories. She is 33 years old when she introduces herself at the beginning of the book, however she tells her story starting from when she was a very young child. As the book progresses, it is possible that we may reach a point where Kath starts telling about her present, but in this section of the reading, we only got a series of flashbacks.

Often times, Kath prefaces her stories of her childhood by saying things such as “This was all a long time ago so I might have some of it wrong; but my memory of it is that...” (13) and “I’m not sure how long this carried on...” (49). We are aware that this story is only one side of what happened, and may include errors in memory. This aspect adds to the mystery of the novel and again makes the narrator seem as though she is speaking to you, a friend- not a third person narration of Kath’s life growing up.

Throughout the past flashbacks, the older Kath often jumps in and speaks directly to the reader and adds her present-day perspective. She often interjects her storytelling to say things such as “I should explain a bit here...” (pg 16) or “looking back now, I can see why...” (16) It is in this way that the writing is almost a little stream of consciousness. Kath can get very distracted sometimes while telling a particular story and go on a long tangent about something before looping back to the original topic. At one point, Kath is telling a story about one of her teachers when suddenly she says, “all this about Miss Geraldine reminds me of something that happened about three years later...” (56) and then she completely changes the topic. Whenever the narrator gets back on topic and starts talking about something else, there is a break in the page with a small symbol. This format helped me to keep the thoughts separate and follow the story better.  

Ishiguro’s writing style is very unique, especially in regards to the narration. Although at first, I was a little taken back by this style, I now am really enjoying his writing and am looking forward to tying together some of the mysterious pieces of the book later in the novel.