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!