"'Kath, I don't want you to take this the wrong way. But I've been thinking it over a lot. Kath, I think I ought to get a different carer.'"
(pg. 280)
This quote describes the sad ending to this book. Tommy, knowing that he is dying, tells Kathy that he is going to get a different carer. I think it is very brave of him to do this and really shows the human qualities to the clones that very few people in their world want to recognize. Tommy obviously would want Kathy to be there when he is dying, but he is brave enough to send her away so that she won't have to see him in such bad condition and get upset when he begins to die; he wants her to remember him as the boy at Hailsham that she grew up with. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot more than "Brave New World." However, these books were both very similar in their societal settings and themes. Both books indicated the importance of keeping technology in check with our reality. If we let technology spiral beyond our moral boundaries, the books depict the horrible futures that may result. These symbols and themes are quite profound and relevent, especially since we live in a world with new technologies being developed every day. Someday soon, we might actually have to face the choices these books warn about. It really proves the timelessness of literature that we are focusing on in these books, especially since one was written nealy 80 years ago. I felt that "Never Let Me Go" was very good in the sense that it contained so many emotional twists. I also enjoyed watching the characters personalities change as they aged. One thing that I didn't like though was all the pointless anecdotes that probably filled half of the book. Many things would happen that were completely irrelavent and unimportant. Overall though, I enjoyed the book, but I'm even happier now that I have finished all my blogs!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Never Let Me Go 19- Rhetorical Question
"'Poor creatures. What did we do to you? With all our schemes and plans?'"
(pg. 254)
The rhetorical question from the quote is significant in the way it puts emphasis on what Madame was saying. Madame, through this quote, is conveyed as sympathetic for what Kathy, Tommy, and all the other students had to go through. In this scene, Miss Emily and Madame explain to the children the horrors of their society. Hailsham was a beacon of hope for changing the way their society worked. Before schools like Hailsham, students were created in warehouse-type factories and treated horribly. Their tone is of sincere remorse and regret that they couldn't accomplish this change as they later explained the reality of how their world works. However, Miss Emily and Madame had tried hard to change peoples' opinions of students like Tommy and Kathy through their art as a key to conveying the human qualities of the students. As a reader, I have to feel sorry Tommy and Kathy. Their perceived reality about the world and the defferals were nothing but fantasies. All hope they had in a good world that could help them just one time vanished with their newfound knowlege.
(pg. 254)
The rhetorical question from the quote is significant in the way it puts emphasis on what Madame was saying. Madame, through this quote, is conveyed as sympathetic for what Kathy, Tommy, and all the other students had to go through. In this scene, Miss Emily and Madame explain to the children the horrors of their society. Hailsham was a beacon of hope for changing the way their society worked. Before schools like Hailsham, students were created in warehouse-type factories and treated horribly. Their tone is of sincere remorse and regret that they couldn't accomplish this change as they later explained the reality of how their world works. However, Miss Emily and Madame had tried hard to change peoples' opinions of students like Tommy and Kathy through their art as a key to conveying the human qualities of the students. As a reader, I have to feel sorry Tommy and Kathy. Their perceived reality about the world and the defferals were nothing but fantasies. All hope they had in a good world that could help them just one time vanished with their newfound knowlege.
Never Let Me Go 18- Allusion
"I'd sit in the chair and read to him from various paperbacks I'd bring in, stuff like 'The Odyssey' or 'One Thousand and One Nights.'"
(pg. 238)
I've frequently noticed many allusions throughout the book but failed to mention any so far in my blogs. These allusions really create a time reference within the book. World War 2 is spoken of like it had just happened. Even though the technology and society is vastly different from ours today, it seems that the setting of this book is actually around our time era now if not in the past. One of the themes I've noticed from this book is how quickly and dangerously society can change if people dont regulate technology or, in some cases, even restrict it. Back to the quote though, it depicts the new relationship Kathy and Tommy have developed in the final parts of their lives. They had always been right for each other, but as Ruth explained, she kept them apart. One of Ruth's final wishes was for them finally to be together. Now Kathy has become Tommy's carer, and they are prepared to spend the final moments of their lives together since they'd missed this chance earlier during their upbringing as students.
(pg. 238)
I've frequently noticed many allusions throughout the book but failed to mention any so far in my blogs. These allusions really create a time reference within the book. World War 2 is spoken of like it had just happened. Even though the technology and society is vastly different from ours today, it seems that the setting of this book is actually around our time era now if not in the past. One of the themes I've noticed from this book is how quickly and dangerously society can change if people dont regulate technology or, in some cases, even restrict it. Back to the quote though, it depicts the new relationship Kathy and Tommy have developed in the final parts of their lives. They had always been right for each other, but as Ruth explained, she kept them apart. One of Ruth's final wishes was for them finally to be together. Now Kathy has become Tommy's carer, and they are prepared to spend the final moments of their lives together since they'd missed this chance earlier during their upbringing as students.
Never Let Me Go 17- What Donor's Are Supposed To Do
"'I was pretty much ready when I became a donor. It felt right. After all, it's what were supposed to be doing, isn't it?'"
(pg. 227)
What does she mean they're supposed to be doing it? I feel sorry for the characters because they know, deep down, that they are being used. Obviously, this was the case, but they never talked about it and tried to pretend that it wasn't so. I think it represents their remaining innocence that they've tried to cling on to in their final years. In the quote, it seems Ruth knows what others are doing to her is wrong. Ruth is talking in a way that she has to ask reassuringly that what she was doing was right, or what they were "supposed" to do. I know that they must feel the obligation to become donors since it was what they were created to do and, otherwise, would never have existed if it weren't for this purpose. However, it just still seems odd and almost unrealistic that everyone would come to terms with this matter. In this chapter though, the three friends are reunited for their first time since Hailsham. It will be interesting to see how the characters have changed and are newly portrayed as adults now. Kathy had already mentioned drastic differences in Ruth's character.
(pg. 227)
What does she mean they're supposed to be doing it? I feel sorry for the characters because they know, deep down, that they are being used. Obviously, this was the case, but they never talked about it and tried to pretend that it wasn't so. I think it represents their remaining innocence that they've tried to cling on to in their final years. In the quote, it seems Ruth knows what others are doing to her is wrong. Ruth is talking in a way that she has to ask reassuringly that what she was doing was right, or what they were "supposed" to do. I know that they must feel the obligation to become donors since it was what they were created to do and, otherwise, would never have existed if it weren't for this purpose. However, it just still seems odd and almost unrealistic that everyone would come to terms with this matter. In this chapter though, the three friends are reunited for their first time since Hailsham. It will be interesting to see how the characters have changed and are newly portrayed as adults now. Kathy had already mentioned drastic differences in Ruth's character.
Never Let Me Go 16- Hailsham Closing
"Hailsham was going to close any day and there were plans to sell the house and grounds to a hotel chain."
(pg. 212)
Kathy must have been distraught over Hailsham closing. It was the only little piece of her childhood that she had left, and people were selling it. This seems very symbolic of Kathy entering a new era in her life. The school she grew up in and loved was now gone. I think this symbolizes her transition from the innocence that Hailsham offered, a safe haven from the cruel world, to her new, harsh reality. She already had to leave behind her old friends from Hailsham. Now she must leave behind the school itself. She is only left with the cruel reality of what faces her: donations.
(pg. 212)
Kathy must have been distraught over Hailsham closing. It was the only little piece of her childhood that she had left, and people were selling it. This seems very symbolic of Kathy entering a new era in her life. The school she grew up in and loved was now gone. I think this symbolizes her transition from the innocence that Hailsham offered, a safe haven from the cruel world, to her new, harsh reality. She already had to leave behind her old friends from Hailsham. Now she must leave behind the school itself. She is only left with the cruel reality of what faces her: donations.
Never Let Me Go 15- Kathy's Leaving
"But I kept a certain distance from her, just as I did from Tommy. We didn't really talk properly again at the Cottages, and before I knew it, I was saying my goodbyes."
(pg. 203)
Kathy, in the quote, describes how after the three of them had that final fight, they were never the same around each other. This led to Kathy leaving the cottages to become a carer. Personally, I would rather hang out with friends I wasn't that close to rather than sign up for my death, but I guess that's just me. It's just odd how everyone accepts there fate and doesn't try to do anything about it. I would be the first one out of those Cottages if it were me that was going to have my organs harvested, but again, that's just one guy's opinion. Anyway, I know Kathy just wants to move on at this point in her life and doesn't really have a point in staying with Ruth and Tommy, but it really is shocking how she and the others cope with their lives. Obviously, she meets Ruth again later in the story, but Kathy, at this moment, is leaving Hailsham and her childhood behind by doing this. A new emotional tone comes over the story with Kathy leaving and knowing very well that she might never see them again.
(pg. 203)
Kathy, in the quote, describes how after the three of them had that final fight, they were never the same around each other. This led to Kathy leaving the cottages to become a carer. Personally, I would rather hang out with friends I wasn't that close to rather than sign up for my death, but I guess that's just me. It's just odd how everyone accepts there fate and doesn't try to do anything about it. I would be the first one out of those Cottages if it were me that was going to have my organs harvested, but again, that's just one guy's opinion. Anyway, I know Kathy just wants to move on at this point in her life and doesn't really have a point in staying with Ruth and Tommy, but it really is shocking how she and the others cope with their lives. Obviously, she meets Ruth again later in the story, but Kathy, at this moment, is leaving Hailsham and her childhood behind by doing this. A new emotional tone comes over the story with Kathy leaving and knowing very well that she might never see them again.
Never Let Me Go 14- Simile
"I can recall now, as fresh as anything, Tommy's own face, the anger receding for a moment, being replaced by an expression almost of wonder, like I was a rare butterfly he'd come across on a fencepost."
(pg. 195)
This was yet another one of Ruth and Kathys' fights. This time, Ruth dragged Tommy into it as well. I don't see why the characters, mainly Kathy and Ruth, always act this way. They just get mad and no one walks away happy. It's like a game for them and now, this time, they pulled Tommy into it with them and ended up hurting him the most. Ishiguro frequently includes all these fights in almost every chapter. They really don't seem to have a purpose except for the characters to get mad at each other and then make up for it a few pages later. In this fight, Ruth tells Tommy how she and Kathy had been making fun of his drawings which were very important to him. Even though this wasn't entirely true, Kathy didn't say anything. Unlike the previous arguements before that I neglected to include, this fight was actually important though in the way it had really driven Kathy and Tommy apart. Also, it seems have significantly changed the direction of the plot.
(pg. 195)
This was yet another one of Ruth and Kathys' fights. This time, Ruth dragged Tommy into it as well. I don't see why the characters, mainly Kathy and Ruth, always act this way. They just get mad and no one walks away happy. It's like a game for them and now, this time, they pulled Tommy into it with them and ended up hurting him the most. Ishiguro frequently includes all these fights in almost every chapter. They really don't seem to have a purpose except for the characters to get mad at each other and then make up for it a few pages later. In this fight, Ruth tells Tommy how she and Kathy had been making fun of his drawings which were very important to him. Even though this wasn't entirely true, Kathy didn't say anything. Unlike the previous arguements before that I neglected to include, this fight was actually important though in the way it had really driven Kathy and Tommy apart. Also, it seems have significantly changed the direction of the plot.
Never Let Me Go 13- Epanalepsis
"'What she told Roy, what she let slip, which she probably didn't mean to let slip, do you remember, Kath? She told Roy that things like pictures, poetry, all that kind of stuff, she said they revealed what you were like inside. She said they revealed your soul.'"
(pg. 175)
Do clones have souls? Is a picture of an object the same as that object? It all seems very complicated to think about. A clone, like a picture of something, can have the same properties and visual representations, but is it still different in some way? This is similar to the point in question in the book. Obviously, people are going to disagree whether a clone of something is actually the same, or equal, as the original. Maybe this is the point as to why the guardians at Hailsham stressed the importance of art, because in some way, art reveals people through their creativity, passion, and as Miss Lucy said, it reveals one's soul. The Epanalepsis in the quote is very effective in communicating the imporatance of this. The society they live in is already depicted as somewhat of a futuristic utopia where social order is controlled by unrevealed authorities. However, outside Hailsham and the cottages where clones are kept, maybe a few people are trying to stop cloning and that, through the students' art, they are trying to make this possible- to end cloning. It already seems like the guardians at the school are trying to do this. Whatever the struggle, if there even is one, Miss Lucy frequently stressed the importance of their art and its possible role in helping protect the students at Hailsham. Ishiguro has created a very suspenseful plot so far and has left me guessing what could happen next. I'm pretty impressed with the book so far (That's a pretty big compliment coming from me) and I'm curious how it will end.
(pg. 175)
Do clones have souls? Is a picture of an object the same as that object? It all seems very complicated to think about. A clone, like a picture of something, can have the same properties and visual representations, but is it still different in some way? This is similar to the point in question in the book. Obviously, people are going to disagree whether a clone of something is actually the same, or equal, as the original. Maybe this is the point as to why the guardians at Hailsham stressed the importance of art, because in some way, art reveals people through their creativity, passion, and as Miss Lucy said, it reveals one's soul. The Epanalepsis in the quote is very effective in communicating the imporatance of this. The society they live in is already depicted as somewhat of a futuristic utopia where social order is controlled by unrevealed authorities. However, outside Hailsham and the cottages where clones are kept, maybe a few people are trying to stop cloning and that, through the students' art, they are trying to make this possible- to end cloning. It already seems like the guardians at the school are trying to do this. Whatever the struggle, if there even is one, Miss Lucy frequently stressed the importance of their art and its possible role in helping protect the students at Hailsham. Ishiguro has created a very suspenseful plot so far and has left me guessing what could happen next. I'm pretty impressed with the book so far (That's a pretty big compliment coming from me) and I'm curious how it will end.
Never Let Me Go 12- Ruth's True feelings found in Norfolk
"'We know it, so we might as well just say it. If you want to look for possibles, if you want to do it properly, then you look in the gutter. You look in rubbish bins. Look down the toilet, that's where you'll find where we all came from.'"
(pg. 166)
I don’t know if maybe I’m reading a little too deeply into this, but it seems to me to be ironic as to where Ruth breaks down and reveals her true emotions. What emotions had been lost inside her that she had kept hidden remained lost inside until they arrived in Norfolk , the corner of England Norfolk Norfolk England
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Never Let Me Go 11- Balance
"'What they said,' Chrissie continued, ' was that if you were a boy and a girl, and you were in love with each other, really, properly in love, and if you could show it, then the people who run Hailsham, they sorted it out for you. They sorted it out so you could have a few years together before you began your donations.'"
(pg. 153)
The author uses balance to create emphasis on what is being said in the quote above. Through this balance, the point in which Hailsham students were always regarded as special is now revealed. Thorughout the novel, Hailsham students were thought of as privileged and treated the best. I'm guessing now that this must be the reason. However, why is it that only Hailsham students are allowed to do this? What makes them different from everyone else in the story? My guess, though I could be completely wrong, is that it somehow relates to their art gallery that Madame created. This seems to be logical since Miss Lucy clearly told Tommy that his art would benefit him later in his life. Maybe, Hailsham is the only school that creates these works of art and could be the reason as to why they are treated differently. I'm curious to see if my theory is proven to be on the right track or if I am completely wrong as I read deeper into the book.
(pg. 153)
The author uses balance to create emphasis on what is being said in the quote above. Through this balance, the point in which Hailsham students were always regarded as special is now revealed. Thorughout the novel, Hailsham students were thought of as privileged and treated the best. I'm guessing now that this must be the reason. However, why is it that only Hailsham students are allowed to do this? What makes them different from everyone else in the story? My guess, though I could be completely wrong, is that it somehow relates to their art gallery that Madame created. This seems to be logical since Miss Lucy clearly told Tommy that his art would benefit him later in his life. Maybe, Hailsham is the only school that creates these works of art and could be the reason as to why they are treated differently. I'm curious to see if my theory is proven to be on the right track or if I am completely wrong as I read deeper into the book.
Never Let Me Go 10- Are the Kids Clones?
"Since each of us was copied at some point from a normal person, there must be, for each of us, somewhere out there, a model getting on with his or her life."
(pg. 139)
This quote was very shocking and explains a lot about the story. It is literally like the sequal to "Brave New World." Ruth entertains the idea about her finding what they refer to as a possible, or the person they were cloned from. Now that Ishiguro explained what was going on with the students and why they would be donors, I now understand why the guardians and Madame would get very emotional about having to tell the students all this back at Hailsham. I think I understand this right, but my thinking is that the donors were the ones who were cloned from an original person and would then provide their "possibles" with the necessary vital organs they needed as they got older. This society basically mirrors that of the previous book we read in the way that fixed statuses in life were chosen before birth and the way in which immoral practices were used on some to benefit the society in general. My one question that I keep having is that if Kathy and Ruth know all this, why would they conform to these rules that have discriminated against them all their lives to the point to which it will kill them. They just seem to accept their role and do just as the others want.
(pg. 139)
This quote was very shocking and explains a lot about the story. It is literally like the sequal to "Brave New World." Ruth entertains the idea about her finding what they refer to as a possible, or the person they were cloned from. Now that Ishiguro explained what was going on with the students and why they would be donors, I now understand why the guardians and Madame would get very emotional about having to tell the students all this back at Hailsham. I think I understand this right, but my thinking is that the donors were the ones who were cloned from an original person and would then provide their "possibles" with the necessary vital organs they needed as they got older. This society basically mirrors that of the previous book we read in the way that fixed statuses in life were chosen before birth and the way in which immoral practices were used on some to benefit the society in general. My one question that I keep having is that if Kathy and Ruth know all this, why would they conform to these rules that have discriminated against them all their lives to the point to which it will kill them. They just seem to accept their role and do just as the others want.
Never Let Me Go 9- Round Character
"She was struggling to become someone else, and maybe felt the pressure more than the rest of us because, as I say, she'd somehow taken on the responsibility for all of us."
(pg. 130)
Ruth is being further revealed as more of a round character throughout the novel. In the quote, Kathy describes how Ruth was trying to take on a new character and personality in her transition to life in the cottages. Whether this was in her way she talked to the "veterans" or the manorisms and gestures she picked up watching them, Ruth has been shown as changing to try to adapt to her new life. Kathy describes Ruth as taking the responsibility of this adaptation upon herself. However, problems have been arising between them due to this change that have created tension between the two characters. Kathy, as the protagonist, is shown to be a static character so far. If Ruth continues this change, though Kathy depicts it is only during the day as of now, it will be interesting to see how the two friends react or if they even remain friends at all for the period of time. Kathy has already been irritated by this changing behavior and is beginning to realize that the Ruth she knew and liked back from Hailsham is beginning to change in their new era of their lives. It will be interesting to see the extent of this change and whether or not it will be of any significance.
(pg. 130)
Ruth is being further revealed as more of a round character throughout the novel. In the quote, Kathy describes how Ruth was trying to take on a new character and personality in her transition to life in the cottages. Whether this was in her way she talked to the "veterans" or the manorisms and gestures she picked up watching them, Ruth has been shown as changing to try to adapt to her new life. Kathy describes Ruth as taking the responsibility of this adaptation upon herself. However, problems have been arising between them due to this change that have created tension between the two characters. Kathy, as the protagonist, is shown to be a static character so far. If Ruth continues this change, though Kathy depicts it is only during the day as of now, it will be interesting to see how the two friends react or if they even remain friends at all for the period of time. Kathy has already been irritated by this changing behavior and is beginning to realize that the Ruth she knew and liked back from Hailsham is beginning to change in their new era of their lives. It will be interesting to see the extent of this change and whether or not it will be of any significance.
Never Let Me Go 8- Wow! Great Imagery
"If someone mentions the Cottages today, I think of easy-going days drifting in and out of each other's rooms, the languid way the afternoon would fold into evening then into night. I think of my pile of old paperbacks, their pages gone wobbly, like they'd once belonged to the sea. I think about how I read them, lying there on my front in the grass on warm afternoons. . ."
(pg. 119)
I'm usually not the one too keen on the images in a book or long narratives that usually don't depict anything important. However, the way Ishiguro uses imagery in this book is really fascinating. As Kathy describes her transition to the new setting among the cottages, I can really imagine just what it is like there. The cottages, being somewhat of a high school or college, become the new setting for Kathy's extended frame story of her childhood. She begins to explain the next phase of her life that takes place here, and thanks to the magnificent imagery, I can adjust to the new setting with a clear mental image of what it is truly like. The new laid-back lifestyle among the cottages is conveyed very well among the images of "drifting in and out of each others' rooms" or the "easy-going days" described in the quote. The imagery above sets the tone for a new slower-paced life that Kathy is now entering. Though the author does not come out and clearly state the shift in the pace of her life, it can easily be picked up among the new tone created among these vivid details.
(pg. 119)
I'm usually not the one too keen on the images in a book or long narratives that usually don't depict anything important. However, the way Ishiguro uses imagery in this book is really fascinating. As Kathy describes her transition to the new setting among the cottages, I can really imagine just what it is like there. The cottages, being somewhat of a high school or college, become the new setting for Kathy's extended frame story of her childhood. She begins to explain the next phase of her life that takes place here, and thanks to the magnificent imagery, I can adjust to the new setting with a clear mental image of what it is truly like. The new laid-back lifestyle among the cottages is conveyed very well among the images of "drifting in and out of each others' rooms" or the "easy-going days" described in the quote. The imagery above sets the tone for a new slower-paced life that Kathy is now entering. Though the author does not come out and clearly state the shift in the pace of her life, it can easily be picked up among the new tone created among these vivid details.
Never Let Me Go 7- Art is Important???
"'Listen Tommy, your art, it is important. And not just because it's evidence. But for your own sake. You'll get a lot from it, just for yourself.'"
(pg. 108)
Could art really be important? I know in my life I've accepted art as something that I simply am just horrible at. Tommy also had done the same when Miss Lucy told him that it was fine not to be creative or good at art when he was younger. However, now that he is much older, Miss Lucy is beginning to tell Tommy that he needs to be better at art. The tone she creates is of utmost urgency that he correct this problem. One thing I am intrigued of in this quote is that she refers to the art as evidence. What could art be evidence of? I have a few ideas but mainly I'm guessing that the guardians are on the students' side trying to help them escape their horrible fate. The guardians, especially Miss Lucy, seem to be quite emotional and convey an upset and angry tone whenever they describe things that relate to the students' future after Hailsham. I believe Ishiguro is conveying that art is somehow the key to escaping such a future the students will face. Is it just a coincidence that all the people who seem to be emotional and sypathetic for the students at Hailsham are the same people who are telling them to do well at art becuase it will be for their own good? I'm curious to know what exactly the role of art plays in the story.
(pg. 108)
Could art really be important? I know in my life I've accepted art as something that I simply am just horrible at. Tommy also had done the same when Miss Lucy told him that it was fine not to be creative or good at art when he was younger. However, now that he is much older, Miss Lucy is beginning to tell Tommy that he needs to be better at art. The tone she creates is of utmost urgency that he correct this problem. One thing I am intrigued of in this quote is that she refers to the art as evidence. What could art be evidence of? I have a few ideas but mainly I'm guessing that the guardians are on the students' side trying to help them escape their horrible fate. The guardians, especially Miss Lucy, seem to be quite emotional and convey an upset and angry tone whenever they describe things that relate to the students' future after Hailsham. I believe Ishiguro is conveying that art is somehow the key to escaping such a future the students will face. Is it just a coincidence that all the people who seem to be emotional and sypathetic for the students at Hailsham are the same people who are telling them to do well at art becuase it will be for their own good? I'm curious to know what exactly the role of art plays in the story.
Never Let Me Go 6- Anecdote
"'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.'"
(pg. 81)
This quote is from yet another one of Kathy's anecdotes in the book. However, this quote is very significant and begins to explain what role the student's play in their society. It is a harsh reality that draws significant parallels and similar themes with the other book we read, "Brave New World." Both books describe immoral societies that designate social statuses that govern the world. One thing that I find quite shocking though is the silence of the students when they hear this. Kathy states how they don't understand it completely to a degree at the time, but it is so clear that their futures are not good. They were created to be killed, but the students seem to dodge around this point and even come to accept it. As Kathy now is much older telling the story as a carer, she must know that she, too, will come to this fate. However, no one seems to fight it or try to run away from this pending doom. No characters seem to feel that escaping this fate is a possibility or even a thought that they have as children and apparently, in Kathy's case, as adults as well.
(pg. 81)
This quote is from yet another one of Kathy's anecdotes in the book. However, this quote is very significant and begins to explain what role the student's play in their society. It is a harsh reality that draws significant parallels and similar themes with the other book we read, "Brave New World." Both books describe immoral societies that designate social statuses that govern the world. One thing that I find quite shocking though is the silence of the students when they hear this. Kathy states how they don't understand it completely to a degree at the time, but it is so clear that their futures are not good. They were created to be killed, but the students seem to dodge around this point and even come to accept it. As Kathy now is much older telling the story as a carer, she must know that she, too, will come to this fate. However, no one seems to fight it or try to run away from this pending doom. No characters seem to feel that escaping this fate is a possibility or even a thought that they have as children and apparently, in Kathy's case, as adults as well.
Never Let Me Go 5- Anaphora
"'You've been told about it. You're students. You're . . . special. So keeping yourselves well, keeping yourselves very healthy inside, that's much more important for each of you than it is for me.'"
(pg. 68)
Wow! There are so many anecdotes in this book. Reading through the first seventy pages, I must have read at least ten anecdotes already. However, as many of them were of little significance, just introducing more characters, I found this anecdote Kathy is describing about Hailsham very profound. First off, the anaphora in the quote serves as an indicator that what is being said is especially important. It creates a monolithic emphasis on the serious atmosphere and tone of the situation. In the quote, Miss Lucy was telling the children how it was bad to smoke. What I found significant, though, was the way in which she told them it was bad, saying that it is important for them to stay healthy "inside" since they are special and not like her. Why would she say healthy "inside" instead of just healthy in general? The word just seems out of place conveying a more physical aspect to their health. Anyway, Miss Lucy and the other guardians seem to take their no smoking policy quite far. Kathy mentions going so far as to try to keep her cassete tape secret since it showed a woman smoking on the front cover. Whatever the reason for keeping all the children healthy, it seems like it is of great importance. I'm interested as to find out the reason as the story progresses since it seems key to understanding the significance of the students at Hailsham and Kathy's present job as a carer which still has not been defined clearly.
(pg. 68)
Wow! There are so many anecdotes in this book. Reading through the first seventy pages, I must have read at least ten anecdotes already. However, as many of them were of little significance, just introducing more characters, I found this anecdote Kathy is describing about Hailsham very profound. First off, the anaphora in the quote serves as an indicator that what is being said is especially important. It creates a monolithic emphasis on the serious atmosphere and tone of the situation. In the quote, Miss Lucy was telling the children how it was bad to smoke. What I found significant, though, was the way in which she told them it was bad, saying that it is important for them to stay healthy "inside" since they are special and not like her. Why would she say healthy "inside" instead of just healthy in general? The word just seems out of place conveying a more physical aspect to their health. Anyway, Miss Lucy and the other guardians seem to take their no smoking policy quite far. Kathy mentions going so far as to try to keep her cassete tape secret since it showed a woman smoking on the front cover. Whatever the reason for keeping all the children healthy, it seems like it is of great importance. I'm interested as to find out the reason as the story progresses since it seems key to understanding the significance of the students at Hailsham and Kathy's present job as a carer which still has not been defined clearly.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Never Let Me Go 4- Guardian Angry… At What?
“’Shaking. With rage. I could see her. She was furious. But furious deep inside.'”
(pg. 28)
I found this quote very profound. It comes from Tommy when he was describing Miss Lucy, one of the guardians at the school. She called him down to her office to discuss his creativity and his problems he was having in class. However, Tommy describes how something was different in what Miss Lucy was saying, especially when she told him it was fine not to be creative. To me, after just briefly reading the novel, this was shocking. It seems that creativity was the objective at Hailsham; they were always creating, whether it was making pieces of art or composing poetry. To follow this up, Miss Lucy began to seem flustered and angry as the quote from Tommy reveals. She then went on to say that the students at Hailsham weren’t being taught enough, hinting at the lack of knowledge the students’ had about what they were to do after they left the school. I’m very interested as to what this teaching is that they have not learned about that seems very important in the world outside the gates of Hailsham. I’m left hooked in the novel wandering what there is to know about the secrets the guardians have kept from them. Also, it seems as though there is a higher power governing the guardians which has not been mentioned so far. I’m not sure if this is true, but it seems Miss Lucy would otherwise have taken this teaching upon herself if she were able to do so since she obviously feels so strongly about it.
Never Let Me Go 3- Simile/Imagery
“Everything- the walls, the floor- has been done in gleaming white tiles, which the centre keeps so clean when you first go in it’s almost like entering a hall of mirrors.”
(pg. 17)
I have noticed already that Ishiguro uses excellent imagery throughout this book. This simile above comparing the centre Ruth is staying in to a hall of mirrors really lets me picture as well as imagine what this centre really looks like. Kathy, being the carer of Ruth, is visiting the center Ruth is in. I’m still unsure what this job entails but I’m sure Ishiguro will further elaborate as the story progresses. However, this visit between Ruth and Kathy gives the narrator an opportunity to depict the events that they shared back at Hailsham. Kathy begins an anecdote explaining one of the first times she talked to her good friend Tommy she mentioned earlier in the story. As they reminisce on their memories back at Hailsham, I can’t help but notice similarities between this book and “Brave New World,” especially in the manner in which knowledge of the outside world seems to be kept from them. Guardians at their school seem to be teachers but also “know” things the students don’t; it is quite evident they don’t want the children to know these certain things. The tone of the novel in how the students regard the guardians is fearful but also very respectful at the same time. I’m interested to see how this outlook on the guardians further develops.
Never Let Me Go 2- Was Kathy Lucky to be at Hailsham?
"That was when I first understood, really understood, just how lucky we'd been- Tommy, Ruth, me, all the rest of us."
(pg. 6)
In the story, the donor Kathy is taking care for frequently asks her about Hailsham and her childhood there. When she tried to ask him about his own upbringing, his face told the story. The author describes the donor as grimacing from his memories, and when he told Kathy where he was from, he did not elaborate nor bring up the subject again. This seems odd to me. Why would some children be sent to grow up in nice places such as Hailsham while others were sent to places like those the donor would not speak of? It seems as though the donor Kathy is taking care of wants to forget his own childhood memories and replace them with Kathy's memories at Hailsham. I’m curious to see the reason behind this. It is beginning to sound a lot like the previous book we read in which positions or statuses in life were already chosen before people were born.
(pg. 6)
In the story, the donor Kathy is taking care for frequently asks her about Hailsham and her childhood there. When she tried to ask him about his own upbringing, his face told the story. The author describes the donor as grimacing from his memories, and when he told Kathy where he was from, he did not elaborate nor bring up the subject again. This seems odd to me. Why would some children be sent to grow up in nice places such as Hailsham while others were sent to places like those the donor would not speak of? It seems as though the donor Kathy is taking care of wants to forget his own childhood memories and replace them with Kathy's memories at Hailsham. I’m curious to see the reason behind this. It is beginning to sound a lot like the previous book we read in which positions or statuses in life were already chosen before people were born.
Never Let Me Go 1- First Person Point of View
"... She always chooses her own kind: people from Hailsham, or one of the other privileged estates. No wonder she has a great record. I've heard it said enough, so I'm sure you've heard it plenty more, and maybe there's something in it."
(pg. 4)
As the story opens, I immediately noticed that the book is in the first person point of view. The narrator is one of the characters named Kathy H. She never reveals her last name nor hints at what it is. She simply says that she is Kathy H. I don't know if this has any significance yet, but of all the characters that she introduced so far, they all state their last name with just a single letter. Also, I noticed in the quote that Kathy references a "privileged" estate called Hailsham. Kathy says that she is a Hailsham student and always chooses her donors from there. I'm not exactly sure what Hailsham is but the book so far frequently gives the impression of it being regarded by others as a very nice or even coveted place. Also, Kathy, the narrator, directly addresses the reader in the quote as though she is telling the story to another character, me, the reader. This is a different approach to describing a story than I'm used to but seems to make me feel more involved and hooked into the story.One of the first questions I have though is what the narrator means by when she states that she is a "carer." I mean it obviously points out that she takes care of people, or donors as is already described, but what exactly she does or why she does it is what I am confused about. I'm wondering if a carer draws any societal parallels or follows along the same lines with the last book we read, "Brave New World."
(pg. 4)
As the story opens, I immediately noticed that the book is in the first person point of view. The narrator is one of the characters named Kathy H. She never reveals her last name nor hints at what it is. She simply says that she is Kathy H. I don't know if this has any significance yet, but of all the characters that she introduced so far, they all state their last name with just a single letter. Also, I noticed in the quote that Kathy references a "privileged" estate called Hailsham. Kathy says that she is a Hailsham student and always chooses her donors from there. I'm not exactly sure what Hailsham is but the book so far frequently gives the impression of it being regarded by others as a very nice or even coveted place. Also, Kathy, the narrator, directly addresses the reader in the quote as though she is telling the story to another character, me, the reader. This is a different approach to describing a story than I'm used to but seems to make me feel more involved and hooked into the story.One of the first questions I have though is what the narrator means by when she states that she is a "carer." I mean it obviously points out that she takes care of people, or donors as is already described, but what exactly she does or why she does it is what I am confused about. I'm wondering if a carer draws any societal parallels or follows along the same lines with the last book we read, "Brave New World."
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