Never Let Me Go 6

"We'd been 'told and not told,' as she put it." pg. 82

I think that the reasoning behind the paradox, "told and not told," was to make the students believe that organ donation was not a big deal. The way the guardians nonchalantly work the students' futures in organ donation into the lessons gives the impression that it is not a worrisome matter. Maybe the guardians neglect to go into full detail about organ donation to protect the children. To me, the donation process seems to be very frightening. I think the guardians sympathize with the students and want them to live a full but short worry free life. If I knew that I was destined to die at a young age I would be constantly worried that it would happen at any time, and that is no way to live your life. On the other hand, the guardians could be withholding this information for safety reasons. If people knew their purpose in life was to die early, many of these people would probably go crazy. They would blow off school, get into trouble, and neglect responsibilities because they know it won't affect them in the future since they won't be there. I understand why the guardians would tell and not tell the students their destinies, however I also believe they deserve to know what's in store for them in their later life. I think being a guardian would be an extremely difficult job. That is probably why Miss Lucy reacts so strongly sometimes and why Madame cried watching Kathy. I feel like these two in particular really sympathize with the students and maybe don't agree with what happens to them. Could these feelings present conflict later in the book?