Never Let Me Go 20

"It's a shame, Kath, because we've loved each other all our lives. But, in the end, we can't stay together forever." pg. 282

It really is a shame. The ending to this book just depressed me. I felt so sorry for Kathy. Everything she has ever loved was now gone, and she was standing there helplessly not knowing what was in store for her next.  I so badly wanted her fantasy of Tommy to come true, but realistically, I knew that could never happen. But, that is life. Life doesn't always end happily. That is what I think one of the main messages of the book was: live life to the fullest and to enjoy those people in your life while they are still there, because you never know when they'll be gone. Another major point I think Ishiguro is trying to make is the same one made in Brave New World. That is to beware of technology and scientific advances. We can't let these thing take away the relationships we have with people and the families we live in. I just hope that our society never resorts to using the lives of lesser people for the betterment of others. We need to keep the idea of every person is equal regardless of race, age, background, and anything else, as a major focus in our lives.

Never Let Me Go 19

"Tommy and I couldn't quite believe that was the end of it." pg. 265

In this chapter, I feel so sorry for Kathy and Tommy. I just knew disappointment was coming but didn't want it to be true. I feel like all their hopes and dreams had just been crushed. As sad as this chapter is, many of my questions were answered.  The mystique of Madame and the Gallery is finally clear now. I think I was kind of on the right track of thinking. Madame was on the side of the students and she did take the art for their benefit. This chapter also reminded me a lot of Brave New World. The society discriminates against the clones without knowing much about them. The clones were treated the same way as the Epsilons. In Never Let Me Go, normal people avoid the clones and ignore how they are treated. They close their eyes to the cruelty the clones are put through and neglect to recognize what they sacrifice for them. The Alphas in Brave New World do the same thing to the Epsilons. The Alphas never acknowledge the work that the Epsilons do for them. In both books, the "normal" people take advantage of the "outcasts" or the inferior people.

 

Never Let Me Go 18

"We'd been thinking about the deferrals, the theory about the Gallery, all of it, for so long--and now, suddenly, here we were. It was definitely a bit scary." pg. 244

I'm really glad that Tommy and Kathy finally get together. I just hope it isn't too late. I understand how they are feeling though. Its like waiting for something you've talked about, dreamed about, and desperately wanted your entire life, then it is right in front of you. I would think that this feeling would be overwhelmingly intimidating rather than "a bit scary." It's almost like your first day of high school. While your in grade school all you want to do is go to Roncalli, and the closer you get to your first day, the more anxious you become. Then, once the day finally arrives, your completely filled with nerves. Once Tommy and Kathy finally track down Madame, its up to them to take control of their lives. They're no longer fantasizing about what could be. The opportunity is right in front of them. Thankfully, they take it. The chapters leading up to meeting Madame are so incredibly suspenseful. I really don't think I've ever read as fast as I did! I can't wait to see what happens to Kathy and Tommy and what Miss Emily's new role in the story will be.

Never Let Me Go 17

"The main thing is, I kept you and Tommy apart." Her voice had dropped again, almost to a whisper. "That was the worst thing I did." pg. 232

I was really surprised by this chapter. I never expected Ruth to mature to the level she did and to admit the things she'd done wrong. I actually became quite emotional when Ruth was about to complete. I think the moment Ruth and Kathy had was the perfect way for their relationship to end. Ruth finally let her guard down and there were no barriers between them. I'm really glad she admitted that Kathy and Tommy should be together. I'm also curious to see if the deferral process is real and if it is, if they are able to attain it. As much as I want Kathy and Tommy to get a deferral and live together for the rest of their lives, I don't foresee that happening. I just think that the process is too good to be true. Basically, I predict that it will be a tragic ending, but I hope that I'm wrong!

Never Let Me Go 16

"In other words, it was a really encouraging start--better than I'd dared expected." pg. 214

I was not surprised at all by the way Ruth and Kathy's first encounter went. There was no reason for them to get into discussing what happened between them when they were seeing each other for the first time in years. But, they clearly couldn't go on avoiding it for long. The longer it isn't discussed the more tension that grows.  Ruth, being in the condition that she's in, doesn't need any extra stress or tension around. Once Tommy is mentioned, things seem to turn up, but I don't think things will ever be truly back to normal if things aren't discussed soon. I know this from experience. This happened with me and one of my best friends. We had a falling out and didn't speak to each other for a long time. Then, once we got over all our anger towards each other, we began making small talk. We never really discussed what happened between us. It was like we both had an understanding to just let it go; however, I think looking back, that was the wrong thing to do. We needed to sit down and work everything out just like Ruth and Kathy need to do. If they don't do this, there friendship will never be like it once was. There will always be a barrier between them, no matter how hard they try to forget the past.

Never Let Me Go 15

"Some carers, though, their whole attitude lets them down. A lot of them, you can tell, are just going through the motions, waiting for the day they're told they can stop and become donors." pg. 208

Beginning part three, I noticed a major shift in tone. Before this, the reader was usually in suspense and anticipating what was about to happen. Now, the tone has become drab, slow, and uneventful. I think that the shift in tone represents the shift in lifestyle. At Hailsham and the Cottages, there was always something going on, whether it be relationship drama or friendship troubles. But now, all the drama and excitement is gone. The life of a carer seems to be about the worst job ever, and I think they do that for a reason. By making the job so demanding and draining, a carer can soon forget what his or her old life was like. It could be a sort of preparation for becoming a donor. I think they make the job so miserable so that the carers don't put up a fight when its time for their donations. Its almost like the carers look  forward to it, just because it means they are no longer carers. Kathy seems to be unlike the rest of the carers. She actually doesn't mind it. I think that could be why Kathy has been a carer for so long. She has yet to despise the job so much that she longs for her time to donate. Hopefully this will benefit her in the long run.

Never Let Me Go 14

"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

I am very disappointed in how Kathy left things with Tommy and Ruth. After every thing they went through together, I would think Kathy would try to patch things up with them before she left. I really don't understand why she wouldn't talk to Tommy. I know Ruth's comment to her about Tommy basically not dating whores must have hurt, but she needed to realize where this information was coming from. As soon as Ruth found out that Tommy told Kathy his theory before her, she instantly became jealous and set out to sabotage their friendship. It clearly worked. Kathy needed to stop feeling sorry for herself and attempt to explain what happened in the churchyard. I know most of the readers were probably mad at Ruth for stirring all this up, but that was to be expected. It's just how she is. I, on the other hand, am mad at Kathy. She was so stupid in not trying to patch things up with Tommy and Ruth and leaving so abruptly. Hopefully when they meet again, all three of them will have matured, and they are able to straighten out the issues from the past without any barriers between them.

Never Let Me Go 13

"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

I don't know how much I agree with Tommy's theory. I do believe that the artwork reflects the person's soul, and I do believe that there is some sort of deference policy. But, I don't think it has to do with being truly in love. To me, it seems like Kathy was able to have a very long deference because she has yet to make any donations and Ruth and Tommy both have. If it has to do with love, I don't know who Kathy would be in love with other than Tommy. But, he has already made donations which makes me think that it has nothing to do with love after all. However, I have no other idea of what it could be. Or, perhaps Kathy wasn't deferred at all and something happens to her later on that prevents her from making donations. Therefore, she is forced to remain a carer for an extended period of time. It seems to me that Kathy's tape is a very important part of the story. I have two idea of what its purpose is. One is that it symbolizes her love for Tommy. When she was at Hailsham, they always payed special attention to each other. Then, the tape goes missing and Ruth and Tommy become a couple. Later on, Kathy finds the tape and Tommy and Kathy's feelings for each other resurface again. My second theory is that the tape influences Kathy to do something that makes her unable to be a donor. Maybe she somehow gets hold of cigarettes and develops a lung disease. That could explain why Kathy hasn't made donations and Ruth and Tommy have. Why else would Kathy be a carer for 12 years? She even says that's an unusually long length of time to be a carer. Could she be unable to donate? Or, could she have been deferred?

Never Let Me Go 12

"We all know it. We're modelled from trash. Junkies, prostitutes, winos, tramps. Convicts, maybe, just so long as they aren't psychos. That's what we come from. We all know it , so why don't we just say it?" pg. 166

Up until now, I thought Kathy and her friends were at peace with their destines and how they were created. But, with Ruth going on this rant, I see that each one of them is extremely fearful of donations and uneasy about their creation. I think that they were all just trying to mask their insecurities and play it off like it was no big deal. But, they truly want to be like normal humans and live normal lives. They dream of working and being with the person that they love. I think the only thing that keeps them going from day to day is their daydreams about a different life. When they look at their lives objectively, they see that they have no real importance as people, that their life up until the time of donation doesn't matter. It must be so incredibly difficult to live a life like that, knowing they wouldn't be accepted in society if people knew they were clones. My sympathy grows more and more for them each chapter. I wonder why they are aloud to venture into the real world. I would think that being around normal people would stir up unnecessary emotions, like it did for Ruth. As hard as it would probably be, I think that the clones should remain isolated from the rest of the world until their donations, so that they don't know about a life better than their own. But really, I don't think there is any good way for the clones to be raised. It would be a difficult situation for them no matter what.

Never Let Me Go 11

"And something told me we were coming to what was, for Chrissie and Rodney, the central purpose of this whole expedition." pg. 153

In this chapter, we learn the true colors of Chrissie and Rodney, as well as why Hailsham students in particular are so special. The veterans lure Ruth to Norfolk with a sighting of her possible, when in fact, they only wanted to know about the deferring process granted to few Hailsham students. This motivation reveals the true identities of the veterans. They were never truly interested in befriending the younger students. They had an ulterior motive to gain information for themselves. The veterans were characterized as very manipulative and selfish people. They used Ruth to see what she knew about the rumored deferral process. When Ruth implies she knows what they are talking about, I think Tommy reevaluates his relationship with Ruth. I think he sees that she is really just a shallow person with the goal of popularity. I really hope that Tommy and Ruth separate for good after this trip, and I think they will based on the inklings Kathy mentions when telling about Norfolk.

Never Let Me Go 10

"The point about Chrissie--and this applied to a lot of the veterans--was that for all her slightly patronising manner towards us when we'd first arrived, she was awestruck about our being from Hailsham." pg. 145

This motif that the Hailsham students are "special" must have a deeper meaning than I thought. Originally, I knew that Hailsham was a special place, but didn't know why. Later I learned that these students were created to donate their vital organs. That's why they were special. So, as I kept reading, I assumed that all people raised to donate their organs, like the rest of the people at the Cottages, were special too. But, according to the quote above, it seems that Hailsham in particular is more prestigious and special than any of the other places, if there are other places. I wonder why that is. Could it be that the Hailsham students are clones of more powerful and influential people? Or is it just the luck of the draw where the clones are raised? I am really curious as to why Hailsham is so highly regarded, and why they would be any more special than the rest of the clones. What is so different about Hailsham?

Never Let Me Go 9

"The point is, they claim they saw this. . . person. Working there in this open-plan office. And, well, you know. They reckon this person's a possible. For me." pg. 139

Through this synecdoche, we learn that the students are in fact scientifically created. The idea of possibles come from the cloning process. A possible is a person that a particular student may have been created from. I'm really curious how the people being cloned are chosen. If it were me, I wouldn't want some replica of myself somewhere out in the world, especially if I knew there sole purpose in life would be to donate their organs. Maybe this process is controlled by the government, and people don't have a say in the matter. Also, if I were a clone like Kathy or Ruth, I don't think I would want to find the person I was created from. I would just see a life I could never have. I think that would be too difficult to deal with. I really sympathize with Kathy and the rest of the clones, because they fantasize about a normal life, knowing very well that it will never happen. Perhaps its a coping mechanism they use in order accept their fate. Maybe thinking about there possibles helps keep their minds off of donations all together.

Never Let Me Go 8

"As soon as I said this I realised I'd made a mistake; that until I'd mentioned these two, I'd had Ruth in a corner, but now she was out. It was like when you make a move in chess and just as you take your finger off the piece, you see the mistake you made..." pg. 124

There is a change made in part two. Eight of the Hailsham students arrive at the Cottages. I think the Cottage is designed as a place for maturing before entering the real world. However, as seen by the simile above, the new students need to mature much more before they are ready to venture on their own. The dynamics of the Cottage reminds me of the dynamics of high school. Kathy and her friends arrive at the Cottage as freshman. They are very insecure and scared, because they aren't used to the situation around them. They do everything that they can to prove that they have matured, even going as far as mimicking the upper class men, but it is very evident they are stuck in their middle school ways. Ruth and the rest of the eight are consumed with the child like mind games they partook in at Hailsham. I'm wondering if they, and anyone else for that matter, will ever be able to mature into adults. Or, is everyone truly a "child" deep down?

Never Let Me Go 7

"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

Up until this point, I've been very confused why creativity was so highly stressed at Hailsham. Now, I think that their creativity is what argues that these students are real people. In one of my earlier blogs, I thought that Madame took their art to protect them from something being hidden from them. Thinking about that now, it could still be somewhat true. I think that Madame is very against the plot to use the Hailsham students as organ donors. Maybe she takes the most creative and insightful pieces to some higher power, that dictates the entire process, to plea that the students are just as real of human beings as any of the "normal" people. Perhaps the higher power I'm envisioning is somewhat like the Controller in Brave New World. I think that maybe all the guardians feel that the students don't deserve their destined life because each one of them seem to express the importance of creativity. The only thing that still confuses me though is, why would Miss Lucy originally tell Tommy that he doesn't need to worry about his creativity? I feel like if this theory is true, Miss Lucy would have never given Tommy or anyone the impression that creativity and art work was something of unimportance.