"The memories I value most, I don't see them ever fading. I lost Ruth, then I lost Tommy, but I won't lose my memories of them." -pg. 286
As the book ended, Tommy had passed away and Kathy is on her own. This quote perfectly wraps up the entire book. The anechdotes Kathy uses seem as if they happened to her yesterday. Her memories of Hailsham, the Cottages, Ruth, and Tommy are impecable. The whole story is told through her memories, and I believe they will never fade. One of the many themes of this story, I believe, are the importance of memories. After they donate all they can and have completed, all the students have left are memories. These memories are what make them actually human and not only clones. These memories make the whole process a little less inhumane. Hailsham and the Cottages also made the whole cloning and donating process less inhumane. This books creates a weird reality that may not be far off in today's world. It also creates a weird feeling within that makes you wonder if the whole process could be true or right.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Never Let Me Go 19
"We took away your art because we thought it would reveal your souls. Or to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all." -pg. 260
This chapter finally explains the whole book for me. While I thought Hailsham and the rest of the world was so inhumane to clone humans for donations, I realize it is the complete opposite. The clones, which we call students, can cure cancer, heart disease, or anything. These students have basically taken disease out of the world. Now that I look at it, these students seem not even human. Hailsham was out to prove they were human. This brings me so much more insight and respect for Hailsham and Miss Emily and Madame who ran Hailsham. The reason the students were not taught math and science was because it would be useless to them. The art and poetry was to prove they had souls and were actually human, even if they were cloned. Hailsham makes total sense to me now, and brings a complete sadness. It saddens me to think these students are not truly human, and the world sees them as robots. It saddens me even more that I think of them as only robots as well, and that they only have one purpose in life--to save others' lives.
This chapter finally explains the whole book for me. While I thought Hailsham and the rest of the world was so inhumane to clone humans for donations, I realize it is the complete opposite. The clones, which we call students, can cure cancer, heart disease, or anything. These students have basically taken disease out of the world. Now that I look at it, these students seem not even human. Hailsham was out to prove they were human. This brings me so much more insight and respect for Hailsham and Miss Emily and Madame who ran Hailsham. The reason the students were not taught math and science was because it would be useless to them. The art and poetry was to prove they had souls and were actually human, even if they were cloned. Hailsham makes total sense to me now, and brings a complete sadness. It saddens me to think these students are not truly human, and the world sees them as robots. It saddens me even more that I think of them as only robots as well, and that they only have one purpose in life--to save others' lives.
Never Let Me Go 18
"So that feeling came again...that we were doing all of this too late; that there'd once been a time for it, but we'd let that go by, and there was something ridiculous, reprehensible even, about the way we were now thinking and planning." -pg. 242
This particular quote applies to many aspects of the story as it is now. Ruth has died, and Kathy is caring for Tommy. The two start having sex, talking more, and even talk about going to see Madame. Their plan is to convince Madame into giving them a few years off to themselves because they are in love. Although I do not know what will happen, I believe the plan will not work. The two have so many theories about their art and getting years off, but I believe none of them are true. All of these theories could just be rumors. In the final chapters, I suspect disappointment in going to see Madame. Kathy keeps trying to bring back Hailsham into her present, yet that time has past. Her feeling of doing all this too late is true--it should have happened long before. However, I forsee them only being disappointed in the future for not moving on from Hailsham.
This particular quote applies to many aspects of the story as it is now. Ruth has died, and Kathy is caring for Tommy. The two start having sex, talking more, and even talk about going to see Madame. Their plan is to convince Madame into giving them a few years off to themselves because they are in love. Although I do not know what will happen, I believe the plan will not work. The two have so many theories about their art and getting years off, but I believe none of them are true. All of these theories could just be rumors. In the final chapters, I suspect disappointment in going to see Madame. Kathy keeps trying to bring back Hailsham into her present, yet that time has past. Her feeling of doing all this too late is true--it should have happened long before. However, I forsee them only being disappointed in the future for not moving on from Hailsham.
Never Let Me Go 17
"But just for once, as she was twisting herself in a way that seemed scarily unnatural...she looked straight at me and she knew exactly who I was." -pg. 236
This chapter has great significance in Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy's relationship. As Kathy is caring for Ruth, they decide to pick Tommy up and go on a fieldtrip to see a boat. During this fieldtrip, Ruth makes a statement about how she's sorry she kept Tommy and Kathy from eachother and they were meant to be together all along. Not long after, Ruth died after her second donation. The quote above, however, describes the significant moment Kathy and Ruth had before she died. Even though there had been tensions before, the two became best friends again. This significant chapter makes the whole book a cycle. Their friendship is taken back to Hailsham days, even after it has closed. The real signficance between the three friends is that no matter what tore them apart, Hailsham and their past brought them back together. In that moment before Ruth died, they promised without words that Kathy would become Tommy's donor.
This chapter has great significance in Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy's relationship. As Kathy is caring for Ruth, they decide to pick Tommy up and go on a fieldtrip to see a boat. During this fieldtrip, Ruth makes a statement about how she's sorry she kept Tommy and Kathy from eachother and they were meant to be together all along. Not long after, Ruth died after her second donation. The quote above, however, describes the significant moment Kathy and Ruth had before she died. Even though there had been tensions before, the two became best friends again. This significant chapter makes the whole book a cycle. Their friendship is taken back to Hailsham days, even after it has closed. The real signficance between the three friends is that no matter what tore them apart, Hailsham and their past brought them back together. In that moment before Ruth died, they promised without words that Kathy would become Tommy's donor.
Never Let Me Go 16
"I'd meant us, all the students who'd grown up with me and were now spread across the country, carers and donors, all separated now but still somehow linked by the place we'd come from." -pg. 212
At this point in the book, Kathy has finished talking about her time at Hailsham and the Cottages and is talking about her current time as a donor. Particularly, we find out that Hailsham has closed. Shocked and upset, Kathy reflects on this, and I would like to reflect as well. The whole point of the connections of the characters in this book is the fact they all went to Hailsham. Yes, we meet new characters at the Cottages, but all the talk is still at Hailsham. The closing of Hailsham represents the closing of a huge chapter in Kathy's life, as well as the rest of the students. In the book particularly, it represents the closing of the stories of Hailsham. We now move into a new chapter in Kathy's life, which is her life as a carer. The closing of Hailsham lets the reader know we are moving on to a point in Kathy's life where she reflects and learns new things.
At this point in the book, Kathy has finished talking about her time at Hailsham and the Cottages and is talking about her current time as a donor. Particularly, we find out that Hailsham has closed. Shocked and upset, Kathy reflects on this, and I would like to reflect as well. The whole point of the connections of the characters in this book is the fact they all went to Hailsham. Yes, we meet new characters at the Cottages, but all the talk is still at Hailsham. The closing of Hailsham represents the closing of a huge chapter in Kathy's life, as well as the rest of the students. In the book particularly, it represents the closing of the stories of Hailsham. We now move into a new chapter in Kathy's life, which is her life as a carer. The closing of Hailsham lets the reader know we are moving on to a point in Kathy's life where she reflects and learns new things.
Never Let Me Go 15
"Ruth, don't give me that. There's no way you've forgotten." -pg. 202
The above quote has been said about three times in the past few chapters. This quote is called a refrain. Kathy has repeated this over and over to Ruth when talking about Hailsham. Ruth puts on a front that she doesn't remember certain things about Hailsham that she would not forget. The purpose of this refrain is to show Kathy's frustration with Ruth. It also shows the reader how naive Ruth is being by pretending to forget all this stuff about Hailsham. The refrain is effective because I actually get frustrated with Ruth and can relate to Kathy. Because Ruth keeps "forgetting" and Kathy has to repeat the same sentence, I am disappointed in Ruth's changes. She has wanted to forget about Hailsham and keeps pretending she has.
The above quote has been said about three times in the past few chapters. This quote is called a refrain. Kathy has repeated this over and over to Ruth when talking about Hailsham. Ruth puts on a front that she doesn't remember certain things about Hailsham that she would not forget. The purpose of this refrain is to show Kathy's frustration with Ruth. It also shows the reader how naive Ruth is being by pretending to forget all this stuff about Hailsham. The refrain is effective because I actually get frustrated with Ruth and can relate to Kathy. Because Ruth keeps "forgetting" and Kathy has to repeat the same sentence, I am disappointed in Ruth's changes. She has wanted to forget about Hailsham and keeps pretending she has.
Never Let Me Go 14
"For all their busy, metallic features, there was something sweet, even vulnerable about each of them." -pg. 188
Kathy is describing Tommy's drawings as if they have human qualities. This is known as an anthropomorphism, or personification. Tommy has shown Kathy his drawings of animals. However, she sees them with nails and metallic features. Drawings aren't physically sweet or vulnerable, because they do not talk or have emotion. This anthropomorphism is effective because it brings the pictures to life. It also relates the reader to the feeling Kathy got while looking at Tommy's drawings. These creatures in his drawings were done in such a way that gave Kathy a feeling of innocence and vulnerability. The personification relates that feeling towards the reader.
Kathy is describing Tommy's drawings as if they have human qualities. This is known as an anthropomorphism, or personification. Tommy has shown Kathy his drawings of animals. However, she sees them with nails and metallic features. Drawings aren't physically sweet or vulnerable, because they do not talk or have emotion. This anthropomorphism is effective because it brings the pictures to life. It also relates the reader to the feeling Kathy got while looking at Tommy's drawings. These creatures in his drawings were done in such a way that gave Kathy a feeling of innocence and vulnerability. The personification relates that feeling towards the reader.
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