In the novel, Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro, I believe a large role was put on idealism. After looking over the book a second time, the students at Hailsham were in theory, perfect. They did as they were told, they were smart, creative, healthy, normal children, and on rare occasions acted out, but society did not pay any attention to the fact they were “alive.” Yet, once receiving a letter they would soon give up their lives for strangers, whom they’d never meet.
"I saw a new world coming rapidly. More scientific, efficient, yes. More cures for the old sicknesses. Very good. But a harsh, cruel, world. And I saw a little girl, her eyes tightly closed, holding to her breast the old kind world, one that she knew in her heart could not remain, and she was holding it and pleading, never to let her go." (72) An idealistic world, with false hope and no love for the people willing to be the ones to save it.
Ishiguro’s use of idealism wasn’t stated entirely, but throughout the book you notice that these children are what society wants. Yet the people that would receive the donations did not think about the clones, did not want to believe they existed, but in the end they were the ones who lived. As a whole I believe that Ishiguro was trying to say there is no perfect world, and no matter what we do, or who you are things may not work out the way you plan for them to.
I found this fact that you pointed out to be kind of ironic in a way. The clones are treated like second class citizens, and yet they are truly more "perfect" then normal humans. This is somewhat displayed when they are discussing the Morningdale scandal and how that effected the efforts of Hailsham. I also found the fact that humans were killing these more perfect individuals in order to become more perfect themselves (to cure diseases and ailments) to be ironic. Like you said, it seems that no one is truly perfect in the eyes of Ishiguro.
ReplyDeleteI agree idealism could be seen as one of the themes of Never Let Me Go. I like your analysis of what Ishiguro is trying to say, that there is no perfect world and no matter what we do things may not turn out how we expect them to. This is one of life’s many lessons that we all learn at some point. Even the best laid plans sometimes fail.
ReplyDeleteGreat observation! I agree that this is not a perfect world. The clones were made only for "donations" for "normal" humans. Ishiguro I feel explains that even though the clones are perfect in a way (their organs) they are the ones that are giving their lives away. Something that us humans do it not appreciate the things that are given to us and how bless we are.
ReplyDeleteI think that ultimately Ishiguro uses these clones to create an idealistically perfect world. They are there to make normal people perfect and free from health issues, but where does this leave the donors at? This most definitely was not their way of spending life on earth. These clones are supposed to be ideally the perfect candidates for the norms of society in that they are repeatedly told the consequences of smoking and sex with non donors.
ReplyDeleteYou make a lot of poignant points. I wonder why the donors didn't just walk away. Would not at least one of them figure it out that they really did not have to do the donations. I agree that Ishiguro was making a point that these children would obey no matter what and they were more perfect like than the rest of us yet they were selflessly designed to give their lives to to "normals".
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