Humanity
List some of the questions about humanity, that Ishiguro raises in this novel.
What does it mean to be human?
What purpose have we been created for?
Do the characters pursue a future they wish for?
Not really. Whilst Ruth does envision a life as an office worker, and Tommy and Kathy ask for a deferral, none of them pursue these futures further.
List some things that are lost in the novel.
Life - Ruth and Tommy both ‘complete’
Items - Kathy’s Judy Bridgewater cassette
Time - Kathy and Tommy do not start their romantic relationship until Tommy has begun donations, and they are unable to be granted a deferral
Hailsham - the school is closed down due to lack of funding
How does the search for Ruth’s ‘possible’ end up?
What does Ruth’s reaction tell the reader about the characters’ beliefs about identity?
Ruth is devastated when the woman bears little resemblance to her. This demonstrates the characters’ belief that the discovery of their ‘possible’ would reveal key truths about their identity, and allow them to understand themselves better.
Which character is the most nostalgic?
Kathy. She is almost obsessively nostalgic.
Elaborate on the link between artistic expression and humanity, as highlighted by the events and characters in Hailsham.
In Hailsham, being creative is directly correlated with being human. Miss Emily tells Kathy and Tommy that the purpose of engaging the students in art, was to prove that they had souls. Furthermore, the gallery served as a means to showcase the humanity of the clones to the public, thus garnering more support for their humane treatment.
What forces impact upon the free will of the characters.
Hailsham is run in such a way that it shelters the students, drip-feeding information, keeping them naive and compliant with the processes of the donor program.
How does Kathy deal with her losses in the novel?
Firstly, Kathy loses her Judy Bridgewater tape, but also makes a point of telling the reader about the significance of Norfolk as England’s little lost and found corner, where items may turn up again. Therefore, it is implied that her hope of coming across this tape again is not lost.
Secondly, Kathy loses her close friendships with Ruth and Tommy as the trio drifts apart following their time at The Cottages. She reflects on this loss with a tone of acceptance, but also acknowledges the fact that she did not realise at the time, how quickly this would happen without something like Hailsham to tether them all together (consider here, the balloon analogy she mentions).
In what way does the author explore Kathy’s fascination with finding her own ‘possible’?
Whilst at The Cottages, Kathy searches for her ‘possible’ in dirty magazines, hoping that success in this search will explain her urges.
How do Kathy’s memories act as a comfort and consolation to her?
Kathy’s memorit’s help her to deal with the intense loss and trauma of what she experiences as a carer. She holds on tightly to the memories of Hailsham and The Cottages, as she values the comfort they bring her and others.
How are Kathy’s relationships a reflection of her humanity?
Explain how the passive nature of Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, undermines their free will.
All of these characters accept their fate as donors, doing little (with the exception of Kathy and Tommy asking for a deferal). In this sense, they do little to exercise their free will.
What does Miss Emily reveal about the loss of Hailsham?
Miss Emily reveals that funding and public support was lost, leading to the closure of Hailsham. She elaborates by telling Kathy and Tommy that society did not want to be reminded about the way the donation program worked.
How does Hailsham provide the characters with some sense of identity?
As clones, the characters obviously lack family and cultural identity. Hailsham is a place that nurtured them as children, thus, providing them with one of the only discernible paths to making sense of their own selves.
How does nostalgia impact the way the characters behave later in their lives?
It may be argued that nostalgia, in part, motivates Ruth to want to put things right with Tommy and Kathy. Potentially, her memories of growing up with these two may lead her to finding Madame’s address and giving it to the couple.
How does Ishiguro demonstrate humanness through the inevitable and morbid fate of the clones?
Kathy ultimately accepts the death of her close friends and the impending donations she must make. She understands that there is no point fighting against this fate; they will all ‘complete’ at some point. This reflects humanness as all humans, regardless of their life experiences or pathways, also die; it is a fate we all share.
Do the characters lack the skill or the will to act in rebellion against their grim fates?
Both. Their experience with the outside world is minimal, and therefore, they do not have the capacity to act out and push back against their donating. Additionally, naivety seems to be a deeply ingrained part of their psyche, and therefore they have little desire to exercise their own free will.
Why is Kathy so determined to hold onto her memories.
One of Kathy‘s donors tells her that our memories, even the most precious ones, eventually fade away. Kathy responds with steadfast determination to hold onto her precious memories, motivated seemingly by all the other losses in her life. She says that she values her memories and that she lost Tommy and Ruth, but she won’t lose her memories.
Explain the link between creativity/art and identity, as demonstrated through the events at Hailsham.
The gallery, the attitude of the guardians, and the exchanges all demonstrate the significance Hailsham places upon creativity. Showing creativity allows the Hailsham students to express their unique identities through artworks and poetry.
The story is not told as purely linear and factual, rather it becomes episodic - events are only recalled at certain points, tinged with emotion and Kathy cannot fully recall all of the details at times.
Explain how Ishiguro urges the reader to reflect on the correlation between humanity and morality.
Ishiguro draws parallels between the disgusting and seemingly inhumane exploitation of the clones in the novel, and the real world. The organ trade truly is a massive industry in modern society, and additionally, the oppression of the clones in the novel is reminiscent of modern examples of the mistreatment of minorities. Therefore, he asks the question, “Would we really make a moral protest against human cloning and organ farming, if we truly had the power to cure major illnesses?”
Explain how Kathy’s profession as a carer, contributes to her identity.
Kathy reflects on her experiences as a carer throughout the novel, and highlights the fact that she is particularly effective in this role. Ishiguro seems to suggest that their is a link between career and identity; that humans discover another dimension to their identity through their professional undertakings.