Never Let Me Go: 20

THE END

"I mean, don't you get tired of being a carer? All the rest of us, we became donors ages ago. You've been doing it for years. Don't you sometimes wish, Kath, they'd hurry up and send you your notice?" p. 282

At the end of this, I fully respect Kathy. I never really thought about how lonely she must feel until this point in the book. She has to be worn out with all of the traveling. And it wasn't until recently that she even found people that she loved and could stay with. And now they are all dead, and she is still stuck taking care of people. But I guess that's just how Kathy is. Always doing things for others instead of doing what's right for her. This ending was sort of melancholy. She was still fairly upbeat it seemed. I can tell you one thing: I certainly would not be. However, I enjoyed this book. I didn't think it a chore while reading it. I loved the character of Kathy and grew to appreciate all of the other characters. I understood the value behind this book as well. Even though I disagreed with a lot of things (cloning for example), I still think it interesting to read about a very possible direction our world could be going in. What if we started cloning human beings just so they could be donors? Even if the clones aided in curing cancer and other diseases, it still isn't right to take a life and already map out a destiny for them. I'm very excited to discuss this book in class to see what others think. But overall, good choice in a book, Mr. Costello.

Never Let Me Go: 19

DEAD METAPHOR (CLICHE)

"All these things contributed, contributed to the turning of the tide." p. 264

In this excerpt, the cliche used is "turning of the tide". I know in one of my past English classes, a teacher told me to always stray from cliches. While I do see her point, I think they can be rather useful. If they are well enough known, then they sort of flow with everything else. You don't have to sit there and think about it. You don't have to try to relate it or decipher it. You just read over it because you simply know it. This particular use of it is very much a turning of the tide. Miss Emily is explaining why exactly Hailsham closed. And the closing of the school -if one could call it that- was a major turning point in the entire book itself. Now, all clones (yes, I finally figured out what they were) are most likely going to be raised in terrible conditions. This is kind of sad because at the end of the story, there is nothing to counteract this sadness. No other place was formed with the same intentions as Hailsham's.

Never Let Me Go: 18

IMAGERY

"...it was more that the thin woods we'd come through had ended, and now in front of us there was open marshland as far as we could see. The pale sky looked vast and you could see it reflected every so often in the patches of water breaking up the land." p. 224

Another thing I like about the author's style is his use of vivid imagery. When reading stories you never quite realize when someone is painting a picture before you. So when I stopped and thought about what blog to write next, I flipped through all the pages. Almost instantly it hit me how much imagery Ishiguro uses. Instead of just saying they went and saw a boat, he explained a fair amount of what all was happening in the scene and just what Kathy was seeing. Imagery is very important in this story because, a lot of times, it's hard to imagine just exactly the life Kathy is living. Without the imagery, the story would be unimaginably boring. In addition to his imagery, I really liked this scene. I think it is kind of cool -yet random- that they all got together and went to go see the boat.

Never Let Me Go: 17

RUTH SAY WHAT?

"...I realized why I was so bothered by what happened in the car. It wasn't simply that we'd ganged up on Ruth: it was the way she'd just taken it. In the old days, it was inconceivable she'd have let something like that happen without striking back." p. 223

They're baaaaaaack. I was greatly pleased to see that the three of them were together again. I am now convinced again that something will happen between Tommy and Kathy. But this quote probably shocked me most about this chapter. Ruth is acting like a normal person? What? I think Ruth did a little bit of growing up herself. It could be the fact that she had time alone, or the fact that she became a carer then a donor. But, I feel as if I actually -gulp- like Ruth. From the beginning, as you can probably tell by now, Ruth's character has irked me quite a bit. It could be because I know too many people like her that I really connect with Kathy. However, Ruth has done a complete turn around and actually likeable. Even more so because she is trying to put Tommy and Kathy together.

Never Let Me Go: 16

SYMBOL

"I thought about Hailsham closing, and how it was like someone coming along with a pair of shears and snipping the balloon strings just where they entwined about the man's fist." p.213

This part made me pretty sad. After reading that Hailsham closed, I knew that was a part of Kathy that was dying as well. In this selection, the balloons symbolized all of the students and guardians and Hailsham. Now, someone has come by and shut them all down. The ties have been cut and are all going their own ways. This relates not only to the closing, but also to where Kathy is at in her life right now. Being a carer, she is almost always alone. She has none of her old friends with her and will only occasionally bump into them at odd places. Even then they don't really connect like they used to. So when Kathy left the cottage, she was, in a way, that person with the pair of shears. She cut herself away from everyone and everything that was Hailsham.

Never Let Me Go: 15

TURNING POINT

"But the atmosphere never quite righted itself, and when we said our goodnights in front of the Black Barn, we parted without our usual little touches on the arms and shoulders." p. 202

This is perhaps one of the most important parts in the story. It is a turning point because we saw this relationship between Ruth and Kathy grow from the beginning. Even though I don't really like Ruth at the moment, I still think this is pretty sad for Kathy. She is leaving everything: everyone she knows, everything she understands, all of it. This is also fairly sad because she is also leaving Tommy. I really thought that they were going to be together. Even if she hurt Tommy because of making fun of his drawings, I still don't think that's anything to end a relationship over. However, I am very interested to see where this is going seeing as there is still a fair amount of book left. Also, I'm excited to find out just what a carer is. I know it was mentioned at the beginning and has been talked about a few times throughout the book, but I'm still unsure about exactly what they do.

Never Let Me Go: 14

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS

"I was still feeling a pang of regret that we'd found it so quickly, and it was only later, when we were back in the Cottages and I was alone in my room, that I really appreciated having the tape -and that song- back again." p. 173

KATHY AND TOMMY! I knew there was something between them. :) This is perhaps the first time where I have been excited for the two of them. Especially with Ruth being such a jerk right now, I definitly want Tommy and Kathy to end up together. (Can I be anymore like a girl right now?) Something more is going to happen, I know it. Anyways, I'm going to talk again about how much I love Ishiguro's writing style. I've been saying over and over how much I love the way it's like I'm listening to one of my friends tell a story to me. This whole stream of consciousness definitely fits in with that. Throughout this whole book, we are really in Kathy's mind. It allows me as a reader to really connect with the character, not just read about someone.

Never Let Me Go: 13

DEFERRALS?

"...if you were a boy and a girl, and you were in love with each other, really, properly in love, and if you could show it, then the people who run Hailsham, they sorted it out for you. They sorted it out so you could have a few years together before you began your donations." p. 153

Can I start by saying that I really dislike Chrissie and Rodney? Mainly because of the way they corrupted -in a way- Ruth. However, Chrissie has finally gotten me interested with what she has to say. I would never have expected this sort of thing to happen in the book. Props, again, Mr. Ishiguro. Is this sort of thing even real? Can people really go and get deferrals because they are in love? If so, I have a feeling Tommy and Ruth will go and get one and Kathy will be left alone. I really do feel bad for Kathy because I thought her and Tommy had something going. But Ruth just can't seem to give her a chance. It's always sad reading about someone who is constantly on the outs.

Never Let Me Go: 12

ALLUSION

"That's why she often looked more like the Wicked Witch than a movie star - an impression reinforced by her irritating way of jabbing you with a finger the second before she said something to you." p. 141

In this part of the book, Kathy is describing the character of Chrissie. She has the ability to be very pretty but does not recognize this. So then, Kathy compares her to the Wicked Witch. This was probably the first time I have seen some sort of allusion to something that I know of. I love the Wizard of Oz so it was exciting to see it made it into this book. The Wicked Witch has become a timeless character that almost everyone knows about. In some way, she has become sort of a cliche. People are so often compared to her that one does not even have to think about where the allusion came from. It is just universally excepted as a bad connotation. This was also enlightening because the author showed how cultured Kathy and the students at Hailsham really were. I was beginning to wonder if this was supposed to be set during a time when our real society was happening, unlike Brave New World where normal society was so far gone.

Never Let Me Go: 11

MODELED?

"This meant, at least in theory, you'd be able to find the person you were modeled from." p. 139

Once again, I am confused. What do they mean by modeled? Do they mean their parents? My theory is that people donate eggs and sperm and they are created in a lab, similar to in Brave New World. But that is just a theory. I honestly have no idea. I really want to know though. I do feel bad for Ruth, though. I would be pretty upset too if I thought I found my model (mother?) but it turned out she was not. I really hope I find out soon because I have literally been confused about this throughout the whole book.

Never Let Me Go: 10

IRONY

"Oh Kathy, the great expert on real families. So sorry." p. 124

Can we just take a second to dwell on the fact that I really dislike Ruth? I don't understand how someone like Kathy could be friends with her. Ruth is such a jerk, for lack of a better word. When Ruth said these words, I was shocked. This biting remark is ironic because they cannot have real families. They hardly even know that real families are. They were created (?) for one purpose, and that purpose is to be donors. So they could not possibly have a family or even be a part of one. However, since they cannot have families in the literal since of the word, I think Kathy just once everyone from Hailsham to be a family. She wants them to always have each others backs and be there for one another no matter what. And Ruth is definitely NOT the person for any of this.

Never Let Me Go: 9

SYNECDOCHE

"Someone would wander up and ask: 'What's the sound?' and if they liked the answer, they'd sit down on the grass and wait their turn." p. 103

This synecdoche is making the word 'sound' represent the tapes that the students would play. At first, I did not even realize that sound was not the same thing as the music and had to have it dawn on me while later reading the literary terms sheet. Very well played, Mr. Ishiguro. Daily, they would all sit around and listen to music, passing around headphones. It was written that they would only hear twenty seconds or so of each song but in the end, they thought they had heard the whole tape. This is very different from my usual routine. While we do still sit in circles and listen to music, we now have fancy high tech speakers and such so everyone can listen. Nevertheless, I thought this was pretty cool. I have a huge passion for music of all types. So I thought it was kind of neat how the author incorporated this into the story.

Never Let Me Go: 8

IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?

"If you can't find someone with whom you truly wish to share this experience, then don't!" p. 98

I don't really understand the point behind all of this sex. It kind of goes against everything I believe in. It also reminds me quite a bit of Brave New World. This chapter was pretty much all about sex and how the students were encouraged to take part in it whenever they wanted. This was all deemed alright because they could not get pregnant. However, I do see some point in this. Ishiguro wanted to make them seem like normal teenagers. I get that. But still, I think it is kind of unnecessary to the story thus far. Nevertheless, I could be proved wrong later in the story, but I'm kind of hoping I'm not.

Never Let Me Go: 7

PARADOX

"The problem, as I see it, is that you've been told and not told." p. 81

This is a HUGE part in the story. I love the character of Miss Lucy. She seems to always be looking out for the students. She apparently revealed a great truth to the children, but I did not feel like I knew much after this. This paradox was well placed because at first you think it's contradictory, but as you think about, you realize just how true it is. The children are told things, but not the full truth. I find this greatly annoying. Why don't they just tell them? Why not just let me in on the secret? Anyways, I hope that I find out soon so I can stop being confused about exactly what is happening at Hailsham.

Never Let Me Go: 6

FORESHADOWING

"...and especially now Ruth has gone, it's become one of my most precious possessions." p. 76

Because this novel is almost all in flashbacks, there is a lot of foreshadowing throughout. This is a good example of one time the author throws it in there. It saddens me to read this because I know she means that Ruth is going to die. However, this is a good technique because it makes me want to keep reading. It creates suspense. It makes me think of how Ruth died and when she did. I find myself eager to turn each page because of the technique of foreshadowing because I need to know what happens.

Never Let Me Go: 5

BOOK TITLE

"What made the tape so special for me was this one particular song: track number three, 'Never Let Me Go."' p. 70

I was beginning to wonder when the title was going to crop up. This part of the novel was especially heart warming. Haven't we all had a song from when we were little that we did not quite know the meaning to? I sure have my fair share of them. And still to this day, those songs mean a lot to me. I think it is really cool how Kathy has found something from the outside world that sets her apart from everyone else at Hailsham. But probably the most moving part of this was when Madame sobbed when she saw Kathy holding her fake baby and swaying to the music. It makes me wonder why Madame was crying when she saw her. Maybe because they cannot have babies? We will (hopefully) find out.

Never Let Me Go: 4

FLAT CHARACTER

"' Jackie's giraffes,' Ruth said with a laugh. 'They were so beautiful. I used to have one.'" p. 17

In this part, Ruth and Kathy are discussing their exchanges at Hailsham. The exchanges involved all of the students making paintings, poems, sculptures, and anything art-related. However, Kathy and her close group of friends were not the only ones in the exchange. So, naturally, some other characters needed to be thrown in there. I liked this because it added depth to the conversation Ruth and Kathy were having. Have you ever been on the outside of a conversation when two old friends bring up past stories about people you have never heard of? That's how I felt reading this part. And I was still left with that feeling that I wanted to learn more about this person or that thing. Jackie is a flat character because all it says about her was that she was good at making giraffes.

Never Let Me Go: 3

BFFs

"There was a kind of conversation that could only happen when you were hidden way in the pavilion; we might discuss something that was worrying us, or we might end up screaming with laughter, or in a furious row. Mostly, it was a way to unwind for a while with your closest friends." p. 7

I really liked reading this part of the story. Kathy and her friends remind me of my friends and myself. The way they go about things and talk to each other is very similar to my group. This quote connected to me the most because this is literally how my conversations work. I was just talking about this not two hours ago. Girls have a way of talking that can only truly happen behind closed doors. And the spectrum of things we talk about is just as wide as what the author wrote. The pavilion Kathy is talking about can take many forms in my life. It can be a restaurant, a backyard, and my best friends' rooms. But I definitely understand why this one pavilion was such a special place for Kathy and her friends to talk and unwind.

Never Let Me Go: 2

FLASHBACK

"I can remember us back in the Juniors, pleading with guardians to hold the next lesson in the pavilion instead of the usual room." p. 6

Throughout the novel it seems, that almost everything written is a flashback. As I said with the first person point of view, I really like this. This is also just like every story that anyone tells. However, at times it can be rather difficult to follow. The author really knows how to tell a story, though. Kathy seems just like a character that I would be friends with. So it makes it very easy to follow along with all of the flashbacks. It serves as useful because most of the flashbacks are in chronological order. Also, they are told in a such a way that we hear them from a more well-rounded adult Kathy instead of the young Kathy during the flashback. She is able to recall most of her emotions and a pretty good amount of what was happening at the time. This is good because we, as readers, get the point of view from someone who has had time to think about all of these things and get a more rounder and complete understanding. ( I realize that made little sense even to me, but I'm unsure how to word it :D )

Never Let Me Go: 1

POINT OF VIEW

"My name is Kathy H. I'm thirty-one years old, and I've been a carer now for over eleven years." p. 3

As the book first opens up with this sentence, I was very happy to read that it was in first person. I don't know why, but I seem to always get into books more when they are written in that style. Kazuo Ishiguro (try saying that ten times fast) made an excellent decision to tell the story using this point of view. I feel as if I was listening to someone tell me a story in real life rather than reading a dull, third party point of view on something that happened once upon a time. The way Kathy tells her story is all over the place. I love it. That is how all of my friends -and probably just about every other human being- tells stories. Ishiguro really understood this and used it to his benefit. Nothing is really chronological, but I feel as if that kept me on my toes and, quite frankly, as interested as I was in the story of Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy.