In these quotes, which are a mix of personal discussions about his writing and quotes from his novels, readers can interpret Ishiguro’s interest in discussing everyday people who are contending with adversity in their own way. He asserts that he’d much rather write about someone who has accepted their lot in life than a hero defying the odds.
Life
There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one.
In this quote, the author writes about accepting one’s life and all the events it contains. It’s easy to get caught up thinking about what might’ve been and how one’s life could’ve been different.
But this isn’t something that’s worth worrying about. This brief quote implies that one needs to embrace the life they have and handle it the best they can. It’s the only one you’re going to get, and resisting its fundamental facts isn’t going to change anything.
When you become a parent, or a teacher, you turn into a manager of this whole system. You become the person controlling the bubble of innocence around a child, regulating it.
In this quote, Ishiguro writes about impacting the lives of young people as a parent or a teacher. The quote suggests that becoming a parent means you’re taking on the responsibility of managing and controlling the environment in which someone grows up. This is particularly important when it comes to preserving a child’s innocence.
The “bubble of innocence” referenced in these lines implies the existence of a protective barrier that adults try to maintain around children. It shields them from the harsh realities of the world.
I’m not at all interested in the brave who fight against the odds and win. I am interested in those who accept their lot, as that is what many people in the world are doing. They do their best in ghastly conditions.
In this quote, Ishiguro speaks about his interests when it comes to depicting life. He suggests that he’s far more interested in depicting those who “accept their lot,” as the characters in ‘Never Let Me Go’ do. They know what’s going to happen to them and never really try to escape their fates.
The author indicates that he’s interested in conveying the struggles of those who are doing their best in “ghastly conditions.” This feels far more real, he implies than a hero fighting against the odds and winning.
Love
Indeed — why should I not admit it? — in that moment, my heart was breaking.
In this brief quote, one of Ishiguro’s characters speaks about heartbreak and how it’s possible to pin down the moments in which one’s heart has broken. It’s a thoughtful depiction of love, loss, and unrequited relationships that’s going to be widely relatable.
You say you’re sure? Sure that you’re in love? How can you know it? You think love is so simple?
In these lines, a character is questioned about their assertion that they’re in love. Love, the quote and author imply, is not so simple. It shouldn’t be taken lightly or assumed to be true in an instant. The quote asks that one question what do they think love is, and be sure that they’re truly in love with someone before stating it.
Memories
Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don’t go along with that. The memories I value most, I don’t ever see them fading.
In this quote from ‘Never Let Me Go,’ the narrator discusses memories and how they inevitably fade over time. It’s impossible to keep all of one’s memories intact, but there are some memories, this person thinks, that will never fade.
They are long-lasting, life-defining memories that are key to one’s understanding of the world. These memories define who someone is and which one is likely to value the most.
Sometimes I get so immersed in my own company, if I unexpectedly run into someone I know, it’s a bit of a shock and takes me a while to adjust.
In this quote from ‘Never Let Me Go,’ the speaker discusses how it’s impossible to get lost in one’s own company. You can get some sucked into your memories and experiences that when you “run into someone,” you know, it can come as a surprise.
This quote speaks about one’s perception of the world and how that perception can be challenged by other people’s presence or ideas. It’s easy to exist in one’s own reality and far harder to accept the world as it is.
I’m interested in memory because it’s a filter through which we see our lives, and because it’s foggy and obscure, the opportunities for self-deception are there. In the end, as a writer, I’m more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened.
In this quote, Ishiguro speaks about his interest in memory. He states that memory is like a filter through which “we see our lives.” Memories get corrupted and influenced over time, making it nearly impossible to remember something accurately.
He also describes how, as a writer, he wants to explore “what people tell themselves” rather than what happened. This is another key element of ‘Never Let Me Go’ which is seen through the author’s choice of a first-person narrator who is, at times, unreliable.
