The novel delves into the relationships between several characters, all of whom are clones raised at a secluded English boarding school. The story is incredibly moving and features a number of symbols that are seen throughout the book. It has been praised for its subtle style and emotional depth and was even shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Themes
Humanity
At the heart of this novel is the question of what it means to be human. The clones are created for the sole purpose of organ donation, something that challenges the traditional notions of humanity. Despite their biological similarity to non-clones, they are treated as sub-human and forcibly used as a source of healthy organs for non-clones.
The novel asks readers to question the ethical and moral implications of creating life for the sole purpose of utility. It also explores the idea of what makes one human, such as thinking, feeling, and creating art.
Love
Love is an important part of this book. It explores romantic love and how, for part of the novel, they believe that relationships can result in a deferral from the organ donation program.
Love is ultimately overshadowed by the fate that all clones face. The author chose to use love to remind readers of the clones’ humanity. He demonstrates that despite their societal roles, they possess deep emotional lives, capable of love in its many forms.
Loss
Loss is another very important part of the novel. The characters experience the inevitable loss of their futures and dreams due to their predetermined fate as organ donors. The loss of potential life experiences results in a clear sense of existential melancholy throughout the novel.
Personal losses, such as the eventual breakdown of Kathy’s, Tommy’s, and Ruth’s relationships, further illustrate this theme.
Key Moments
- Kathy reminisces about the time she spent at Hailsham.
- She recalls her friends, including Ruth and Tommy.
- They are shielded from the full knowledge of the donation program and what’s going to happen to them in the future.
- Kathy believes that creativity is connected to donations.
- Kathy enjoys and sings the song “Never Let Me Go,” and Madame sees her and begins crying.
- Kathy loses her tape of the song.
- Kathy moves with Ruth and Tommy to a transitional house.
- Chrissie and Rodney convince Ruth that they’ve seen her “possible,” and Kathy is skeptical of this story.
- Tommy and Kathy find a copy of her tape in a second-hand store.
- Kathy works as a carer.
- Ruth encourages Tommy and Kathy to pursue a deferral.
- Tommy gives his third donation, and Kathy becomes his carer, and they start a relationship.
- Miss Emily tells them that deferrals don’t exist and that Hailsham is an effort to raise clones more humanely, but now it’s closed.
- Tommy gives his last donation, and Kathy drives into the distance.
Tone and Style
The overall tone used in this novel is elegiac and reflective. The author uses an understated approach to tell the story, something that makes the book’s profound themes, like mortality and the loss of innocence, so powerful.
Despite the underlying dark subject matter, the tone is not overly bleak, though. Instead, there is an overall feeling of acceptance and quiet contemplation. The narrative is filled with feelings of nostalgia and wistfulness, as well. This is especially poignant when the reader analyzes Kathy and her understanding of the world.
The author’s writing style is notable for its simplicity and beauty. He is able to do a great deal without using dramatic flourishes or overly complicated language. The narration unfolds steadily, allowing readers to slowly grasp the full implications of the world he’s created. The story is mainly structured through Kathy’s perspective and her memories, which are often presented non-linearly and out of order. This does, at times, add a sense of fragmentation to the story.
Symbols
The Song
The song “Never Let Me Go” is another important symbol in the novel. Kathy has a recording of the song, and she listens to it over and over again. She misinterprets the song in a unique way, evoking a great deal of emotion. Her emotional experience with the song also influences Madame, who begins to see Kathy as a real human being.
Later in the novel, the cassette goes missing. She finds it later and is incredibly relieved, but the tape is a duplicate of her original, something that’s directly connected to the creation of clones.
Hailsham
Hailsham is an important symbol in the novel. It serves as a metaphor for the humanization of clones. The educators there nurture the children and encourage them to care about one another. They create art and are offered the opportunity to show off their individuality.
There are clones, though, who didn’t attend the school. They harbor beliefs that Hailsham attendees might receive postponements in their organ donations.
Interestingly, Hailsham is a real area of East Sussex in England. It’s historically connected to the raising of livestock, something that’s clearly connected to the raising of clones.
Tommy’s Drawings
In the novel, Tommy makes detailed drawings of imaginary animals. These are incredibly intricate and realistic. The drawings are used as symbols of Tommy’s depth and even his soul. He believes that the drawings can help him defer his and a lover’s donations.
He later finds out that his belief in the drawings and what they could do for him was misplaced and he mostly stopped drawing. But not entirely, representing his genuine desire for creativity.
