In the novel, Never Let Me Go, by author Kazou Ishiguro, he writes in the perspective of a 31 year woman named Kathy. Kathy spends most of the book reflecting on the impactful memories from her past, ones of which shaped her into the person she was at the end of the book. Through the recollections of these memories, Ishiguro shows that the amount of time a person spends alive does not impact how rich their life was. If anything, through this shorted version of Kathy's life, Ishiguro shows that every memory Kathy remembers is just that much more special. Although her life, and all of the lives of the children from Hailsham, had a predetermined time length, they still were able to experience all of the emotions that humanity has to offer, and understood the significance of love and building relationships with others.
This understanding of the significance of relationships is shown in the text, when Kathy takes Ruth and Tommy to see the boat. "It should have been you two. I'm not pretending I didn't always see that. Of course I did, as far back as I can remember. But I kept you apart. I'm not asking you to forgive me for that. That's not what I'm after just now. What I want is for you to put it right. Put right what I messed up for you" (Kazou 232). Here, Ruth shows an important human emotion, remorse, and also shows that she deep down does have good intentions, regardless of her own selfish desires. Here, Ruth suggested to Tommy and Kathy that they should still try to get a deferral and live out their lives in love for as long as they can. It shows that, regardless of Ruth's amount of time to live, she understands that all humans have at the end of the day are the relationships they have with one another. She is not only trying to repair her own relationships with both Tommy and Kathy, but also Tommy and Kathy's relationship with one another. While she knows her time is coming to an end, her life was still just as rich in her experiences with relationships with others. At the end of her life she accepts her fate, and shows she understands the significance of these relationships when she "forfeits" her own relationship for the sake of someone else's.
An additional example that shows how significant relationships are, and that they can enrich your life no matter how long a person is alive is shown after Kathy and Tommy visit Madame. "And so we stood together like that, at the top of that field, for what seemed like ages, not saying anything, just holding each other because that was the only way to stop us from being swept away into the night" (Kazou 274). Here, Tommy and Kathy are appreciating some of their last few moments together, as they know they do not have much time left. The limited amount of time is what makes them able to experience all of these emotions so deeply and are able to appreciate each other so much more. The way that they are so not ignorantly bliss to how long they have on Earth is the sole reason why the two of them, and all of these characters who are destined to be donors are able to live lives just as rich as those who have no idea when they will die. These characters make the most of every moment, and feel every emotion most deeply and consider every relationship to be so important, because at the end of the day, this is all they have.
I agree with the perspective that the impact of a relationship does not have to affect the length of that relationship. Although Ruth and Tommy are together as a proper couple for much longer than Kathy and Tommy are, Kathy and Tommy’s relationship is more meaningful, caring, and genuine. During the reunion of the trio, Ruth talks about how she feels bad for having kept Kathy and Tommy apart for all those years, and how Kathy and Tommy should try to get a deferral. The deferral would prove that their love was genuine and their relationship was. Ruth knows looking back that she would have never been able to get a deferral with Tommy because their relationship was not true love, even though they were a proper couple for a long time.
ReplyDeleteAnother example that strengthens the idea of a relationship’s length not affecting its impact is the reunion of Kathy and Ruth when Kathy is Ruth’s carer. Although Kathy and Ruth were best friends throughout their years at Hailsham and the Cottage, they had many moments where they did not like each other and simply were companions. In their lives as a carer and donor, Kathy and Ruth become friends and can have truthful conversations about the past, and neither of them feels like what is being talked about is being dismissed or should be dismissed.
Overall, the main characters in the novel strengthen the idea that the length of a relationship does not impact its richness.
While I do agree that the relationships in Never Let Me Go allowed the clones to feel a wide range of human emotions and helped outsiders to see the humanity in them, I do not necessarily agree that they lived fulfilling lives - at least in current understandings of the term. Right now, I would probably say that a well-lived, fulfilling life includes building and maintaining meaningful relationships, but also that achieving some sort of self-goal is key - one in career or family or whatever. I think it is important that human beings be able to connect with one another. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that, and the clones in the novel definitely obtain that. But, I think their inability to choose a career or have a family truly limits their experience. Of course, they don’t know any better so maybe they don’t directly realize how they are losing out, but I still feel as if there is something missing for them. Kathy has a bit of this realization when she is young, listening to her tape and pretending to hold a child, but she never has the desire to do anything differently. It is this fact that I believe ruins the idea of the clones having a well-rounded life. There are hints throughout the novel that there is something missing for many of the clones, but they never have the inclination to make a change.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that in "Never Let Me Go", although their lives are short lived, the relationships are what makes a life fulfilling rather than the years. Although the condition that they live with are difficult for us to comprehend, they make peace with their living conditions just like we have made our peace that our lives are finite as well. I feel as though this book does portray the human condition quite well. For example, Ruth's reflection in the end of her life, of her telling Tommy and Kathy that she believes they were meant to be in the end reminds me of when many others reflect in the end of our lives as well. Their regrets of the past and making peace with others and themselves. Tommy also takes his short-lived life harder than others like Kathy or Ruth. This felt very real and something readers can relate to, the frustration of not reaching your potential or the idea of living a better life. I also agree with you that because life is finite, it makes our memories so much more nostalgic and important to us. Throughout this book, I interpreted that Ishiguro wanted the readers to resonate with the fact that although life has many challenges, relationships are what help you appreciate life and the little moments.
ReplyDelete