As time has
progressed, society has conformed to certain rules and actions that culture has
put out in public. The people today feel as if they don’t do this or that, they
won’t fit in or gain acceptance into society. In the story Never Let Me Go,
Kazuo Ishiguro uses the characters to show the cultural effects of conformity.
For example, Wile in the farming cottages Ruth seems to imitate everything that
the characters do in the show she watches. As well as how Kathy constantly
thinks her appearance is normal and emphasizes how “typical” she is. When the
characters are farmed for their organs, it all goes without a problem because
the donors are taught to conform and accept their fate of being only donors. In
the novel, Ishiguro shows no signs of suggestion that there may not be another
alternative for the clones but too end their lives. The characters don’t seem
to rebel against the idea of being murdered for their organs. The only time
where there is a bit of opposition is when Tommy gets out of the car and yells
and goes into a tantrum for not being able to do anything about his “completion.”
Conformity seems to be something that cannot be challenged in the book, whereas
in reality there is questioning and rebellion. Why don’t the characters seem to
want to find other ways to live? Is there a specific reason as to why they
would rather “complete,” than being free and being able to live?
To somewhat answer your questions is the guardians taught them obedience, but i cannot wrap my mind around is how did they instill so much of it in these "students" so that they would never question their fate or try to find a way out. How did they do? But i agree that Ruth is the perfect example of conformity in the way she changes from Hailsham to the Cottages.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your questions I think Ishiguro purposefully made his characters not runaway to get a greater message of conformity across. Yes the answer to the clone's problem would be to runaway but if they did it wouldn't have the same effect on readers by having them accept their fate and completing. It leaves us readers asking why and gives us food for thought.
ReplyDeleteI also believe they didn't run away because they didn't really know how. They don't know how to fit in with society or where to go. they've only been taught how to follow their sad fates. When Tommy and Kathy are talking about deferrals, Tommy can only question what they would do or where they would go. These "students" were created to save lives, and with that they cannot save their own.
ReplyDeleteI could not see them preferring completion over freedom. I believe that they wanted to live more than anything, or to go even further; They wanted to be normal. The examples you give above show that. But if someone is raised a certain way that's often all they knew. As a society we tend to conform for the sake of safety, not many people like to truly step outside their pre-defined lines because they either don't know how, or see it as too much of a risk. All in all, I like your interpretation and how it links into the concept of conformity and societal norms.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Ruth is one of the main characters that showed great conformity. Through her change from Hailsham to Cottages showed how she tried to conform. I also agree with Sydney, tha they didn't run away because they have no idea how to segregate themselves from the world of Hailsham and they don't know how conform from the outside world either. I also ponder with the same question, do they have the means to live after Hailsham or is Hailsham the soul purpose of their living?
ReplyDelete