"I half-closed my and imagined this was the spot where everything I'd ever lost since my childhood had washed up, and I was now standing here in front of it, and if I waited long enough, a tiny figure would appear on the horizon across the field, and gradually get larger until I'd see it was Tommy and he'd wave maybe even call."(288)
Norfolk was always rumored to be the place where all lost things go. So, in that perfect spot that to an average bistanderd would be considered a dump, Kathy imagined all of the regrets in her shot life. She reviews all of the opportunities that see missed. And, her most important lost treasure, Tommy, and all of the time that they should have spent together. Now, in the place where all of her lost things lie, she's thinking about her lost life. In telling this story, she contemplating the story of her life, and what meaning it had. In the end, thinking at Norfolk, I think she came to the conclusion that her life was worth while. She had lasting friendships, work that she found to be fulfilling, and memories of a happy childhood.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Why Not Do Something to Change?
"when I'm driving around, I suddenly think I've spotted some bit of [Hailsham]."(286)
The school is focussed on getting students to accept their life. This means accepting that they are different from all of the "normal" people, of whom she will eventually give her life for. This is done so well that the later fact does not even fase her. Even as Kathy grows older and knows more of just how planned her life was from the beginning, she never actually questions it. She never wonders what it would be like to have a normal life, like I assume Ruth did with her possible. Opportunities for these questions to arrise came up on every turn of those old abandoned roads, driving from hospital to hospital, reviewing sad memories, or finding Hailsham. How did it never occur to her that she could just drive in the opposite direction and never look back. She could strive for the most normal life she can on the run.
The school is focussed on getting students to accept their life. This means accepting that they are different from all of the "normal" people, of whom she will eventually give her life for. This is done so well that the later fact does not even fase her. Even as Kathy grows older and knows more of just how planned her life was from the beginning, she never actually questions it. She never wonders what it would be like to have a normal life, like I assume Ruth did with her possible. Opportunities for these questions to arrise came up on every turn of those old abandoned roads, driving from hospital to hospital, reviewing sad memories, or finding Hailsham. How did it never occur to her that she could just drive in the opposite direction and never look back. She could strive for the most normal life she can on the run.
Climax
"'What we want to know now, Miss Emily, is if the rumour's true or not.'" (257)
I felt as though the climax was at this point, where Kathy and Tommy are in the house of Miss Emily, but they do not yet know if their journey will produce a deferral. This is the point in the book where I was held in the most suspense. I wanted to find out once and for all if they were going to get their second chance at love. Being told about the Gallery all through the book, i assumed this would be the happy ending! How could they not get the deferral? They missed their chance at love in their youth because of Ruth, and now, with Ruth's blessing they were going to fulfill her last wish. While making Ruth happy, they would also be able to live together happily and healthily (assuming Tommy that would recover) and live out the love story that they should have had since Hailsham. But, alas after the many paragraphs that we are held in suspension, the truth comes out which sends a message of seizing love the first time.
I felt as though the climax was at this point, where Kathy and Tommy are in the house of Miss Emily, but they do not yet know if their journey will produce a deferral. This is the point in the book where I was held in the most suspense. I wanted to find out once and for all if they were going to get their second chance at love. Being told about the Gallery all through the book, i assumed this would be the happy ending! How could they not get the deferral? They missed their chance at love in their youth because of Ruth, and now, with Ruth's blessing they were going to fulfill her last wish. While making Ruth happy, they would also be able to live together happily and healthily (assuming Tommy that would recover) and live out the love story that they should have had since Hailsham. But, alas after the many paragraphs that we are held in suspension, the truth comes out which sends a message of seizing love the first time.
Questions
"That was three days after her second donations, when they finally let me in to see her...it had become obvious to me...she wasn't going to make it."(235)
Ruth's death got me think of details of clone history and why this area is so vague ing the book. I do understand that Ishiguro left this out for a reason. Most probably, he wanted to add to the suspense of the Questions that Kathy was dealing with through the book. But I always found my self wanting to more details, and explanation. Again, it probably would not have added much to the book. But questions like, how were they born? Why, specifically were they designed from "trash" and not from they people who needed them, to be more of a match? What were the other schools like? Just how terrible were they to the clones? I mean, the teachers still had to keep them healthy for their future donations.
Ruth's death got me think of details of clone history and why this area is so vague ing the book. I do understand that Ishiguro left this out for a reason. Most probably, he wanted to add to the suspense of the Questions that Kathy was dealing with through the book. But I always found my self wanting to more details, and explanation. Again, it probably would not have added much to the book. But questions like, how were they born? Why, specifically were they designed from "trash" and not from they people who needed them, to be more of a match? What were the other schools like? Just how terrible were they to the clones? I mean, the teachers still had to keep them healthy for their future donations.
Value
"'How would you know?' said Ruth. 'How could you possibly know? Your still a carer.'" "'I get to see a lot as a carer. An awful lot.'"(226)
In this conversation Ruth makes it sound as though donating is better that caring. She is almost making fun of Kathy, as if she has not had the experience needed to join in an actual conversation about Donating. While this is partly true, Ruth makes it seem as though, donors are the elite. This illustrates that they don't understand the value of their existence. So, they were "lucky" enough to attend one of the best "schools". This school, however, succeeded in the goal of teaching them their undeniable fate with out reveling many details or the necessary information to piece together the whole puzzle. This is depressing because, they don't know the life that is being withheld from them. They don't even know that they should fight for more, and should have the right to fight that battle.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Solitude and Depression
"Some Carers, though, their whole attitude lets them down. A lot of them, you can tell, are just going through the motions, waiting for the day their're told they can stop and become donors." (208)
I feel as though this is the most depressing part of the book. Kathy mentions the other carers along with donors who would just rather complete and get it over with other times in the story as well. This is mentioned so casually but when "it" is a life, you can't help but feel heart broken for them. This satirical comment lead me to think of how much they have truly missed out on. They have nothing to believe in because they were never taught how to think that way. Death or completion is mentioned many times in this story. What lies beyond death, however, never comes up. So, while these carers want to become donors, which basically means that they want their short, meaningless lives to end already, they don't think about what death means, and what comes after death. And, I assume this because if Kathy was not taught how to think about such complex matters, Religion was probably not on the other school's curriculums either.
I feel as though this is the most depressing part of the book. Kathy mentions the other carers along with donors who would just rather complete and get it over with other times in the story as well. This is mentioned so casually but when "it" is a life, you can't help but feel heart broken for them. This satirical comment lead me to think of how much they have truly missed out on. They have nothing to believe in because they were never taught how to think that way. Death or completion is mentioned many times in this story. What lies beyond death, however, never comes up. So, while these carers want to become donors, which basically means that they want their short, meaningless lives to end already, they don't think about what death means, and what comes after death. And, I assume this because if Kathy was not taught how to think about such complex matters, Religion was probably not on the other school's curriculums either.
External Conflict
"It's not just me, sweety. Kathy here finds your animals a complete hoot." (194)
This is the culmination of all of their pent-up, rarely talked about frustration that has been building for years during the last part of their Hailsham days and the time spent at the cottages. I think they all knew that something needed to be said, and they were all ignoring the subject. This is the precise reason that these close friends slowly drifted apart even though they live under the same roof. All of these suppressed feelings were bound to come up some day and, it just so happens that it was over a little matter such as Tommy's art. These major feelings, such as Tommy and Kathy's destined relationship, Tommy and Ruth's failed relationship, and Kathy's feelings about Ruth being fake to apease who ever will listen, were not actually resolved during this fight. However, this time was the closest they came to a resolution at the cottages. And, after this fight, though they really did not say much, they all drifted even further apart. So far that Kathy mentions few other interactions between the three after.
This is the culmination of all of their pent-up, rarely talked about frustration that has been building for years during the last part of their Hailsham days and the time spent at the cottages. I think they all knew that something needed to be said, and they were all ignoring the subject. This is the precise reason that these close friends slowly drifted apart even though they live under the same roof. All of these suppressed feelings were bound to come up some day and, it just so happens that it was over a little matter such as Tommy's art. These major feelings, such as Tommy and Kathy's destined relationship, Tommy and Ruth's failed relationship, and Kathy's feelings about Ruth being fake to apease who ever will listen, were not actually resolved during this fight. However, this time was the closest they came to a resolution at the cottages. And, after this fight, though they really did not say much, they all drifted even further apart. So far that Kathy mentions few other interactions between the three after.
Miss Lucy
"And then their was that stuff about miss Lucy. I know she meant well. She was sorry for me and she wanted to help me. I'm sure she did. But if my theory id right well..."(176)
Miss Lucy decided it would be far better for them to know their ultimate fate then to thy so hard to be creative. This is probably because she didn't fully understand the Gallery or know anything about it. Maybe if the students were kept in the dark, so to were the teachers, only told what was necessary for them to teach the students. She knew that one day they will all come to a point in their donations and begin to question the significance of the short lives that they were given. She wanted them to have this information so they could make something of this short life. Maybe if they fully understood what lies ahead, they would be more prepared for they day when they attempted to answer these difficult questions. However, later she changed her mind. Maybe this was when she was told the truth and started to realize that the Gallery was something to help these otherwise fated children enjoy a few more years with the love of their lives. I think in the end she did stick to what she believed in, telling Tommy, but also wanted him to be creative for the Gallery.
Miss Lucy decided it would be far better for them to know their ultimate fate then to thy so hard to be creative. This is probably because she didn't fully understand the Gallery or know anything about it. Maybe if the students were kept in the dark, so to were the teachers, only told what was necessary for them to teach the students. She knew that one day they will all come to a point in their donations and begin to question the significance of the short lives that they were given. She wanted them to have this information so they could make something of this short life. Maybe if they fully understood what lies ahead, they would be more prepared for they day when they attempted to answer these difficult questions. However, later she changed her mind. Maybe this was when she was told the truth and started to realize that the Gallery was something to help these otherwise fated children enjoy a few more years with the love of their lives. I think in the end she did stick to what she believed in, telling Tommy, but also wanted him to be creative for the Gallery.
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