Never Let Me Go
Quote 1:
“Carers aren’t machines. You try and do your best for every donor, but in the end, it wears you down.” Page 4
This quote really stuck out and resonated with me, especially when you take into consideration how the book ends as a whole. Kath’s quote has quite a bit to do with the theme of this novel. Kath ended up falling in love with Tommy, but he led on to break her heart by not wishing for her to be his carer anymore. All she did was try to make things go well for him, but ended up driving him away.
Quote 2:
“But that’s not really what I want to talk about just now.” Page 45
This quote was pulled purely for the syntactical value it holds. Kazuo Ishiguro uses quite a few sentences that start with the words “and,” “but,” and “because.” He previously used it on page 44 when saying, “But the thing was, there was no predicting Miss Emily.” he starts sentences this way eight times within pages 44 and 45. I think this is to make it seem more like actual dialogue and like we are having an encounter with someone familiar rather than an informal informative.
Quote 3: “’Why? Why is it so much worse for us?’” Page 69
This incredibly simple quote holds quite a lot of power in it. This is the question that really defines Kath as a character; as a carer, even. When she tells them how much more important it is that the donors stay healthy, this is the question she expects to get. Once she realizes about the students that they aren’t going to ask her why, it seems like she becomes disappointed. She seems to mourn the fact that she isn’t prodded anymore about the issue and seems to actually have a desire to reveal something to them.
Quote 4: “For some reason, we called it ‘umbrella sex…’” Page 96
Through this quote, it is explained that gay sex was defined as “umbrella sex” and that partaking in homosexual intercourse made you what they called “an umbrella.” The guardians and children both are unkind and unaccepting of anything of the sort, which I see as
“Carers aren’t machines. You try and do your best for every donor, but in the end, it wears you down.” Page 4
This quote really stuck out and resonated with me, especially when you take into consideration how the book ends as a whole. Kath’s quote has quite a bit to do with the theme of this novel. Kath ended up falling in love with Tommy, but he led on to break her heart by not wishing for her to be his carer anymore. All she did was try to make things go well for him, but ended up driving him away.
Quote 2:
“But that’s not really what I want to talk about just now.” Page 45
This quote was pulled purely for the syntactical value it holds. Kazuo Ishiguro uses quite a few sentences that start with the words “and,” “but,” and “because.” He previously used it on page 44 when saying, “But the thing was, there was no predicting Miss Emily.” he starts sentences this way eight times within pages 44 and 45. I think this is to make it seem more like actual dialogue and like we are having an encounter with someone familiar rather than an informal informative.
Quote 3: “’Why? Why is it so much worse for us?’” Page 69
This incredibly simple quote holds quite a lot of power in it. This is the question that really defines Kath as a character; as a carer, even. When she tells them how much more important it is that the donors stay healthy, this is the question she expects to get. Once she realizes about the students that they aren’t going to ask her why, it seems like she becomes disappointed. She seems to mourn the fact that she isn’t prodded anymore about the issue and seems to actually have a desire to reveal something to them.
Quote 4: “For some reason, we called it ‘umbrella sex…’” Page 96
Through this quote, it is explained that gay sex was defined as “umbrella sex” and that partaking in homosexual intercourse made you what they called “an umbrella.” The guardians and children both are unkind and unaccepting of anything of the sort, which I see as