Never Let Me Go

Ruth led a life broken in two. Her later life consists of the large family she creates with the two men she marries, and her awkwardness of living between two racial cultures. She kept her earlier life a secret from her children, for she did not wish to revisit her past by explaining her precedent years. Once he uncovered Ruth 's earlier life, James could define his identity by the truth of Ruth 's pain, through the relations she left behind and then by the experiences James endured within the family she created. As her son, James could not truly understand himself until he uncovered the truth within the halves of his mother 's life, thus completing the mold of his own

Ruth was a source of knowledge that James trusted growing up. James, being a mixed child, is confused about what skin color God would have, so he asks his mother,”

On page 236 when she says, “All those black faces in the black night a-looking at me. They want me to come play,” it seems innocent and seems to be referencing the Congolese people. However, since Ruth May is already very ill, the black faces could represent Ruth May staring into the face of death. Many times throughout The Judges chapter, Ruth May mentions being in a tree. First, on page 215, “I dreamed I climbed away up to the top of the alligator pear tree and was a-looking down at all of them,” and again in page 273 when talking about her safe place for when she dies, “If I die I will disappear and I know where I’ll come back.

Throughout the whole novel, Ruth is a tough and brave woman, yet she has a big

First of all, Isabel is figuratively chained to Ruth. Isabel is determinately keeps Ruth out of harm’s way, and she is also intent on keeping Ruth and herself together because Ruth is her only surviving family. After Isabel’s parents died, Isabel felt a sense of responsibility to protect and nourish Ruth. One reason why Isabel feels a sense of responsibility is because Ruth is particularly young and she also suffers from strokes caused by epilepsy. At the beginning of the book, Ruth snickers when Madam does not let the guard search her undergarments, and Madam furiously questions the laughter. Isabel takes the blame for Ruth, and consequently, she experiences Madam’s vexation and a slap across the face. Furthermore, Isabel shelters Ruth when Madam beats her with a broom. Madam believed that Ruth was demon-possessed and started

a. Reading James McBride’s novel brought on a plethora of emotions. I sometimes forget just how trying life can be for “minorities.” For Ruth I mostly felt empathy and sadness. During her childhood, the white kids were mean to her, her father molested her and showed absolutely no respect for her mother, teen pregnancy/abortion, and then she finds the courage to leave where she finds true love not once, but twice only to have that ripped away from her. Ruth’s life is one struggle after another.

“Rachel Shilsky is dead as far as I’m concerned (2)” according to Ruth, she is expressing her erased her identity. She has erased her past, so much she even has to relearn how to drive.Her growth impacts the book as a whole, because it gives more insight how Ruth became the strong person that she is today. Without her growth, the book would be meaningless. One of the most meaningful changes was her self esteem. Ruth expresses, “I’d like to say I didn’t care about my classmates, and what they thought of me. But when I was a teenager I wanted to be like them” (109). James states ”She had absolutely no interest in a world that seem incredibly agitated by our presence. The stares and remarks, the glances and cackles that we hard went right over her head, but not over mine” (100). The first quote proved how Ruth was insecure and wanted to be accepted in her teenage years. However, as Ruth ages she could care less what people think of her. As Ruth mentions more and more of her past, important messages occur. After her mother dies, Ruth proclaims “That’s why you have to say ‘all of your sorrys’ and ‘I love yous’ while a person is living because tomorrow isn’t promised” ( 217). This may seem a like a simple act, nonetheless many people don’t say these words enough. Furthermore, Ruth teaches readers that people to be themselves, since she was individualist. All these message drive the book, because as Ruth makes these sudden realizations, so does James. Ruth’s important messages help James discover who he is and what his intentions are in life. Ruth makes the Color of Water a meaningful book, not only for fascinating, complex past but also her character journey that produces meaningful life

* This chapter was written in Italics because it was written from a different point of view which was Ruth’s perspective who talks about her past as a child.

Between the roles of the two woman, it is apparent that Ruth’s role is more favorable in the eyes of characters

Throughout Kazu Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go, he choices to depict children as outsiders to the world which can be furthered by the setting in Britain’s countryside because it helps give a sense distance from true reality. In the framework throughout his novel Ishiguro focuses on three main characters Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy. These three students are seen by others to have an advantage because they were lucky enough to be raised at Hailsham by the guardians. Over the watchful eye of the Guardians the children were able to grow accustom to being different than others. This can be seen when the characters all mature and grow after they leave Hailsham and become accustomed to life at the cottages. There newly found freedoms at the

     Ruth compares with two people I know personally. My mom and my grandma remind me of her very much. My mom is very similar to Ruth because they are both independent, witty, loving, and kind. My mom keeps my family on track everyday just as Ruth does. Both my mother and Ruth crack jokes often to lighten the mood. My mom and Ruth care about the well being of their families more than anything. My Grandma is also very similar to Ruth in many ways. My grandma is loving, kind, and firm. My grandma and Ruth both

family would not survive. Ruth’s aspirations are hindered due to the fact that she is

In Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro the major themes in this book is hope, and free will. Hope plays as a symbol and feeling of freedom for the characters. Their curiosity is what causes their confidence to one day be free, but then is let down when having to face the truth that their life is set for them and that they must accept it. Free will is shown that clones are unable to change their fates as organ donors, but their lack of free will affects many other elements of their lives as well. For example, Ruth never achieves her dream of working in an office, and Kathy gets precious little time with Tommy. Ishiguro is ambiguous about where this lack of free will comes from because Ruth never tries to work in an

Never Let Me Go is a prime example of moral conflicts in today’s society. While these issues are currently invalid in today’s current science world, the future in this may increase the potentials of what the world may be in a few years. This novel provides numerous moral conflicts: friendship, cloning, organ donations, conformity and honesty. The morals are not clearly clear cut, but they are hidden to point that a reader can be guided for to find morality. Just because the opportunity such as “cloning” and the possible advancement of it doesn’t necessarily mean society should enhance the

The Book of Ruth Ruth is a story about loyalty, love, and faith. The simple love story