Theme of Identity in Never Let Me Go

'Never Let Me Go', a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro set in a fictional late1990's England, in the seemingly idyllic Hailsham boarding school, is narrated by Kathy, a 31-year-old carer. Throughout the book, she reflects on her time at Hailsham growing up. Depending on the individual, Hailsham was damaging and beneficial for various characters in the story, such as Tommy and Ruth as well as Kathy. Kathy, Ishiguro's main protagonist, demonstrates that she is a very sentimental person, however, this shows that she is open to damage from the memories she has of Hailsham.

     Identity is one of the main questions throughout all of our readings, because it is hard for people to accept who they are in society. Accepting their identity as a minority with little if any freedoms

Despite being a very diverse literature genre in terms of influence and inspiration, North American literature encompasses many works that share some very common thematic elements. Though there are several themes shared, one in particular can be found in most any work – the importance of identity. Particularly in some selected pieces yet to be named, identity is a very important element, not only because it is a necessity for a main character in any work of literature, but because these works express ideas about identity as being very individualistic – as opposed to being a mere result of cultural surroundings. Zora Neal Hurtson’s Their

Imagine not having any purpose, or at least so far as you can see. This would be quite depressing, since everyone wants a purpose and a reason to go through trials. This theory is illustrated in the book, “The Alloy of Law”, by Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson uses third person point of view and diction to reveal how self-discovery brings happiness.

English Final Essay: Identity In our contemporary, we have the choice and the luxury to decide who and what we want to be. Identity is a topic of great importance in some of our stories. Although, it is represented in a different way. So we get to ask ourselves: Can we actually create our own roles and identity?

Fabricating an identity is a task that all humans encounter, which requires a significant amount of time. Because it takes a while to establish, numerous factors, such as the environment and the group dynamic an individual is surrounded by, can effect the creation of the identity. In Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Power of Context: Bernie Goetz and the Rise and Fall of New York City Crime,” he explains human behavior in his analysis when presenting a theory to explain the time period when New York City was crime ridden. Gladwell argues that the physical environment of an individual plays a significant role in an individual’s behaviors and actions, which shape an individual’s identity. While Gladwell argues that an individual’s identity is a product of his or her surroundings and environment, Susan Faludi explains how choosing to take part in a group dynamic can significantly alter one’s identity in her “The Naked Citadel.” Faludi describes how the cadets come to The Citadel so they can escape the traditional roles of masculinity in the outside world, and arrive at a place where they are sometimes given the opportunity to live a vulnerable lifestyle. However, when the cadets arrive they are integrated into a group dynamic, which alters their own personal identities. The effects of the environment and group dynamic on one’s identity is portrayed in Azar Nafisi’s “Selections From Reading Lolita in Tehran.” Nafisi describes the time frame when her students secretly came to her

Thesis: Throughout centuries, the interactions humans have encountered with society is what severely defines who people are and how it influences their identity.

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

Identity, what is identity? Is it who we think we are? Or is it who we want to be? Perhaps it is even how others see us? “My Father’s Axe” by Tim Winton and Disney-Pixar’s “Ratatouille” both make viewers consider the identities of the main characters and how sometimes, how society sees us or who we want to be can be in conflict with whom we really are.

They say that a person’s identity is all that one has; every person spends a portion of their life wondering “Who am I?” For Ishiguro’s characters, these questions are not spent pondered while gazing up at ceiling panels. Due to the unorthodox anomalies that these extraordinary people face, questions of ‘What am I?’ and ‘Why am I here?’ are posed in place. What seems to be conventional for mankind has been stripped away at creation as Kathy and her group of clone peers combat a world where their destiny is predetermined.

We are constantly looking for the meaning of life and our identities. In Mark Twain’s Novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, my hero Huck is a young boy who is searching for his identity

Never Let Me Go is a novel that was born from the oppressive ideals of conformity, and the deceit that lies within society. Kazuo Ishiguro writes this story from a first person point of view, where the character Kathy H. is the protagonist and narrator. Not only does this character's point of view offer the best insight, but her unique observations are what make her credible. This story takes place in multiple different settings, but it is based in the late 1990's on the English countryside. The narrator tended to be indirect with her prose, and the novel really seems to make the reader think, and piece everything together on their own.

Kathy: She is the main character as well as the narrator. She is thirty-one years old and was a student at Hailsham. She is close friends with Ruth and Tommy. Ruth: One of Kathy’s close friends. She had a long relationship with Tommy. She is very controlling and protective. Tommy: He was bullied as a young boy for his poor creativity skills. Really trusts Kathy. He is known for his temper. Miss Geraldine: She is everyone’s favorite guardian. She is gentle and soft-spoken. She never wanted to have to tell anyone off and if she did, she would be comforting afterwards. Miss Lucy: She has a “bulldoggy” figure and odd black hair. She impacted Tommy’s life when she told him that it was okay for him not to be creative. She believed that the students should know more about their future life and destiny. Miss Emily: She was the head guardian. She has silvery hair

The most questionable and debatable issue in our life is that who I am, and how I prove my identity. This widespread question forces us to think about identity and create assumptions that define us as a person. In another word, in which circumstance, we claim to be this or that person?

Although Director Mark Romanek’s film Never Let Me Go did cover major themes from Kazuo Ishiguro’s original novel Never Let Me Go, it seemed to put a heavier emphasis on one theme than on another theme that the novel initially discusses. It focused more on a love triangle among three main characters—Tommy, Kathy, and Ruth—and tension that causes some trouble within their friendship; meanwhile, Ishiguro’s book appears to criticize our own modern society by concentrating on the characters’ unique lifestyles as clones and donors. The film’s focal point does not necessarily take much away from the plot, but it doesn’t seem to discuss the moral message that takes place in the novel.