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Summary Never Let Me Go GCSE revision document
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This document was written during my GCSEs, and I achieved grade 9s in all set texts for the English Literature exam.
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Never Let Me Go Quotes with some summary/analysis
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'Never Let Me Go' - Essay on the character's identities and roles in life
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OCR GCSE English Literature Never Let Me Go Revision Guide
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NLMG Quotes“Powerful tides tugging us apart” “stop us being swept away” - the lexical field of
waves is used as an extended metaphor throughout the book, shown by these two
quotes. “Swept” highlights the frailty of the clones, mentally and physically. Although
they have left Hailsham behind, Kathy still clings onto the memories, and Ruth and
Tommy are fighting death. Links to the beach scene as well, how they all come
together for the last time there.
“We rarely stepped beyond the confines” - this is at the cottages, but it feels like
they are still at Hailsham. Refers to the theme of boundaries. They have freedom, but
have been conditioned into staying in one place; they know they are safe at the
cottages, whereas the world offers new dangers and the unknown.
“It may look as though you are pawns in a game… you were lucky pawns” -
metaphor- dehumanisation by the headteacher, someone who they trust.
“Junkies, prostitutes, winos, tramps” - the list form makes it sound overwhelming,
and this expresses Ruth’s emotions, and how they have been held in for a long time;
it makes the readers feel empathetic towards Ruth, regardless of hwo she has treated
Kathy in the past- shows her vulnerability and makes her seem more human like.
“Like soldiers in world war two being kept in prison camps” - simile-in the
prison camps, the Nazis used to make Jewish children draw art to see if they had
souls, so Ishiguro references this concept when all of the clones make artwork. This
quote also uses dramatic irony to show how unaware the clones are, and how to the
readers, it does feel like this is how they are treated, not just at Hailsham but also
while they are donating; rarely being let out and having to mostly stay in the confines
of the centres.
“Shadowy objects in test tubes” - this is one of the only times that Ishiguro refers
to how clones are made; he avoids the political side of cloning, and really only focuses
on an idea of how it would be if there were clones. It also makes the reader feel
isolated and disconnected to them, whereas before, we have felt empathetic and
connected to Kathy, Ruth and Tommy.
“Fight back my dread of you all”
“Prove you had souls at all”
, Analysis of kathy
● Bildungsroman novel, follows life of the clones
● An unreliable character and narrator- her memories, not in a chronological
order. Makes us feel empathetic towards an alien being.
● Her language is not colloquial meaning we connect with her.
● We are addressed as though we are clones. She is out of touch with the real
world, disconnected.
● Kathy feels obliged to conform to the dystopian society that she lives in, and
perhaps, her retelling stories from her past is a way of breaking the mold:
Ishiguro’s society expects the clones to follow the lives that have been planned
for them. In fact, at one point Kathy starts crying, but not “out of control”: she
can’t even break down emotionally, for fear that she isn’t following the life set
out for her. Her memories are used as an escape from harsh realities, a way to
distract herself from what will happen at the end.
Analysis of Ruth
● Desires power-
○ Ch4: “Ruth was addressing only me. This absolutely delighted me.”
“Not to use your crop on him” - metaphor for Kathy not being allowed to exert power
over Ruth. This is repeated later on in the same moment, showing how Ruth reminds
Kathy not to show her power, because Ruth is in control. Furthermore, the “invisible
reins” are a metaphor for Ruth being able to control Kathy, and influence her
decisions.
Analysis of Tommy
● “Nonsensical jumble of swearwords” - This implies that Tommy is struggling
to express his emotions - a very human-like quality- and at this point in the
book, this contrasts to how the other clones have been acting, and reacting to
Tommy. They appear shallow, whilst Tommy, and Kathy, seem to have a
larger depth of emotion.
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