This essay is graded A* at A Level. This essay offers a wide breadth of knowledge on the novel: it covers a detailed characterisation of the main characters and is peppered with quotations selected from different parts of the novel with rich analysis of the concept of identity and the importance of...
‘Ishiguro shows characters searching for an understanding of their identities and roles in life.”
Discuss Ishiguro’s methods of characterisation in light of this comment.
In ‘Never Let Me Go’ the characters seek desperately not only to identify who they are and their roles
in life but to understand these. Therefore, it may be argued that the main focus of the novel is the
existentialism of human nature, taking as its starting point the experience of the human subject, here
featuring Ishiguro’s clones. As these concepts are neither ingrained in them nor addressed, the
students carry out their search under the radar by recurring to other methods such as imagination,
creativity and using their power of memory.
Kathy and Tommy’s friendship with Ruth can be perceived as a hunt to establish their identities - a
key existentialist question - as clearly as Ruth has grounded her own. Part of Ruth’s magnetism is her
self-assured attitude - it seems she has it all, identity included, figured out - “it was really because of
Ruth we got in there as often as we did”, due to her “strong personality”. The fact Ruth is so confident
seems to intimidate and influence those who follow her; Kathy’s dependence on Ruth is evident when
she “search[es] for signs of disapproval”. We observe here what draws the other students into her
force field: her strong grasp of her sense of self, suggesting Ruth has already answered some of the
most important existentialist questions, such as who she truly is. Another big part of Ruth’s allure is
her over-active imagination: “I accepted the invisible rein”, implying that by accepting Ruth’s
friendship, Kathy also taps into her source of imagination, which offers a welcome escape from their
identity stripped fates. Miss Geraldine’s protection guard is another way Ruth’s imagination curves in
on their lives - interestingly, Ruth’s imagination always seems to inspire a purpose in the clones, and
strongly infers there is an inextricable link between having a purpose and an identity. Once you have a
purpose, an identity accompanies it - they have now become elite protectors - yet it seems they only
develop both so far: they end up doing as much as they will do to fight their fates - “I don’t recall us
taking many practical steps towards defending Miss Geraldine” inferring they can harness neither a
purpose nor identity except those carved out for them by society, stunting their progress in their
existentialist journey.
Another way in which the students search for an identity is by the way they cling on to Hailsham’s
drip-fed deception, even whilst knowing they are being deceived. Why does Kathy lash out at Moira
when she comments that “it’s just another of Ruth’s made up things”? It seems to us it is because
Kathy cannot bear very much reality, and succumbs instead to the deception her friendship with Ruth
at times represents and Hailsham’s teachings. Whilst Kathy sees through Ruth’s facade - like the
incident with the pencil case - she cannot quite let go of her friend nor deception because the ‘drip-
fed’ deception from Hailsham forms part of her identity, and losing sight of that means losing a piece
of herself to her tireless opponent, fate. Moreover, this indulgence in the duplicity they are served may
be a way of the clones off-putting not only their circumscribed fates, but these existentialist questions
that are constantly badgering them. In this light, Ruth’s characterisation as a “strong personality” and
somewhat fearless person seems to shatter when put into perspective. Although Kathy holds onto
some of Hailsham’s deception, we realise perhaps it is Kathy who has a stronger hold on her true
identity: Ruth tells her “you were different… you were never embarrassed about your collection and
you kept it. I wish now I’d done that too.” One may wonder if Ruth got rid of all her belongings
because deep down she felt her life had no meaning and was therefore worthless - perhaps she was
trying to destroy all evidence of ever having existed? Kathy on the other hand realises that one can
obtain their own essence - in terms of Sartre’s ‘existence precedes essence’ Ishiguro could express
that a personality is not built over a previously designed model or a precise purpose, but is up to the
individual to find what defines them - by first confronting the existentialist questions.
Ishiguro uses the subtlety of mimicry and the celebrated creativity to convey the characters’ inherent
existentialism. From the start finding one’s own identity without factoring in society is discouraged
when we see Tommy getting bullied for being himself - this is to say, unaffected by the
impressionable force of peer pressure at Hailsham: “some were re tying their laces”, but “Tommy was
looking eagerly at the Senior 3 boy”. Tommy is both childish and mature in his characterisation, brave
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