English Critical Perspectives by Danae WISLANG

The idea of the "possibles" suggests a subconscious desire for identity and a connection to the outside world. How does the clones’ search for their "originals" reflect deep-seated psychological fears or yearnings?

danaewislang — 2025-04-11 13:33:58 UTC

In Never Let Me Go the clones' search for their possibles represents human desires which are critiqued through a Psychoanalytic lens. It is the human condition to want to know more about yourself, to want to know where you come from. The clones may be seen as inhuman however, they still have this human condition. Described in the novel as “intrigued and disturbed”, “fascinated, obsessed” (Kathy pg. 94 chapter 12) The clones search for their possibles urges audiences to consider Freud's psychoanalysis theory of the unconscious mind. They can't help how drawn they are to finding their possibles, they are conditioned to feel that way because of their repressed desires to feel normal. The clones feel that finding their possible will be like finding themselves, “One big idea behind finding your model was that when you did, you’d glimpse your future” (Kathy pg. 137 chapter 12) which makes the audience consider times when they too might’ve wanted to know more about themselves or their future. By using the psychoanalytic lens, audiences begin to understand and interpret the feelings and emotional longing to connect with society and normal people that Ishiguro is conveying with the clones' search for their possibles.

The setting of Hailsham is designed to give the clones an illusion of normality, shielding them from their true purpose. How does this reflect Freud’s concept of the pleasure principle versus reality principle?

danaewislang — 2025-04-11 13:37:46 UTC

The Psychoanalytic lens also shows that the clones' lives can be translated into real world problems and human feelings, Freud's concept of pleasure versus reality principle conveys how the clones are sheltered from the real world and ignore the harsh reality of life. When given the choice people choose to ignore the truth if it means they indulge in pleasure. The clones are children when they make these choices, “You’ve been told about it. Your students. You’re . . . special. So keeping yourselves well, keeping yourselves very healthy inside, that’s much more important for each of you than it is for me.” (Miss Lucy pg. 51 chapter 6) ‘I’ve often thought about that day, and I’m sure now, in the light of what happened later, that we only needed to ask and Miss Lucy would have told us all kinds of things.’ Audiences might choose to excuse this in the sense that the clones were not taught to question things at Hailsham. However, audiences who search deeper and think Psychoanalytically, would begin to understand that the setting of Hailsham offers symbolism of how people can easily blame others for their own actions and choose to ignore the harsh realities set in front of them.

The woods surrounding Hailsham act as an archetypal symbol of both fear and the unknown. How does this motif align with the “Forbidden Forest” in myth and literature?

danaewislang — 2025-04-11 13:38:57 UTC

Never Let Me Go can also be viewed and examined through an Archetypal lens due to the woods surrounding Hailsham that represent the ‘Forbidden Forest’ myth and symbolise the students' fear of the unknown. Throughout myths and literature dark woods are represented as frightening, “There were all kinds of horrible stories about the woods” (Kathy pg 38 chapter 5) in Never Let Me Go this myth is continued and carried on. Myths are used to explain the world and the natural phenomenons humans do not understand. The clones believing the stories of the woods surrounding Hailsham shows childlike imagination and innocence, an unavoidable factor of human life. The clones feel they cannot escape the fear wrapped around the idea of the woods, “all you had to do was turn your head or move towards a window and there they’d be, looming in the distance,” (pg. 40 chapter 5) which the audience can interpret as a foreshadowing of the dark future that is unavoidable for the clones. The clone's fear of the woods can be interpreted through an Archetypal lens as an innocence of childhood and a foreshadowing of the future, urging audiences to consider a deeper meaning behind this myth.

The revelation of the clones’ fate at Hailsham can be seen as a "Fall from Innocence" archetype. How does this moment compare to other coming-of-age narratives where knowledge leads to disillusionment?

danaewislang — 2025-04-11 13:39:33 UTC

The Archetypal lens further leads the audience to interpret the slow revelation of the clones' fates. It is not until towards the end of the novel the clones' fates are completely revealed to the audience. Their upbringing can be interpreted as a sheltered lifestyle, which parallels how people are raised to ignore the injustices of the world or how adults avoid telling children the truth just because it hurts. But eventually there's no avoiding the truth and in this novel this ‘Fall From Innocence’ is just the same; “Not just that,” I said quietly. “Why did we do all of that work in the first place? Why train us, encourage us, make us produce all of that? If we’re just going to give donations anyway, then die, why all those lessons? Why all those books and discussions?” (Kathy pg. 174 chapter 22) This can be translated into very real human thoughts and feelings. People have a tendency to question their existence and question the ways of the world, wondering why we are born if we will eventually die anyway. The clones' reaction to their fate is written in such a raw, candid way the audience is left questioning their own role and existence in the world.