Never Let Me Go YT

• Kazuo Ishiguro


  Author of the novel "Never Let Me Go", born in Japan in 1954 but moved to England as a child, studied English and philosophy
• The novel "Never Let Me Go" is set in a dystopian world in 1990s England
• Dystopia


  • Opposite of a utopia, an imaginary world in the future where horrible things are seen as part of the world
• Clones

  People whose lives are prolonged through cloning, they grow up segregated and then donate their organs to "normal" humans
• Carers


  Clones who have not yet started donating organs, they look after the clones that have donated organs
• Events at Hailsham boarding school

  1. Kathy and friends see Tommy upset after not being picked for a football game

  2. Tommy is bullied for not being creative, but a guardian Miss Lucy tells him he doesn't have to be

  3. Students submit art for tokens, but the Madame keeps the art for herself

  4. Students form a secret group to protect another guardian Miss Geraldine

  5. Students fear the woods behind the school
• Kathy and friends move to the Cottages after leaving Hailsham


  1. They live with veteran students who are training to be carers

  2. They try to find Ruth's "possible" (genetic model) in Norfolk

  3. Ruth has a bad first organ donation
• Kathy becomes Ruth's carer after her bad donation


  Kathy and Tommy later visit the Madame and Miss Emily, who say deferrals for donations are just a rumor
• Tommy has his final donation and dies, Kathy decides to visit Norfolk
• Kazuo Ishiguro


  Author of the novel "Never Let Me Go", born in Japan in 1954 but moved to England as a child, studied English and philosophy
• The novel "Never Let Me Go" is set in a dystopian world in 1990s England
• Dystopia


  • Opposite of a utopia, an imaginary world in the future where horrible things are seen as part of the world
• Clones


  People whose lives are prolonged through cloning, they grow up segregated and then donate their organs to "normal" humans
• Carers


  Clones who have not yet started donating organs, they look after the clones that have donated organs
• Key events in the novel

  1. Kathy and her friends Ruth and Tommy at Hailsham school

  2. Kathy becomes a carer for other clones

  3. Kathy reunites with Ruth and Tommy as they approach the end of their lives

  4. Kathy and Tommy try to get a deferral on their organ donations

  5. Kathy becomes Tommy's carer after his donations
• The novel explores the idea that clones have souls, as shown by the artwork collected by the Guardians
• Deferrals for organ donations were just a rumour, the clones cannot avoid giving up their vital organs
• Hailsham was an attempt to make the organ donation process more humane for the clones
• After Tommy's final donation, Kathy decides to visit Norfolk
• Kathy


  • 31 years old
  • Carer for other clones
  • Wants to make sense of her memories before she begins donating and before she dies
  • Has a deep sense of nostalgia
  • Quieter in childhood
• Ruth

  • Kathy's best friend from childhood
  • Charismatic
  • Moody and temperamental
  • Likes to be at the center of attention
  • Likes to stand out
  • Makes things up to hide things or boost her appearance
• Tommy

  • Kathy and Ruth's childhood friend
  • Struggled with being creative as a child
  • Got bullied often
  • Lashed out
  • Convinced there are things people aren't telling him
  • Curious to find out the truth
• Kazuo Ishiguro


  Author of the novel "Never Let Me Go", born in Japan in 1954 but moved to England as a child, studied English and philosophy
• The novel "Never Let Me Go" is set in a dystopian world in 1990s England
• Dystopia


  • Opposite of a utopia, an imaginary world in the future where horrible things are seen as part of the world
• Clones


  People whose lives are prolonged through cloning, they grow up segregated and then donate their organs to "normal" humans
• Carers


  Clones who have not yet started donating organs, they look after the clones that have donated organs
• Key events in the novel

  1. Kathy and her friends Ruth and Tommy at Hailsham school

  2. Kathy becomes a carer for other clones

  3. Kathy reunites with Ruth and Tommy as they approach the end of their lives

  4. Kathy and Tommy try to get a deferral on their organ donations

  5. Kathy becomes Tommy's carer after his donations
• The novel explores the idea that clones have souls, as shown by the artwork collected by the Guardians
• Deferrals for organ donations were just a rumour, the clones cannot avoid giving up their vital organs
• Hailsham was an attempt to make the organ donation process more humane for the clones
• After Tommy's final donation, Kathy decides to visit Norfolk
• Students at Hailsham


  • They always seem to be studying art and literature
  • They're always writing poetry and making sculptures
  • They have music appreciation class
  • There's an art gallery
• Miss Lucy's conversation with Tommy


  If Tommy didn't want to be creative, that was perfectly alright
• The students at Hailsham are basically bred to be organ donors
• The function of art at Hailsham


  To give the students something to do and absorb them properly
• The students write essays as they leave Hailsham


  The essays are supposed to give the students something to do and absorb them
• The students at Hailsham don't study finance, science, technology, math
• The students at Hailsham don't need to learn how to code or have conventional jobs
• The difference between Hailsham students and real-world students

  Real-world students are made to study subjects the Hailsham students don't need