Chap 1

• “My name is Kathy H. I’m thirty-one years old, and I’ve been a career now for over eleven years”


  Introduces the narrator, Kathy, and her profession as a carer, setting the stage for the retrospective narrative.
• “But then there came a point when I just stopped resisting”


  Kathy reflects on how she came to accept her memories and the events of the past, emphasising themes of memory and inevitability.
• “Carers aren’t machines. You try and do your best for every donor, but in the end, it wears you down”


  Kathy acknowledges the emotional toll of caregiving, introducing themes of exhaustion and the burden of duty.
• “There have been times over the years when I’ve tried to leave Hailsham behind… But then there came a point when I just stopped resisting”


  Highlights Kathy’s struggle with her past and how Hailsham remains an inescapable part of her identity.
• “There were some who thought it stupid, or something worse. But when we were still at Hailsham, we rarely question what we were doing”


  Kathy reflects on the innocence and conformity of childhood, touching on the blind acceptance that shaped much of their early lives.
• “And I’m a Hailsham student - which is enough by itself sometimes to get people’s backs up”


  Kathy mentions how being a Hailsham student sets her apart, hinting at the special and secretive nature of Hailsham.
• “I must have looked pretty surprised when I found out about Tommy and his temper”


  Kathy recalls Tommy’s infamous temper, which becomes an essential part of his character development throughout the story.
• “Ruth, who was sitting beside me, had clearly been holding back a laugh for some time”


  Introduces Ruth, one of Kathy’s closest friends, and hints at her complex and sometimes manipulative nature.
• “He was kicking out in a blind fury, at the sky, at the wind, at the nearest fence post.”


  Tommy’s violent outburst becomes symbolic of his frustration and the suppressed emotions experienced by the characters.