The characters of Never Let Me Go may seem like they live
a doomed life. They are created and live their lives with virtually no choices,
until they are forced to donate their organs, and then they die. However, is
this life so horrible? Do the children of Hailsham really live bad lives? I
think the answer to this is no. Kathy has a fulfilling career and love, and I
think that’s what truly makes life worth
living, even if it may be short.
Kathy
takes great pride in her career as a carer. On the very first page, she even
says “It means a lot to me, being
able to do my work well”
(Ishiguro 1). Having a career that one can take pride in is part of what makes
people feel fulfilled in life, and Kathy certainly achieves this. Kathy was a
carer for 12 full years, which is almost half of her life. For the other half
of her life, she got to live at Hailsham, a fancy boarding school. Some people
would argue that Hailsham is not a place where one would want to spend their
childhood. However, Kathy and Tommy both look very fondly upon their days at
Hailsham. Even in some of their last moments, such as on page 285, Tommy talks
about memories at Hailsham. If Kathy has had a fulfilling childhood and a
fulfilling career, hasn’t her
life been fulfilled?
I
would also argue that the only thing that causes pain in Kathy and Tommy’s lives isn’t the fact that they have to donate their organs, but it is
Ruth. Ruth is the one who kept them apart all their lives. If it weren’t for her, they could have been
together since they were children. I will admit that I did find the end of the
book heartbreaking, but not because they had to donate their organs, because
they had been kept apart for so long and just as they could be together, it was
ripped away from them by death. The only disappointment that Kathy and Tommy
ever really face is when they are told they cannot have a deferral, and even
then, Kathy accepts it very quickly and moves on.
Overall,
I think that the students of Hailsham lived fulfilling lives. They had a happy
childhood, had a fulfilling career, at least Kathy did, and found love, even if
it was a short one. I think that these things are what make a person’s life worth living, and it doesn’t matter if you die at 80 or 30 if you’ve led a happy and fulfilling life.
I agree that the students of Hailsham, such as Kathy, did end up living a fulfilled life, however, the context of what it means to be fulfilling should be considered. The lives of the clones have been largely shortened since they must become donors and have their vital organs taken without option. If I were to think about what it means to live a fulfilling life, I would think of finishing college, finding a career, a happy marriage, and my own children. None of these elements are allowed to the students of Hailsham, yet, they are still entitled to a sense of fulfillment. They were not brought up being taught that elements such as finding a spouse and reproducing are considered as milestones in life. Their idea of fulfillment is to submit art to The Gallery, study and work as a carer, then finally donate organs and "complete." While at certain time the Hailsham students dream of other careers such as an office worker or film star, Miss Lucy reminds them, “Your lives are set out for you,” and this is accepted as the only truth (Ishiguro 91). At the end of her life, Kathy looks back upon her past as an 80-year-old would, “admit[ting] [she]’ll welcome the chance to rest—to stop and think and remember. (Ishiguro 47). I have a deeper belief that it is the various ways one can feel “fulfilled” opposed to others that differentiate the clones and ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think you make a good argument for the students of Hailsham living fulfilling lives, I can't say that I agree with this assertion. I don't think it's possible to live a fulfilling life if you don't have any (or at least minimal) control over where your life goes. Yes, Kathy does enjoy being a carer, and a good one at that. She says: "My donors have always tended to do much better than expected" (3).Kathy has obviously found some joy in what she is doing. However, Kathy had no say over what it was she would do for a living. It was predetermined for her. Kathy may have been able to choose her friends at Hailsham, and she can choose her donors since she is from the school, but other than that, she has no control over her life.
ReplyDeleteMiss Lucy says in Chapter 7: "Your lives are set out for you. You'll become adults, then before you're old, before you're even middle aged, you'll start to donate your organs. That's what each of you was created to do" (81). Kathy, along with all of the other students at Hailsham, know that their lives won't include family, that their friends will die to serve others they don't know, and that they have no say in any of this. It seems like this would make it hard to lead a fulfilling life, no matter how hard Kathy and her peers may try.
I agree with Erika: Kathy's life has been fulfilling. I've often heard the theory that the showing at a person's funeral will reveal who they were and how they lived. Even though, as Ben said in class, the clones will not be allowed to have funeral services, we have to think of all the people who would have been at Kathy's and what they would have said. So many of her peers would have been able to say that she comforted them in times of great pain and suffering (yes I see the obvious hole in my argument that those people are also dead, but work with me here). Even in childhood, Kathy looked for ways to help other people, to make them feel good. For example, at the very beginning of the novel, she is willing to approach Tommy after his outburst when no one else would even consider it (Ishiguro 11). Kathy is the one who comes to Ruth's defense, allowing her to look for a parental figure in Miss Geraldine (Ishiguro 63). Just because Kathy could not do everything we can, cannot mean she did not live a fulfilling life. As I said in class, my vision limits me in many ways - my life is still fulfilling. Kathy was able to take care of the people she grew up with, people like her, for much longer than most clones are allowed to. I believe she is fulfilled, not as much as she could be if she were not a clone, but fulfilled nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteI agree that, in the eyes of the students of Hailsham, they lived fulfilling lives, however, comparing the students of Hailsham to myself, it is clear that fulfilment of life has two different meanings. When I think of living a fulfilling life, I imagine myself in a successful and satisfying career, married, and with children of my own. From a young age, this is what I saw from the adults around me and it has developed into my own aspiration. In contrast, the students of Hailsham are taught that their sole purpose is to donate their organs. In chapter 7, Miss Lucy says, “You'll become adults, then before you're old, before you're even middle aged, you'll start to donate your organs. That's what each of you was created to do" (81). Donating their organs is their only expected career when they become adults. Additionally, the students are aware that they cannot have children and thus, would not include raising children in their concept of a fulfilling life. If I lived in a situation similar to Kathy’s, I would not consider myself to have lived a fulfilling life. The reason behind this dissatisfaction would be driven solely from how I was taught to expect more in life than obtaining a successful career. While I do not consider the students’ lives to be fulfilling, I can see how their different concept of life fulfillment may allow them to feel satisfied at the end of their lives.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Erika-Kathy did live a fulfilling life. Although the definition of "fulfilling" will differ from person to person based on their passions, I believe that Kathy lived a fulfilling life because she made an impact on others and created memories that she was able to cherish in the end. The first reason that I believe Kathy lived a fulfilling life is because she made an impact and was able to better someone else's life. Kathy should feel fulfilled due to her excellent work as a carer. Kathy says, "It means a lot to me, being able to do my work well" (3). Kathy's pride in helping others is certainly a form of fulfillment since it shows that she did something meaningful during her time. Furthermore, Kathy formed relationships and created memories that she and others will remember fondly at the end of their lives. When speaking of Ruth, Kathy states, "I feel sad she's gone; but I also feel really grateful for that period we had at the end" (235). Kathy and Ruth have always had a rocky friendship, but the "period at the end" was based on mutual understanding and forgiveness. Kathy should feel fulfilled by this because it serves as a form of closure. Since Kathy was both able to make an impact and help others while also creating memories and relationships that were meaningful to her throughout her short lifespan, I believe that Kathy did indeed live a fulfilling life.
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