Friday, July 13, 2012
NRJ #2
In the
novel, Ishiguro uses symbolism to demonstrate that self-identity is incredibly
fragile. In the beginning of the novel, art is used to identify who the
students really are and if they had souls at all. The students of Hailsham find
pride in their art and it reassures them that their art truly illustrates who
they really are. Individuality is also very important to Kathy. When talking
about her secret Judy Bridgewater tape she claims “maybe we all had little
secrets like that – little private nooks created of thin air where we could go
off along with our fears and belongings.” (74). She claims that everyone has
their own secrets so no one could possibly be the same. Kathy yearns to be
individual and not like the rest of her friends. However, at the end of the
novel, Kathy and Tommy never doubted their self-identity and truly believed
they had souls. When Miss Emily tells Tommy and Kathy the guardians had the
students create art to reveal their souls, Kathy questions Miss Emily by saying
“Why did you have to prove a thing like that, Miss Emily? Did someone think
that we didn’t have souls?” (260). Kathy and Tommy both were shocked that their
souls and individuality were even a question. Not only is self-individuality important
in our society, but it is also important to these students at Hailsham. No matter
what and who we are, everyone seeks to obtain their own individuality.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think identity is a big part of NLMG in part to identifying who these characters actually are. Hailsham was created in order to see if the clones had souls and I think throughout the book you do find many examples of the clones having the same emotions as normal human beings. Being forced to find your own destiny in a situation where "they" have already decided for you must be difficult.
ReplyDeleteLove the first line of this, where you state that "self-identity is incredibly fragile". Touche, good lady! Talk about wrapping it all up right off the bat. Wow!
ReplyDeleteThese "Donors" (as they all become) have their self-worth constantly questioned by the world around them and even by their own companions at times. They oft times have dark demeanors and refer to themselves as, essentially, 'meatbags'. I mean, look at the fact that they either become "Carers" (irony!) and "Donors" (voluntary?! HAH!!!) They're entire lives are just these big fat lies that the adults tell them as children and that they end up living for themselves in the end.
And look at them. They're so fragile, as humans, that as soon as they realize what's REALLY happening to them they do as any human would do...they latch onto something in their life to try to give it meaning. Ruth admits she kept Tommy from Kathy out of jealousy and because she wanted "something good" in her life. Tommy's delusion of the "deferral" turns him to an incredible amount of artwork to prove he has a soul and such. Kathy latches onto being a Carer, which is hilarious because all she's really doing is propogating the continuation of the system she was prey to since birth!
That's a great symbolism! I never thought that the self-identity relates to something bigger than just being clones. I agree that Kathy values individuality as much as she values Tommy because she chose not to be a carer while she knows that what she is doing isn't for the good of other but it is for her own good. Nevertheless, she realized that her life was nothing and she had no purpose after Tommy died.
ReplyDelete