- Tommy's animals - "something was definately gone,...almost like they'd been copied" The new animals are inferior to their originals. Is this in some way a reflection on the students - are they less human than their models as they are copied, do they too lose something of their humanity?
- Their behaviour at Kingsfield is similar to that at the cottages - "chatting, having sex, reading aloud and drawing" - refer to earlier point about them still being the children of Hailsham.
Chapter 21 - They visit Madame
- Reminded of "the day we followed Ruth's possible" - hope of a new life. Also reminds reader that they are the same people as they were before - see earlier ref.
- "But the houses on our side continued without a change" - their lives continue with their fates unaltered.
- "you could se her stiffen - as if a pair of large spiders was set to crawl towards her" - phobia, fear. She is as scared of them as many people are scared of spiders - a common fear for the readers to identify with.
- Ishiguro presents a sense of inevitability - "everything got pretty dark" - reader is prepared for the deferals to be a rumour.
- "Kathy H. and Tommy D." the mention of the names as identity. How are they named?
- "this big stage set" - their lives are scripted for them by someone else, their fate is inevitable.
- Madame seems surprised at their humanity, their ability to love.
- "poor creatures" Madame uses this term often to refer to Kathy and Tommy. Lack of humanity.
Chapter 22 - Miss Emily appears. Explains deferals and gallery. Kathy and Tommy travel back to Kingsfield.
- still refeers to them as "students" this is their identity according to her.
- A rumour is the "one thing that gets created from scratch over and over again" (Miss Emily) like a clone. Is there a link?
- References to "Morningdale" which the reader doesn't know of, and neither does Kathy. Allows an explanation for the reader.
- Gallery was "to prove you had souls" - prove that they are human in spirit as weel as species. Does Tommy's inability in art mean that he is any less human though.
- Miss Emily refers to the way they were "reared" like breeding animals.
- "govenrnment "homes"" not houses. Adds a little personality and humanity.
- "pawns in game" - their fates are not in their control. Madame says Kathy should "be on the stage"
- Their human nature is evident as they travel back to Kingsfield. They don't talk about the impportant thing but make small talk. Also Tommy doesn't want Kathy to see him in his rage - male pride. He is understandbly angry and reacts just as anyone else would.
- Kathy "felt the fight go out of him" - Ishiguro prepares the reader for Tommys death.
Chapter 23 - Kathy stops becoming Tommys carer. Tommy dies.
- "with the dark coming" - imminant death.
- Kathy speaks directly to the reader - "you'll have heard the same talk" about the fourth donation. Assumes reader is part of this society. Makes the reader more involved in the story and the events more personal.
- Behind the home is a "wasteland" with "the blank fog on the other side" - Their lives are like the wasteland and death awaits them.
- Tommy doesn't want Kathy to see him complete - shows human nature.
- After Tommy's death Kathy finds herself "on a road i'd never been on" she is now alone as both of her closest friends have died. She is lost and doesn't know where she's going. Makes a change to the focus on the ultimate destination.
- She thinks of trying to find Tommy in Norfolk as she has "lost" him. Reminder of childhood and her nature.
- "to drive off to wherever it was I was supposed to be" - sense of purpose. There is always something she is "supposed" to do.
As is usual for a distopian novel, society remains unchanged at the end. I found the chapters involving Madame and Miss Emily a little tedious as they seemed to be used purely for tying up loose ends like the gallery and Madames reaction to Kathy's dancing. Ishiguro does well in maintaining the humanity of his characters especially nearing the end of the novel. Ironically they become more human as they neat the end of their lives perhaps suggeting that death unites everyone wheter donar, carer or model.
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