A Comparison and Contrast the Characters in “Never Let me Go”

“Never Let Me Go” and “Frankenstein” both belong to the sci-fi category, yet are virtually entirely different. “Never Let Me Go”, composed by Kazuo Ishiguro in 2004, is set in post-World War II Great Britain. Kathy, the narrator of the novel, is a clone who has been created through scientific research. On the other hand, “Frankenstein”, written by Mary Shelley in 1818, is set in 18th century Europe. Victor Frankenstein, whose tale is being told by Robert Walton, is a researcher who has created a creature through his study.

Despite their differences, both “Never Let Me Go” and “Frankenstein” have similar conventions, including the sensation of mystery and dread, or impending doom.

By definition, the genre of Gothic fiction tends to convey an impression of looming disaster. In “The Female Gothic: The Monster’s Mother”, Ellen Moers asserts that when Mary Shelley wrote “Frankenstein”, her “emphasis was not on what precedes birth, but on birth itself and what follows it: the trauma of the afterbirth” (319). This suggests that when Shelley talks about birth, she is hinting at what happens afterward. A passage from Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus” that demonstrates this is when after years of research, Victor Frankenstein finally breathes life into a creature. This creature is described as having “yellow skin scarcely covering the work of muscles and arteries beneath” (“Frankenstein”, 49), which is starkly contrasted with his eyes. Shelley continues to detail “his shrivelled complexion, and straight black lips” (49). The descriptions provided by Shelley underscore the physical features of the beast created by Victor Frankenstein, and does so in a manner designed to invoke fear and revulsion, allowing readers to presume this beast will terrorize anyone who encounters him. This passage may depict the birth of Frankenstein’s creation, but the remainder of the novel concerns the repercussions of this event, and how it continues to dominate Frankenstein’s life. Even though birth is generally regarded as a joyous occasion, Shelley portrays it in a manner suggestive of impending catastrophe, perhaps one instigated by the creature. The looming calamity is later revealed to be the destruction of Frankenstein’s family, as wrought by the creature.

“Never Let Me Go” can precisely be referred to as a dystopia. In “A Reference of Literary Terms,” Abrams defines dystopia as a work of fiction that represents a future where “our present social, political, and technological order are projected into a disastrous future culmination” (417). The “disastrous future outcome” in “Never Let Me Go” is the ethical dilemma prompted by the production of clones to generate a supply of organs, in order to meet the demands of the general population. Ishiguro writes “Never Let Me Go” from the perspective of Kathy, who is a clone herself. It is shown that the clones spend much of their childhood not realizing their purpose, but this objective is finally disclosed to them by Miss Lucy. She tells the children that “before you’re old, before you’re even middle-aged, you’ll start to donate your vital organs” (“Never Let Me Go,” 128). The clones do not exhibit any distress from this revelation, as they are ignorant of the full extent of the program, and therefore, continue with their play. However, as readers, we are clued into ominous hints of impending doom awaiting Kathy and her classmates. Slowly, they will watch their friends die one by one, having fulfilled their purpose to society. As Kathy explains, the clones undergo rounds of donations, after each of which they are cared for by a “carer,” also a clone, who could potentially be a childhood friend, such as Kathy looking after Ruth and Tommy. These donation cycles continue until the donor dies, usually before the fourth cycle. The central ethical conflict of “Never Let Me Go” lies in the treatment of clones. Despite the book being published in 2005, it is set in a post-World War II Britain where a state-funded program for organ donation through cloning was active. When Kathy and Tommy visit Madame, her conversation with Miss Emily reveals that Kathy and her peers at Hailsham were treated rather well compared to other clones; they were treated wonderfully, as humans rather than clones. However, with Hailsham’s closure, we are led to anticipate another impending disaster – the treatment of clones across the country. The rights of clones are at risk following Hailsham’s closure, and there is not much that can be done.

In “Never Let Me Go,” there are two major instances of the convention of foreshadowing doom. These instances are the impending death of all the clones, and the treatment of duplicates throughout Great Britain following the closure of programs such as Hailsham. In “Monster,” the significant clue to imminent doom is the scene where the monster is created. The use of this convention by Ishiguro is similar to the way Shelley employs it, using it as a form of introduction. Shelley does so with the introduction of a new character, while Ishiguro uses it when revealing new information.

Even with their similarities, there are several differences between how Ishiguro utilizes this convention, and how Shelley does. Shelley implements it in such a way that Victor Frankenstein, the narrator, senses the approaching doom. In contrast, in “Never Let Me Go,” Kathy and her peers overlook the implications of their fate as organ donors. Additionally, Frankenstein is aware of the outcome of the impending doom, since his tale is narrated in the past tense. In contrast, Kathy has no insight into her future, as she has not yet met her impending doom. This disparity is significant to readers, who typically understand the events of a story more than the narrator. Unlike in many narratives, Frankenstein is able to set the tone for potential calamity.

The convention of foreshadowing doom has evolved over time, due to the evolution of writing itself. Topics have become less taboo, and this is highlighted by Moers in “The Female Gothic,” where she states, “With the advent of Naturalism late in the century, and the lifting of the Victorian taboo against discussing physical sexuality (including pregnancy and labor)…” (319). Technological advancements and historical events have presented authors with new subjects to tackle. For instance, Ishiguro addresses the theme of clones in a post-WWII society, an area that was previously untouched due to cloning being a relatively new concept and WWII beginning in 1939. The nature of foreshadowing doom has transformed as the types of looming disaster have varied. In “Monster,” the reader isn’t told about the impending disaster, but the narrator is aware of it. The opposite occurs in “Never Let Me Go,” where the narrator is oblivious to the future, but a reader can speculate on its outcome.

In conclusion, a shared convention in Never Let Me Go and Monster: Or The Modern Prometheus is the feeling of impending doom. These conventions are employed in various ways; in Never Let Me Go, the narrator does not know the severity of the looming threat, having not encountered it yet. Conversely, in Monster, because the tale is narrated in the past tense, Frankenstein is aware of the severity of the monster’s birth and the repercussions. Although these two stories differ in many ways, including their themes, they are both categorized as science fiction. This genre accommodates a broad range of themes and even allows for the incorporation of new ones. However, the common element amongst these variations is the concept of projecting impossible scenarios as if they were possible.

To further explore this subject, I would need to delve into a few areas. Firstly, I would need to investigate other science fiction novels and research how the convention of impending doom is portrayed. Secondly, I would need to identify other themes that fall within the realm of science fiction. Finally, it would be imperative to define ‘science fiction’ comprehensively, a definition that accommodates the inclusion of other themes and remains flexible as writing evolves over time. Since the beginning of this class, I have drawn connections between Monster and Never Let Me Go in terms of their classification as science fiction. I have also managed to distinguish their shared conventions, and find commonalities, even though they may appear to belong to different sub-genres.

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