The Importance of the Past in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let me Go

In Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, a primary theme is that one should embrace and remember the good memories of the past, while still remaining vigilant and looking forward to what may come in the unavoidable and possibly foreboding future. Through Kathy’s narration and the inevitable fate of the clones, Ishiguro shows that although the future may be inescapable, one can always remember and think fondly of the past.

As Never Let Me Go is not written chronologically, a large portion of the novel consists of Kathy reminiscing about the past.

The novel is entirely written from Kathy’s perspective, and is therefore saturated with feelings and thoughts she felt and had in the past. One example of Kathy reliving her past is the Songs After Dark cassette tape by Judy Bridgewater, which is one of her “most precious possessions” (Ishiguro 64). She would listen to it while “driving out in the open country on a drizzly day” (Ishiguro 64). Kathy means this literally, but it could also be interpreted metaphorically. The dismal weather could represent her low spirits, her own gloominess. Listening to the Songs After Dark cassette tape by Judy Bridgewater could help lift her mood.

Another illustration of the theme is when Kathy was caring for a donor in her third year as a carer. At this juncture, she was constantly attempting to suppress memories of Hailsham, looking not to the past but to the promising future ahead. The donor, who had just finished his third donation and was clearly nearing the end of his life, was briefly invigorated when Kathy mentioned she was from Hailsham. His face brightened, and he said, “Hailsham. I bet that was a beautiful place” (Ishiguro 5). Despite his eagerness to hear about Hailsham, he answers questions about his own past with a grimace. The donor yearns to hear about a better past than his own so he can relive it, perhaps even in the afterlife. His impending death is grim and inescapable, and his own past memories are not pleasant to reflect upon. The only relief from his dire reality is the creation of a fictitious past, the fabrication of memories to remember and cherish.

Yet another demonstration of this theme is when Kathy is driving. She states that even now, years later, she “still [sees] things that remind her of Hailsham” (Ishiguro 6). This is after her conversation with the third donor, so she has ceased repressing memories of Hailsham. If she sees a certain arrangement of trees, a certain type of balcony, a certain sized house, she instantly thinks of Hailsham. She doesn’t know where Hailsham is, but essentially remains continually on the lookout for it when traveling. Although Kathy has quite a few memories and stories from and about Hailsham, nothing will ever compare to being back in the place. More memories would flood Kathy’s mind, and the existing ones would become more vivid. In the future, she could reminisce, laugh, and cry, just as she does now.

In conclusion, “Never Let Me Go” is a wonderfully written novel. British-Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro masterfully crafts characters, their pasts, and their memories in a way that most cannot. Kathy’s recollections of memories, both good and bad, fully envelop the reader in the story. Although the progression of time is unavoidable and death is ultimately inevitable, one should always have their own personal ‘Hailsham’ or ‘Songs After Dark’ to remember during particularly difficult times.

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