Never Let Me Go
question
One thing I didn't get... (spoilers, obviously)
Gosia
Aug 19, 2011 07:34AM
Until certain point I ussumed that the donors were cloned to be the source of organs if/when their "originals" need them. But then it is said, when Ruth thinks she might have found her "possible", that they are clones of "trash, junkies, prostitutes", not average, respected citizens. I don't understand this - I assume it's not said junkies who would get donors' organs? Sooo...what's the point of cloning them? Or was it just a wrong assumption about reality made by the characters (one of many)?
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The other thing to remember is that IF these people were cloned JUST to be organ doners for specific people, it would follow that in the world in which they lived, it was quite common to need organ donation. And not just one organ, but all of your organs. As if the environment in the future degraded enough for them to need to replace their organs every 20-30 years to keep on living a "normal" lifespan. However, since the book doesn't even take place in the future, that's not the case.
Also, in order to get as much use out of the doners as possible, it seems that they'll use organs that won't kill them first - the first donation won't, for example, be a heart transplant. It will be a kidney, or a lung, or a piece of liver, or a piece of intestine. If people had clones who were there "just in case" they needed a transplant, it would mean the clones could be called up to give a heart on the first try.
Also, in order to get as much use out of the doners as possible, it seems that they'll use organs that won't kill them first - the first donation won't, for example, be a heart transplant. It will be a kidney, or a lung, or a piece of liver, or a piece of intestine. If people had clones who were there "just in case" they needed a transplant, it would mean the clones could be called up to give a heart on the first try.
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One thing I don't understand about this book - why didn't they just run away before they had to donate? Surely there was nothing stopping them once they left Hailsham. Is because they had been conditioned to accept their fate?
Hey Gosia,
There is no mentioned connection between donors and their originals - other than Ruth and Kathy's speculations. They could have been cloned from anyone. Since all major diseases have cures because of donations, it stands to reason that everyone would benefit from this advance in medical technology. :)
There is no mentioned connection between donors and their originals - other than Ruth and Kathy's speculations. They could have been cloned from anyone. Since all major diseases have cures because of donations, it stands to reason that everyone would benefit from this advance in medical technology. :)
It's not that the originals are the one's they give organs to, it's any "normal" human in need of them. The originals are just (like blood donors) people in need of money (probably) who volunteer to donate some of their DNA for scientific purposes.
Some stories leave some things to the reader's imagination. I believe this is one of them. Since this is a kind of fantasy genre, accuracy of reality is not necessary.
I enjoyed this book so much I went to see the movie by myself. I never go to movies by myself. The book was easier to understand.
I enjoyed this book so much I went to see the movie by myself. I never go to movies by myself. The book was easier to understand.
Glenn Goettel
Patricia, I agree with you. My own patience is tested by people with "realistic" objections to works of imagination which are really no more rulebound
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I think it's a bit of a satiric metaphor, the whole story. The author seems to be revealing the mindset of some that there are two classes of people: One class is servile and provides for the other, more deserving class. Much of this book is psychological and philosophical. (BTW, I am a living kidney donor...)
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