A Restrained “Soul”: Clones Alienated in England Technology has a huge importance in our societies and as it dominates our daily lives, it has taken control over how we interact with others and how we learn. This need for technology can take us away from seeing the value of human life. Clones are thought not to have souls, to be mechanical and not capable of forming relationships or of developing strong emotions as humans would. Such a claim is made in order to justify the decision to use them for their organs, which may be unethical but in this novel is normalized.
Humans in general in this novel further emphasize the point that they are cruel to those they consider “subhuman”. Never Let Me Go reveals that clones are dehumanized in order for society to benefit from their organs, however, through Kathy’s memories they are shown to embody human traits despite being alienated as seen through the relationships the characters form, which exemplifies human traits such as conformity, expectations, and dreams, which exposes how authority and society has the ability to control lives.
The institution of Hailsham is clearly one where lies and deceit exist, and one that strives to prove that its students have souls. During the days at Hailsham, Kathy reflects on the importance and emphasis placed on art during their stay there before the clones moved on to fulfilling their duties. As she reflects as a donor throughout the novel on her life journey, she remembers theories that explain how the clones were alienated from society by which they were not told the truth about their fates. Tommy thought it possible the guardians had, throughout all our years at Hailsham, timed very carefully and deliberately everything they told us… ” (Ishiguro 82). Additionally, Tommy’s theory revolving why Hailsham put so much importance on creativity is seen in, “Don’t forget, Kath, what she’s got reveals our souls” showing audiences that clones really are believed not to have a soul (Ishiguro 176).
They are also not told that humans fear them and gradually begin to understand this as they transition from their childhood at Hailsham to the Cottages where they are alienated from the rest of society by which they live in different parts of the country away from the originals. Clones in this novel embody many human traits as exemplified through Kathy’s memories which focus on the relationships and bonds formed throughout their lives.
However, clones are isolated by which they are shunned from the truth and are taught to not have souls as seen “through the lectures which provide the students with “information about how to behave in the outside world… wish to prevent the clones form creating bonds that would make their lives too valuable for donations” (Vinduska). These bonds, however, do exist among the three clones that are focused on: Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, seen throughout the entire novel as they stay close together, proving then that they should not be pushed away from society as they are very much like humans.
With the subhumans conforming in the novel they also manifest the battle between social and individual expectations, which is highlighted throughout the whole novel, showcasing the power of society over its inhabitants. Ruth, with her insecurities, is an example of this as Kathy describes, “… she did things to impress the veterans at our expense” (Ishiguro 130). Through this, clones have to copy from the television that is available in the Cottages, which displays human gestures that Ruth imitates with Tommy in order to adhere to the xpectations from the veterans in an attempt to fit in and be more mature.
This also applies to how they have a fate that they cannot oppose and because they accept this fate they are chained to this social expectation. “Your lives are set out for you… That’s what each of you was created to do. You need to remember that. If you’re to have decent lives, you have to know who you are and what lies ahead of you, every one of you” (Ishiguro 81). Moreover, the theme of false hope, unfulfilled drea ams clearly emphasizes how clones are separated from society, depriving them of their own identity and finding their own purpose. Much like humans, clones spend most of their time daydreaming, imagining how their futures will be like but are held back by society’s rules. In the case of clones, they believe that their possibles may predict their outcomes.
However, limited time and eventual death are both guaranteed for both clones and humans. “One big idea behind finding your model was that when you did, you’d glimpse your future… ou’d get some insight into who you were deep down… you’d see something of what your life held in store” (Ishiguro 139). Due to this, they cannot fulfill their dreams of having “normal jobs”, Ruth who wants to work in an office like her possible will have no choice but to accept what has been chosen for them, a predetermined fate. Through this they are alienated from society in having a predetermined fate, one which is cruel and imposing upon them the reality of death at a young age, which depends on how many donations they can live through…
Ruth isn’t the only one who wishes for another future, the deferral is the symbol of a false hope for clones such as Chrissie and Rodney. “Three years just to themselves, because they could prove they were properly in love” (Ishiguro 153). Humans and clones alike, cannot avoid death… just as clones dream and do other things such as fulfilling their duties, humans work and few live their lives to its full extent until their time to “complete” arrives, as seen through how Kathy lives in the past, through her memories.
This novel exposes the influences of society over our lives, primarily through how they place expectations that we must follow blindingly and abandon our own expectations and dreams. As humans come to rely more on technology, humanity’s value is slowly disintegrating, not only seen in this novel, but even in the modern day where we rely more on the machines, stem cells, and much more which have caused debates to rise.
Through the use of clones, by giving a glimpse into their inner lives, reveals to audiences how humans are much limited in following their dreams, chained to expectations and a fate that they cannot avoid, which for humans is the same, that of limited time and eventual death. Nonetheless, the search for answers and one’s identity and bonds that is shown through clones shows a sincere and genuine human quality, something that technology and society in the modern era limits humans from doing.