Identity in Never Let Me Go

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  • Identity in Never Let Me Go
    • The clones look for their 'possibles' - this is the only way they can truly understand their identity.
      • They don't have a sense of individuality as they are literally copies of regular people
        • "A bit of fun for you maybe, Tommy,” Ruth said coldly, still gazing straight ahead of her. “You wouldn’t think so if it was your possible we’d been looking for."
          • This shows Ruth's bitterness after she was hopeful about finding her 'possible'
          • This emotional response emphasises how important this is to the clones - finding out who they really are.
    • Each student at Hailsham has their own 'collection' - belongings which they have gathered from 'exchanges' and 'sales'.
      • Every student has a wooden chest which they keep near their bed and in these boxes are items which highlight every students individual preferences and choices.
        • These 'collections' become a motif of identity bin the novel,
          • When Ruth bins her 'collection' this shows us that not only are these items a representation of the clones identity but that the clones feel a need to change their identity  - Ruth gets rid of her 'collection' in order to be like the 'veterans' - these possessions are a symbol of their identity as Hailsham students.
          • "Your private treasures"
          • "you were different. I remember. You were never embarrassed about your collection and you kept it. I wish now I'd done that too."
    • Each students sense of identity is presented through objects
      • Tommy has his blue shirt
        • One of the first thing we learn is that Tommy has a favourite blue polo shirt
          • The shirt gets muddy but he doesn't care - this allows us to understand the boy more
            • “special blue polo shirt,”
      • Kathy has her tape
        • After losing her Judy Bridgewater tape Kathy looks everywhere for it and feels a sense of loss.
          • She treasures this object as though it is the only thing on the planet that is important to her - an identity crisis of sorts?
            • "What made the tape so special for me was this one particular song: track number three, 'Never Let Me Go'."
            • "I really wanted to find it [the cassette tape] for you. And when it looked in the end like it wasn't going to turn up, I just said to myself, one day I'll go to Norfolk, and I'll find it there for her. The lost corner of England!"
      • Ruth has her pencil case
        • Ruth shows off her pencil case as though she wants everyone to see it - she is proud of her possessions - her identity.
          • "Lets just agree I got it in the sales"
            • She wants people to know that it isn't from the sales and treats the case as though it is how people see her - her identity
      • These objects are some of the first things we learn about in the novel - they are presented as though they represent who the characters are.
      • Kathy introduces these people and feels that so much information about these inanimate objects is important  - the clones present their identity through their belongings
    • Tommy
      • "It's not worth getting upset about," Tommy went on. […] "Our models, what they were like, that's nothing to do with us, Kath. It's just not worth getting upset about."
        • Tommy values his indepence and clearly has his own identyy - he desn't want to look for his 'possible' he wants to be his own person.
    • Kathy H
      • "My name is Kathy H. I'm thirty-one years old, and I've been a carer now for over eleven years."
        • This is all we learn about Kathy in her introduction. Why H? Does she not have a surname - so who is she?We rely on a first name and surname in order to identify people so its as though she doesnt have an identity.
      • "Nevertheless, we all of us, to varying degrees, believed that when you saw the person you were copied from, you'd get some insight into who you were deep down, and maybe too, you'd see something of what your life held in store."

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