(view spoiler)[ I found this novel pretty engaging overall, similar to Remains of the Day, but without as significant of a 'twist'.
One element I wanted to comment on was about how accepting the characters are of their situation as clones and organ donors, even as the situation is being revealed to them, and how, while it feels like there's a 'mystery' to their overall situation, they don't put all their effort into solving the mystery. In fact it takes them years to do so, and after finding their guardians and discovering the reality of what they were curious about for all those years, it doesn't really change the course of any of their lives.
One way to look at it is that the schools and institutions were successful, as Kathy puts it, at doling out pieces of information just before the clone children were ready to receive them, such that they are always fundamentally accepting of their situation and the fact that their lives will be sacrificed on the behalf of 'real' humans - this even applying for children like Tommy, and, I think, Ruth, who feel an existential frustration with the situation.
But another way to look at it is that, as real humans, we just don't know what it would feel like to *be* a clone, and Ishiguro in this novel is exploring what it might be like, in a way that's different from so much other media, which assumes that clones will feel like they are real humans, and that there will be competition between the real and the clone.
This other representation of clone mentality, which to me also feels very American, causes the clone plot to then just be a thin allegory for other kinds of subjugation or 'othering', or dealing with limited resources, etc.
By having the clones treat their situation not as brave, independent-thinking rebels, but as accepters of and participants in the situation, in my opinion Ishiguro explores the concept of clone existence in a deeper way.. even if it is at times frustrating or confusing, that they don't act as we think humans should.
It also speaks to a reality of humanity that's different than the aforementioned rebellion and revolution trope... people, clones or not, *can* be accepting of a pretty tyrannical society, and then spend their lives picking their path within the constraints of their society. We have the potential to rebel and revolt as well, but we spend the majority of our time and energy doing the opposite. (hide spoiler)]
Got to this before the episode, phew!
(view spoiler)[
I found this novel pretty engaging overall, similar to Remains of the Day, but without as significant of a 'twist'.
One element I wanted to comment on was about how accepting the characters are of their situation as clones and organ donors, even as the situation is being revealed to them, and how, while it feels like there's a 'mystery' to their overall situation, they don't put all their effort into solving the mystery. In fact it takes them years to do so, and after finding their guardians and discovering the reality of what they were curious about for all those years, it doesn't really change the course of any of their lives.
One way to look at it is that the schools and institutions were successful, as Kathy puts it, at doling out pieces of information just before the clone children were ready to receive them, such that they are always fundamentally accepting of their situation and the fact that their lives will be sacrificed on the behalf of 'real' humans - this even applying for children like Tommy, and, I think, Ruth, who feel an existential frustration with the situation.
But another way to look at it is that, as real humans, we just don't know what it would feel like to *be* a clone, and Ishiguro in this novel is exploring what it might be like, in a way that's different from so much other media, which assumes that clones will feel like they are real humans, and that there will be competition between the real and the clone.
This other representation of clone mentality, which to me also feels very American, causes the clone plot to then just be a thin allegory for other kinds of subjugation or 'othering', or dealing with limited resources, etc.
By having the clones treat their situation not as brave, independent-thinking rebels, but as accepters of and participants in the situation, in my opinion Ishiguro explores the concept of clone existence in a deeper way.. even if it is at times frustrating or confusing, that they don't act as we think humans should.
It also speaks to a reality of humanity that's different than the aforementioned rebellion and revolution trope... people, clones or not, *can* be accepting of a pretty tyrannical society, and then spend their lives picking their path within the constraints of their society. We have the potential to rebel and revolt as well, but we spend the majority of our time and energy doing the opposite.
(hide spoiler)]