Never Let Me Go Comparative Essay

Kazuo Ishiguro’s critically acclaimed 2005 Novel Never Let Me Go was influenced by cloning and stem cell research in the late 20th century. Many ethical discussions were raised, and Ishiguro displayed his perspective from his about clones that demonstrate the human experience to the core. The story was adapted into a film by the same name in 2010, directed by Mark Romanek. The novel explores plot, setting, character, literary techniques and themes by telling the story of cloned organ donors, forced to die for the good of humanity, all of which are well represented in the film adaptation.

The Plot and Setting in Never Let Me Go greatly differs from novel to film, chiefly in the first scene. The first narrated line is Kathy introducing herself

Through the course of the novel, our protagonists struggle with what it means to an individual, and what it means to be human. Many people tie their identity back to their culture and family, and without that, it leaves background is their original. Kathy narrates, “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”, showing the audience that even down to earth Kathy wants to know who her possible is, so she can find out who she is. Most of Kathy’s narration is not present in the film, so the audience cannot understand what it means to have found Ruth’s possible. In the book, Ruth continues to watch and follow her possible, while clinging on to the increasingly doubtful idea that she is her original, whereas in the film, Ruth’s possible turns around and gives her a look of disdain and disgust, proving that she couldn’t be modelled off her. In both forms, when Ruth realises that she couldn’t have been cloned from an office worker, she over-reacts, “We all know it. We’re modeled from trash.” Without knowing what they are, these clones are left with just who they want to be, however delusional it may be. Because of the novel’s narration, Kathy, Ruth and Tommy’s motives and emotions become clearer, making it a more