# 3 Society as a repression tactic

- Both authors utilise society as repression tactic in order to shun the characters out from society, due to their physical differences. - This is conveyed in ‘Never Let Me Go’ through the clones’ unorthodox anatomy which defies nature and moral ethics; in turn the clones are denied access to wider society at their time in Hailsham to [“shelter them”] being ostrasiced from humankind. This is significant as it dehumanises the clones and reinforces the idea that their sole purpose is to serve others. - This is apparent in both novels to illustrate the cruel effects of human curiosity, Shelley’s monster is immediately rejected at birth from his creator due to his “wretched” appearance, his adversity follows him through the rest of his life as he is yet again shunned from another family, the Delacey’s.Unlike the clones who are kept unaware of their differences Frankenstein’s monster instantly becomes hyper-aware that “man will not associate [with him].” Despite his eloquence and generosity towards the Delancey’s, the superficiality of society will never accept him as an ordinary human being.

- Furthermore, both novels incorporate the significance of education, and the value it places on human life. The authors intend to question society’s perception of determining an individual’s worth on something almost superficial and trivial, i.e., justifying cruelty because someone does not live up to societal standards. - Shelley presents this in the gothic novel, as the monster silently educates himself from observing the Delacey’s which initially was practiced to understand the world around him and to “become master of their language”. Through this the monster develops beyond just his primal instincts and adopts humanity and empathy; which he believes is his justification into society. Not only is the monster’s existence controversial but the fact that he unlocked this privilege of becoming educated which was only accessible to the upper-class during the 19th century, poses him as more of a threat, as his entire being contradicted the order of society. The concept that a ‘man-made’ individual has surpassed a human being, both internally and externally would only cause social unrest which is proven in both novels. - Ishiguro relays this in his dystopian novel, by shielding the clones from formal education that would be expected in a school, however Hailsham holds an emphasis on an idyllic education system where creativity is credited. Ishiguro has deliberately done this to critisice western society of judging people by their educational achievements. Furthermore, ishiguro constructs an artificial ploy at Hailsham to [“prove the clones do have souls”] to illustrate the normality of being a child being educated into a society that they don’t belong in

# 3 Morality of human curiosity

- Lastly, the authors question the morality of human curiosity and whether science has a place to dictate traditions and morals. - Shelley conveys this concept through victor who usurps the role of God and plays creator, also entirely dejecting the laws of nature and creation. However, his chaotic ambition is immediately shattered at the birth of his creation. Victors rejection and abandonment of the monster, appoints his creation as this “fallen angel” character. The references to paradise lost supports this theory and whilst victor views the monster as the “devil”, readers could argue his conscience and humanity makes him more like Adam. - The thirst for knowledge and unwavering ambition is present in both novels however it proves to be detrimental to the protagonist and everyone in close perimeters around them. Ishiguro constructs this through “sheltering” the clones from society and gifting them an idyllic up bringing which the guards perceive as a more justifiable and humane process, however it could be critiqued that this is more unethical as the clones are ignorant to their inevitable fate. Furthermore, the humanisation and almost authentic conscience of the clones serves as a method to make society more susceptible to the discoveries of sciences and toperceive it with less fear.

# 3 Theme of isolation

- Walton is the first example - “I bitterly want a friend” shows he has a deep desire, and a “want” for one. Foreshadows the fate of victorand the monster. The fact it is art of a letter makes it even more lonely, as he isn't talking to someone directly. Kathy – everyone in her life has died – the novel is written looking back in retrospect, so it is clear by the end of the novel that Kathy islooking at her past after Tommy and Ruth have both died. She has not chosen this isolation, all her friends have died. - The monster says “I am malicious because I am miserable”. Society and enforced isolationhave nurtured the creature to become a monster. Alienated by society and his destructive nature is a result of this. Victor when the creature is born, De Lacey family, Village, all act violently towards him. He knows nothing but violence and rejection, how he learns to live life. Like the Monster, the clones their fate of loneliness is imposed on them. The clones and the monster are both ostracized. Clones are hidden away in these schools - even the students don't know wherethey are. “Spider” scene where Kathy display how humans are scared of them. She then explains that she has been “waitin for the moment when you realise you really are different from them”. She is isolated by knowing she is different. - The isolation of the characters is reflected in the isolated scenery. Walton is in baran arcticlands, and Victor in distant places in Hailsham also isolated - nobody knows whereit is. Big woods surrounding to make it feel even more cut off - nowhere to go. Scotland. Juxtaposes how the clones are really never alone until they leave the cottages forever. Even then, in recovery centres they are not alone again.

# 4 Theme of creation

- Assumed the role of God by creating the monster. Due to the time the book was written, Christianity was bigger in England, sopeople would have been outraged. Also reference to Paradise Lost - “did i request thee, maker, from my clay to mould me man?”. Adam asking God why he created himSociety also assumed the role of God by making clones. Relates to what is done t meat / Dolly the Sheep in 1996 - Victor refers to the monster as his “secret toil”. “Secret” - recognises his task is not normal, deviant, perhaps displays a sense of shame, and knows the immorality behind his creation –negative connotations.He also works in the dark at night - connotations with evil and mystery. Gothic themes. Attempts to conceal, the same way the clones are kept concealed from society. It wouldn’t have beensocially acceptable to have such advancements in science – e.g. when scientist Aldini used electric shocks to create convulsions in a dead body, a man died from shock. Frankenstein also implies that he usesbody parts from dead bodies in graves to build the monster - illegal. Era of Burke and Hare who did the same thing a decade later. “So for a long time you were kept in the shadows, and people did their best not to think about you… that you were less than human, so it didn’t matter.” - highlights how society knows what they are doing is immoral.They’ve crossed over into a boundary that people aren’t necessarily comfortable with, sothey’re avoiding the feelings of guilt – they can remain separated and distant, whereas Victors cannot escape the monster. “Shadows” – connotes ideas of evil – suggesting the idea that perhaps society are not comfortable with the reality – harming others for selfish means. “Less than human” –dehumanises the clones – thought of like meat. Similarity to the way many people disregard where their food comes from – cannot face the cruelty of creating harm, so just don’t think about it. This is already available with cloned meat and Dolly the sheep – but Ishiguro has taken this to the extreme where it’s a norm. “Poor creatures. What did we do to you” - accepting guilt. The use of “we” shifts blame from just herself - society’s doings too. “Creatures” again dehumanizes them - although they now have sympathy, they'll never be the same - Both Frankenstein and society / government of NLMG have gone against nature and the needfor a female. The monster is artificially created and, and so are the clones wo are easexual - women are no longer needed for reproduction. Warning of would could happen when nature is meddled with? - Reason behind Victor creating the monster was due to his thirst for knowledge / victory. He believes that “a new species would bless The clones were created for medical purposes. They are functional. “Your lives have been set out for you… you were brought me as it’s creator and source” and that they would “owe their being to me”. Selfish reasons to create life - greed / imitating God. Contextually bad, as Christianity was big and would be challenged by society. He relates his excitement in creating new life as a “hurricane” and a “torrent”. Natural imagery proves how strong his feelings are. Also foreshadows the outcome as although he may try, humans will never have complete control of nature. Hurricanes and torrents of water often cannot be stopped. Nature is stronger than people. Romantic themes.into this world for a purpose, and your futures,all of them, have been decided.” Very deterministic – demonstrates their confinement Context – people are trying to mortality “Purpose” – sounds quite glorious, they have an essential role – glorifying death to sound positive – twisting truth, distracts them from the reality their fate.The idea that once they have been used once, they cannot back track, even if society thinks it's now immoral. “How can you ask such a world to put away that cure, go back tothe dark days?”.

# 3 Theme of inequality, injustice and prejudice

- Injustice of how the monster is treated. He is never given a chance - just turned away from society. Injustice of how the clones are treated. They are “told and not told”, leaving them in the dark (literally) about their fates. They also have to go through a lot of pain in donations.Society itself is unfair and somewhat corrupt. The DeLaceys rejection of the Monster symbolises society's overall rejection of him. Had no moral reason to betray him.Justine’s trial highlights corruption, as we the reader know she is innocent. Society itself is unfair and somewhat corrupt. Society rejects the clones, and casts them away in “the shadows”. Society’s disbelief in the clones humanity - contrasts with the reader's perspective as we know they are capable of love etc. Leads to question what makes us human? - Inequality between the monster and all humans. From the start he is called “monster”, “daemon”, “devil” etc. Frankensteinexplains that when he first came to life “breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”. Metaphor shows that inequality is based purely on appearance. The only character to give him a chance is blind. Inequality between the clones and all humans. She explains that “there are people out there...who dread the idea of your hand brushing against theirs”. As if they are disgusting or contagious. Tommy’s innocenceis displayed in him saying “did someone think we didn't have souls?”. He is naive to the fact that many people believed it, displaying inequality. - Monster even has prejudice towards himself. “How was I terrified when i viewed myself in atransparent pool”.Kathy is hurt when she witnesses the prejudice of Madame towards herself and the other clones. Madame “was afraid of us in thesame way someone might be afraid of spiders”. She explains that it felt like “walking past a mirror you’ve walked past every day of your life, and suddenly it shows you something else, something troubling and strange”

# 3 Theme of responsibility

- Notion of individual responsibility and the responsibility to society. The monster says hewill do his duty to all of mankind, if Frankenstein does his duty to him by making him a friend. However, Frankenstein feels it ishis responsibility to destroy the companion hemade, in order to prevent a “race of devils”. He asks “had i right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?”, suggesting his fear of the monster reproducing is more important to himthan his role in caring for his own creation. Byhim stating “i shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest” afterwardsshows he is selfish, as his fear that society will hate him is greater than all of his responsibilities. Notion of individual responsibility and the responsibility to society. The teachers may feel bad / responsible - “poor creatures what have we done to you”, yet they have to think about society as a whole. Miss Emily states “how can you ask a world that has come to regard cancer as curable, how can you ask such a world to put away that cure, to go backto the dark days?”. Once they have a cure, they cannot retract it, so however immoral it is, they have to continue. Stronger responsibility to society than the clones - not human so therefore don’t care as much? Unlike the monster, the clones actually have a “purpose” within society. It is more of a debate of ethics.more realistic to the reader like Dolly the Sheep 1996 - Frankenstein only first accepts any responsibility in chapter 10, when he states “I felt what the duties of a creator towards his creature were and that I ought to render him happy before I complained of his wickedness”. He finally understands that as he is the one who brought the monster to life, he has a responsibility to provide for him. He also seems to get that he is partly to blame for the monster’s “wickedness”. After, “the rain begins to descend” foreshadowing how Frankenstein will go back on his word, and avoid all responsibility. Makes his actions more cruel as now the reader understands heknows he has a duty towards him, yet purposefully disregards it. The guardians seem to accept responsibility, as Miss Emily states “poor creatures. What did we do to you?”. Rhetorical questions. Patronising. The use of “we” seems to shift blame slightly. Miss Lucy seems to think it is her responsibility to prevent the clones being “toldand not told”. She therefore tells the students that “your lives are set out for you”. She believes that they “need to remember that. If you’re to have decent lives, you have to knowwho you are and what lies ahead of you”. Shethinks that it is unfair the students are misled and feels it is her responsibility to prepare them. She also takes it upon herself to tell Tommy that it doesn’t actually matter that he is not creative or good at art. - Overall Frankenstein fails to accept Overall the guardians seem to accept their responsibility of his actions. He kills the female creation right in front of the monster’s eyes - leading to the deaths of Elizabeth and Frankenstein himself. He saw himself as a figure of justice, and chose his individual responsibility (not wanting to be shunned for a “race of devils”) over his responsibility to themonster. responsibility, yet express nothing can be changed. Society however fails to accept any responsibility, as they reject projects such as Hailsham, and have a desire to keep them in the “shadows”.

- Never Let Me Go becomes somewhat frustrating due to the passivity of the clones in the face of evil. Ishiguro's decision to depict a passive state instead of a rebellion leads the reader to understand that they have been indoctrinated to not value their own lives- they see death as a duty with Ruth even saying I'm pretty much ready to become a donor, it just feels right, I mean its what we're supposed to do, right? . This is perhaps due to the fact of them not fully understanding their fate; they've been told but not told . While most sci-fi and dystopian novels, like NLMG, use scientific words to create the illusion of reality- Ishiguro decides against this. Much like Shelley, he goes into almost no depth of the scientific part of the cloning process. Instead, he uses a cluster of simple words like donor and completion to describe the death of the clones. These euphemisms have a dual purpose of of hiding the truth both from the reader and the clones themselves. As they have no understanding of how significant death is, how could they have any understanding of the value of their own life? - On the surface, it seems that the creature does not value his own life very highly, describing himself as wretched helpless and alone even likening himself to Satan - a extremely controversial religious statement for the early 1800s. However he stills holds a value for his life when he defends it will murder and blackmail. Not only are these actions that show a willingness to defend his life physically but also a willingness and determination to live a fulfilling life with a mate. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a mate comes into the third state of human need, after two stages of physiological needs; this therefore demonstrates how highly the creature values his life to hope for the ending stage of 'self-actualization'.

# 2 Boundaries between life and death

- Victor's actions lead to so much death it seems that he has almost no value of life whatsoever. This is because, to him, the boundary between life and death is almost imaginary: life and death appeared to me ideal bounds . To him, the value of life is almost as insignificant as death- it no longer matters if he is playing God as the sanctity of conception, creation and birth of a life is rendered to nothing. Shelley's mother died only 3 weeks after giving birth to her due to childbirth complications. Therefore, Mary's birth was essentially the cause of her mothers death and perhaps why the two themes of life and death are so strongly interlinked. - Similarly, the clones' entire existence is preparing for death so that by the time comes, the slip into death almost means nothing. This is emphasized by Kathy's bland and subtle narrative; in the opening chapter, she describes her work as a carer looking after donors and how hardly any of them have been classified as 'agitated', even before fourth donation . She talks in euphemisms here, with fourth donation meaning death. The mundane description of death reinforces the idea that death- to the clones- is as mindless as breathing.

- The clones are raised to seek validity in the things in which they create; this in turn displays the fragility of our own self identity when other's judgement is placed upon it. The students diligently attempt to improve their art in order to have their pieces selected for the gallery and consequently, this changes the students' perception of their own self-worth, causing them to doubt their individuality and meaning. Kathy thinks she understands herself and those around her until Madame looks at them as though they are spiders an unliked animal that many people have a phobia to. The view that Madame holds of the children changes the perception that they hold of themselves and she describes it like walking past a mirror you've walked past every day of your life, and suddenly it shows you something else, something troubling and strange . This perhaps stems from Ishiguro's own feelings of not knowing who he is; he was born in Japan but has spent most of his time in England but describes how he 'feels neither Japanese nor English'. - The clones also respond to their lack of individuality by finding stability in imitating others; much like how Ruth copies 'real' people on the TV as well as maturer clones in the cottages. - Ishiguro also alludes to the universal human desire for knowledge of personal identity and uniqueness. Which is difficult to acquire in even a normal boarding school The students seem to find this reassurance in their small collections of personal items that represent pieces of themselves. Kathy recalls this in saying maybe we all had little secrets like that - little private nooks created out of thin air where we could go off along with our fears and longings Here, Kathy's yearning to go off demonstrates her desire for individuality and distance from the group. Similarly, humans often have to cope with doubt, and the students come to realize they are different from the normal people outside; we perhaps even knew that a long way down the line there were donations waiting for us. But we didn't really know what that meant In this quote, Ishiguro suggests that a purpose does not solidify one's meaning in life. Despite knowing their purpose in life is to make donations, the students remain unfulfilled and continue to search for something that feels meaningful to them.

# 3 Narrative - NVLMG

- Kathy's pale and bland narrative represents a calculated risk on Ishiguro's part, since it is written in what Nabokov once called 'weak, blonde prose'. Kathy's diction is relaxed into colloquialism and cliche; a teacher loses her marbles , a rainy day is bucketing it down and she is very fond of the extremely English word daft . Ishiguro has always enjoyed ventriloquising drab English voices like the butler in 'The Remains of the day'. It is a fantasy so mundanely told, so ordinary and so deliberately grounded that its effect is not just a fantasy made so deliberately grounded that its effect is not just a fantasy made credible but of the real and invading fantasy, bursting into its eccentricities and claiming it as normal. Ishiguro rations the pace at which the reader receives the terrible information about donations and completions but his real interest is not in what we discover, but in what his characters discover and how it will affect them. He wants us to inhabit their ignorance. - Kathy also has a habit of addressing the reader as if the reader is the same as her e.g. I don't know how t was where you were, but at Hailsham... This has a fragile pathos to it-she wants to be one of us and in someways, assumes she is. - The euphemistic language adds to the deep seeded level of deception and how it can be perpetuated in any society where we use language to justify our actions. For example, in war the term 'collateral damage' meaning the killing of civilians. This is a social phenomenon known as the 'bi-stander' effect where ordinary people igone or remain indifferent to obvious human suffering.

# 3 Identity - Frankenstein

- Like Adam, the creature says, I was created apparently united by no link to any other being in existence, but many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me. The creature reads Milton's paradise lost and many argue that Satan is actually the protagonist in the story; it is easy to see his character as the great advocate of freedom, the rebellious symbol of liberty saying the immortal line better to reign in Hell than serve in heaven. By associating the monster with Satan, what Sheley is hinting to her reader is that, much like the devil in Paradise Lost, the protagonist in her book may not be who the reader expects. It's from Milton's portrayal of Satan for which Shelley drew inspiration for some of the monster's most notable features: principally amongst them, his power of speech. Like Satan, the monster in Frankenstein is more articulate and more eloquent than any other character in the story. The monster's narration sometimes mimics directly from the book as when he states evil thenceforth became my good a play off on Satan's words all good to me is lost. Evil be thou my good . - There is one more tragedy embedded in the monsters association with Satan and that is that he himself knows which character he is like. However, it is clear that he wants to be Adam, with a loving creator. It is out this yearning to be Adam, that the monster emulates Adam and demands a mate, the action that ultimately brings everybody to ruin because the monster is not Adam and Victor is not God. This ends in one telling line which reads increase in knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was. - If the monster so clearly mirrors Milton's Satan, then is Frankenstein supposed to mirror Milton's God? Not entirely, and this compasion serves make the reader realise just how weak and unfit a creator Frankenstein is. However, they are similar in one way: neither Milton's God or Shelley's Frankenstein are self-critical enough to see that they are hurting the very beings who they are supposed to be responsible for.

Prose extras Flashcards by Sofia Gillani

Society as a repression tactic

Both authors utilise society as repression tactic in order to shun the characters out from society, due to their physical differences.
This is conveyed in ‘Never Let Me Go’ through the clones’ unorthodox anatomy which defies nature and moral ethics; in turn the clones are denied access to wider society at their time in Hailsham to [“shelter them”] being ostrasiced from humankind. This is significant as it dehumanises the clones and reinforces the idea that their sole purpose is to serve others.
This is apparent in both novels to illustrate the cruel effects of human curiosity, Shelley’s monster is immediately rejected at birth from his creator due to his “wretched” appearance, his adversity follows him through the rest of his life as he is yet again shunned from another family, the Delacey’s.Unlike the clones who are kept unaware of their differences Frankenstein’s monster instantly becomes hyper-aware that “man will not associate [with him].” Despite his eloquence and generosity towards the Delancey’s, the superficiality of society will never accept him as an ordinary human being.

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Education

Furthermore, both novels incorporate the significance of education, and the value it places on human life. The authors intend to question society’s perception of determining an individual’s worth on something almost superficial and trivial, i.e., justifying cruelty because someone does not live up to societal standards.
Shelley presents this in the gothic novel, as the monster silently educates himself from observing the Delacey’s which initially was practiced to understand the world around him and to “become master of their language”. Through this the monster develops beyond just his primal instincts and adopts humanity and empathy; which he believes is his justification into society. Not only is the monster’s existence controversial but the fact that he unlocked this privilege of becoming educated which was only accessible to the upper-class during the 19th century, poses him as more of a threat, as his entire being contradicted the order of society. The concept that a ‘man-made’ individual has surpassed a human being, both internally and externally would only cause social unrest which is proven in both novels.
Ishiguro relays this in his dystopian novel, by shielding the clones from formal education that would be expected in a school, however Hailsham holds an emphasis on an idyllic education system where creativity is credited. Ishiguro has deliberately done this to critisice western society of judging people by their educational achievements. Furthermore, ishiguro constructs an artificial ploy at Hailsham to [“prove the clones do have souls”] to illustrate the normality of being a child being educated into a society that they don’t belong in

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Morality of human curiosity

Lastly, the authors question the morality of human curiosity and whether science has a place to dictate traditions and morals.
Shelley conveys this concept through victor who usurps the role of God and plays creator, also entirely dejecting the laws of nature and creation. However, his chaotic ambition is immediately shattered at the birth of his creation. Victors rejection and abandonment of the monster, appoints his creation as this “fallen angel” character. The references to paradise lost supports this theory and whilst victor views the monster as the “devil”, readers could argue his conscience and humanity makes him more like Adam.
The thirst for knowledge and unwavering ambition is present in both novels however it proves to be detrimental to the protagonist and everyone in close perimeters around them. Ishiguro constructs this through “sheltering” the clones from society and gifting them an idyllic up bringing which the guards perceive as a more justifiable and humane process, however it could be critiqued that this is more unethical as the clones are ignorant to their inevitable fate. Furthermore, the humanisation and almost authentic conscience of the clones serves as a method to make society more susceptible to the discoveries of sciences and toperceive it with less fear.

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Theme of isolation

Walton is the first example - “I bitterly want a friend” shows he has a deep desire, and a “want” for one. Foreshadows the fate of victorand the monster. The fact it is art of a letter makes it even more lonely, as he isn’t talking to someone directly. Kathy – everyone in her life has died – the novel is written looking back in retrospect, so it is clear by the end of the novel that Kathy islooking at her past after Tommy and Ruth have both died. She has not chosen this isolation, all her friends have died.
The monster says “I am malicious because I am miserable”. Society and enforced isolationhave nurtured the creature to become a monster. Alienated by society and his destructive nature is a result of this. Victor when the creature is born, De Lacey family, Village, all act violently towards him. He knows nothing but violence and rejection, how he learns to live life. Like the Monster, the clones their fate of loneliness is imposed on them. The clones and the monster are both ostracized. Clones are hidden away in these schools - even the students don’t know wherethey are. “Spider” scene where Kathy display how humans are scared of them. She then explains that she has been “waitin for the moment when you realise you really are different from them”. She is isolated by knowing she is different.
The isolation of the characters is reflected in the isolated scenery. Walton is in baran arcticlands, and Victor in distant places in Hailsham also isolated - nobody knows whereit is. Big woods surrounding to make it feel even more cut off - nowhere to go. Scotland. Juxtaposes how the clones are really never alone until they leave the cottages forever. Even then, in recovery centres they are not alone again.

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Controversy of artifical life and how it causes conflict in society

In conclusion, both Ishiguro and Shelley explore the conflicts of societal norms through altering familiar experiences into something uncanny. This emphasises the gothic and dystopian genre of thenovels which intend to make readers feel at unease, more so, the authors intend to question society’s morals and how certain attitudes and requirements can be unattainable. The authors also raise the question, of who is to blame, creator or creation? Shelley’s monster and Ishiguro’s clones are given human conscience and empathy almost blurring the lines between what is authentic and what is artificial. Further this employs the convention of the fear of the unknown, the unnatural circumstances in both of the novels create unrest and unease in society.

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Theme of creation

Assumed the role of God by creating the monster. Due to the time the book was written, Christianity was bigger in England, sopeople would have been outraged. Also reference to Paradise Lost - “did i request thee, maker, from my clay to mould me man?”. Adam asking God why he created himSociety also assumed the role of God by making clones. Relates to what is done t meat / Dolly the Sheep in 1996
Victor refers to the monster as his “secret toil”. “Secret” - recognises his task is not normal, deviant, perhaps displays a sense of shame, and knows the immorality behind his creation –negative connotations.He also works in the dark at night - connotations with evil and mystery. Gothic themes. Attempts to conceal, the same way the clones are kept concealed from society. It wouldn’t have beensocially acceptable to have such advancements in science – e.g. when scientist Aldini used electric shocks to create convulsions in a dead body, a man died from shock. Frankenstein also implies that he usesbody parts from dead bodies in graves to build the monster - illegal. Era of Burke and Hare who did the same thing a decade later. “So for a long time you were kept in the shadows, and people did their best not to think about you… that you were less than human, so it didn’t matter.” - highlights how society knows what they are doing is immoral.They’ve crossed over into a boundary that people aren’t necessarily comfortable with, sothey’re avoiding the feelings of guilt – they can remain separated and distant, whereas Victors cannot escape the monster. “Shadows” – connotes ideas of evil – suggesting the idea that perhaps society are not comfortable with the reality – harming others for selfish means. “Less than human” –dehumanises the clones – thought of like meat. Similarity to the way many people disregard where their food comes from – cannot face the cruelty of creating harm, so just don’t think about it. This is already available with cloned meat and Dolly the sheep – but Ishiguro has taken this to the extreme where it’s a norm. “Poor creatures. What did we do to you” - accepting guilt. The use of “we” shifts blame from just herself - society’s doings too. “Creatures” again dehumanizes them - although they now have sympathy, they’ll never be the same
Both Frankenstein and society / government of NLMG have gone against nature and the needfor a female. The monster is artificially created and, and so are the clones wo are easexual - women are no longer needed for reproduction. Warning of would could happen when nature is meddled with?
Reason behind Victor creating the monster was due to his thirst for knowledge / victory. He believes that “a new species would bless The clones were created for medical purposes. They are functional. “Your lives have been set out for you… you were brought
me as it’s creator and source” and that they would “owe their being to me”. Selfish reasons to create life - greed / imitating God. Contextually bad, as Christianity was big and would be challenged by society. He relates his excitement in creating new life as a “hurricane” and a “torrent”. Natural imagery proves how strong his feelings are. Also foreshadows the outcome as although he may try, humans will never have complete control of nature. Hurricanes and torrents of water often cannot be stopped. Nature is stronger than people. Romantic themes.into this world for a purpose, and your futures,all of them, have been decided.” Very deterministic – demonstrates their confinement Context – people are trying to mortality “Purpose” – sounds quite glorious, they have an essential role – glorifying death to sound positive – twisting truth, distracts them from the reality their fate.The idea that once they have been used once, they cannot back track, even if society thinks it’s now immoral. “How can you ask such a world to put away that cure, go back tothe dark days?”.

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Theme of inequality, injustice and prejudice

Injustice of how the monster is treated. He is never given a chance - just turned away from society. Injustice of how the clones are treated. They are “told and not told”, leaving them in the dark (literally) about their fates. They also have to go through a lot of pain in donations.Society itself is unfair and somewhat corrupt. The DeLaceys rejection of the Monster symbolises society’s overall rejection of him. Had no moral reason to betray him.Justine’s trial highlights corruption, as we the reader know she is innocent. Society itself is unfair and somewhat corrupt. Society rejects the clones, and casts them away in “the shadows”. Society’s disbelief in the clones humanity - contrasts with the reader’s perspective as we know they are capable of love etc. Leads to question what makes us human?
Inequality between the monster and all humans. From the start he is called “monster”, “daemon”, “devil” etc. Frankensteinexplains that when he first came to life “breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”. Metaphor shows that inequality is based purely on appearance. The only character to give him a chance is blind. Inequality between the clones and all humans. She explains that “there are people out there…who dread the idea of your hand brushing against theirs”. As if they are disgusting or contagious. Tommy’s innocenceis displayed in him saying “did someone think we didn’t have souls?”. He is naive to the fact that many people believed it, displaying inequality.
Monster even has prejudice towards himself. “How was I terrified when i viewed myself in atransparent pool”.Kathy is hurt when she witnesses the prejudice of Madame towards herself and the other clones. Madame “was afraid of us in thesame way someone might be afraid of spiders”. She explains that it felt like “walking past a mirror you’ve walked past every day of your life, and suddenly it shows you something else, something troubling and strange”

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Theme of responsibility

Notion of individual responsibility and the responsibility to society. The monster says hewill do his duty to all of mankind, if Frankenstein does his duty to him by making him a friend. However, Frankenstein feels it ishis responsibility to destroy the companion hemade, in order to prevent a “race of devils”. He asks “had i right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?”, suggesting his fear of the monster reproducing is more important to himthan his role in caring for his own creation. Byhim stating “i shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest” afterwardsshows he is selfish, as his fear that society will hate him is greater than all of his responsibilities. Notion of individual responsibility and the responsibility to society. The teachers may feel bad / responsible - “poor creatures what have we done to you”, yet they have to think about society as a whole. Miss Emily states “how can you ask a world that has come to regard cancer as curable, how can you ask such a world to put away that cure, to go backto the dark days?”. Once they have a cure, they cannot retract it, so however immoral it is, they have to continue. Stronger responsibility to society than the clones - not human so therefore don’t care as much? Unlike the monster, the clones actually have a “purpose” within society. It is more of a debate of ethics.more realistic to the reader like Dolly the Sheep 1996
Frankenstein only first accepts any responsibility in chapter 10, when he states “I felt what the duties of a creator towards his creature were and that I ought to render him happy before I complained of his wickedness”. He finally understands that as he is the one who brought the monster to life, he has a responsibility to provide for him. He also seems to get that he is partly to blame for the monster’s “wickedness”. After, “the rain begins to descend” foreshadowing how Frankenstein will go back on his word, and avoid all responsibility. Makes his actions more cruel as now the reader understands heknows he has a duty towards him, yet purposefully disregards it. The guardians seem to accept responsibility, as Miss Emily states “poor creatures. What did we do to you?”. Rhetorical questions. Patronising. The use of “we” seems to shift blame slightly. Miss Lucy seems to think it is her responsibility to prevent the clones being “toldand not told”. She therefore tells the students that “your lives are set out for you”. She believes that they “need to remember that. If you’re to have decent lives, you have to knowwho you are and what lies ahead of you”. Shethinks that it is unfair the students are misled and feels it is her responsibility to prepare them. She also takes it upon herself to tell Tommy that it doesn’t actually matter that he is not creative or good at art.
Overall Frankenstein fails to accept Overall the guardians seem to accept their
responsibility of his actions. He kills the female creation right in front of the monster’s eyes - leading to the deaths of Elizabeth and Frankenstein himself. He saw himself as a figure of justice, and chose his individual responsibility (not wanting to be shunned for a “race of devils”) over his responsibility to themonster. responsibility, yet express nothing can be changed. Society however fails to accept any responsibility, as they reject projects such as Hailsham, and have a desire to keep them in the “shadows”.

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Value of life

Never Let Me Go becomes somewhat frustrating due to the passivity of the clones in the face of evil. Ishiguro’s decision to depict a passive state instead of a rebellion leads the reader to understand that they have been indoctrinated to not value their own lives- they see death as a duty with Ruth even saying “I’m pretty much ready to become a donor, it just feels right, I mean its what we’re supposed to do, right?”. This is perhaps due to the fact of them not fully understanding their fate; they’ve been “told but not told”. While most sci-fi and dystopian novels, like NLMG, use scientific words to create the illusion of reality- Ishiguro decides against this. Much like Shelley, he goes into almost no depth of the scientific part of the cloning process. Instead, he uses a cluster of simple words like “donor” and “completion” to describe the death of the clones. These euphemisms have a dual purpose of of hiding the truth both from the reader and the clones themselves. As they have no understanding of how significant death is, how could they have any understanding of the value of their own life?
On the surface, it seems that the creature does not value his own life very highly, describing himself as “wretched helpless and alone” even likening himself to “Satan”- a extremely controversial religious statement for the early 1800s. However he stills holds a value for his life when he defends it will murder and blackmail. Not only are these actions that show a willingness to defend his life physically but also a willingness and determination to live a fulfilling life with a mate. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a mate comes into the third state of human need, after two stages of physiological needs; this therefore demonstrates how highly the creature values his life to hope for the ending stage of ‘self-actualization’.

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Boundaries between life and death

Victor’s actions lead to so much death it seems that he has almost no value of life whatsoever. This is because, to him, the boundary between life and death is almost imaginary: “life and death appeared to me ideal bounds”. To him, the value of life is almost as insignificant as death- it no longer matters if he is playing God as the sanctity of conception, creation and birth of a life is rendered to nothing. Shelley’s mother died only 3 weeks after giving birth to her due to childbirth complications. Therefore, Mary’s birth was essentially the cause of her mothers death and perhaps why the two themes of life and death are so strongly interlinked.
Similarly, the clones’ entire existence is preparing for death so that by the time comes, the slip into death almost means nothing. This is emphasized by Kathy’s bland and subtle narrative; in the opening chapter, she describes her work as a carer looking after donors and how “hardly any of them have been classified as ‘agitated’, even before fourth donation”. She talks in euphemisms here, with “fourth donation” meaning death. The mundane description of death reinforces the idea that death- to the clones- is as mindless as breathing.

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Identity - NVLMG

The clones are raised to seek validity in the things in which they create; this in turn displays the fragility of our own self identity when other’s judgement is placed upon it. The students diligently attempt to improve their art in order to have their pieces selected for “the gallery” and consequently, this changes the students’ perception of their own self-worth, causing them to doubt their individuality and meaning. Kathy thinks she understands herself and those around her until Madame looks at them as though they are “spiders” an unliked animal that many people have a phobia to. The view that Madame holds of the children changes the perception that they hold of themselves and she describes it like “walking past a mirror you’ve walked past every day of your life, and suddenly it shows you something else, something troubling and strange”. This perhaps stems from Ishiguro’s own feelings of not knowing who he is; he was born in Japan but has spent most of his time in England but describes how he ‘feels neither Japanese nor English’.
The clones also respond to their lack of individuality by finding stability in imitating others; much like how Ruth copies ‘real’ people on the TV as well as maturer clones in the cottages.
Ishiguro also alludes to the universal human desire for knowledge of personal identity and uniqueness. Which is difficult to acquire in even a normal boarding school The students seem to find this reassurance in their small collections of personal items that represent pieces of themselves. Kathy recalls this in saying “maybe we all had little secrets like that - little private nooks created out of thin air where we could go off along with our fears and longings” Here, Kathy’s yearning to “go off” demonstrates her desire for individuality and distance from the group. Similarly, humans often have to cope with doubt, and the students come to realize they are “different from the normal people outside; we perhaps even knew that a long way down the line there were donations waiting for us. But we didn’t really know what that meant” In this quote, Ishiguro suggests that a purpose does not solidify one’s meaning in life. Despite knowing their purpose in life is to make donations, the students remain unfulfilled and continue to search for something that feels meaningful to them.

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Narrative - NVLMG

Kathy’s pale and bland narrative represents a calculated risk on Ishiguro’s part, since it is written in what Nabokov once called ‘weak, blonde prose’. Kathy’s diction is relaxed into colloquialism and cliche; a teacher “loses her marbles”, a rainy day is “bucketing it down” and she is very fond of the extremely English word “daft”. Ishiguro has always enjoyed ventriloquising drab English voices like the butler in ‘The Remains of the day’. It is a fantasy so mundanely told, so ordinary and so deliberately grounded that its effect is not just a fantasy made so deliberately grounded that its effect is not just a fantasy made credible but of the real and invading fantasy, bursting into its eccentricities and claiming it as normal. Ishiguro rations the pace at which the reader receives the terrible information about donations and completions but his real interest is not in what we discover, but in what his characters discover and how it will affect them. He wants us to inhabit their ignorance.
Kathy also has a habit of addressing the reader as if the reader is the same as her e.g. “I don’t know how t was where you were, but at Hailsham…” This has a fragile pathos to it-she wants to be one of us and in someways, assumes she is.
The euphemistic language adds to the deep seeded level of deception and how it can be perpetuated in any society where we use language to justify our actions. For example, in war the term ‘collateral damage’ meaning the killing of civilians. This is a social phenomenon known as the ‘bi-stander’ effect where ordinary people igone or remain indifferent to obvious human suffering.

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Identity - Frankenstein

“Like Adam,” the creature says, “I was created apparently united by no link to any other being in existence,” but “many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me.” The creature reads Milton’s paradise lost and many argue that Satan is actually the protagonist in the story; it is easy to see his character as the great advocate of freedom, the rebellious symbol of liberty saying the immortal line “better to reign in Hell than serve in heaven.” By associating the monster with Satan, what Sheley is hinting to her reader is that, much like the devil in Paradise Lost, the protagonist in her book may not be who the reader expects. It’s from Milton’s portrayal of Satan for which Shelley drew inspiration for some of the monster’s most notable features: principally amongst them, his power of speech. Like Satan, the monster in Frankenstein is more articulate and more eloquent than any other character in the story. The monster’s narration sometimes mimics directly from the book as when he states “evil thenceforth became my good” a play off on Satan’s words “all good to me is lost. Evil be thou my good”.
There is one more tragedy embedded in the monsters association with Satan and that is that he himself knows which character he is like. However, it is clear that he wants to be Adam, with a loving creator. It is out this yearning to be Adam, that the monster emulates Adam and demands a mate, the action that ultimately brings everybody to ruin because the monster is not Adam and Victor is not God. This ends in one telling line which reads “increase in knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was.”
If the monster so clearly mirrors Milton’s Satan, then is Frankenstein supposed to mirror Milton’s God? Not entirely, and this compasion serves make the reader realise just how weak and unfit a creator Frankenstein is. However, they are similar in one way: neither Milton’s God or Shelley’s Frankenstein are self-critical enough to see that they are hurting the very beings who they are supposed to be responsible for.

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Frankenstein context

By definition, the genre of Gothic fiction tends to give an impression of impending doom. In The Female Gothic: The Monster’s Mother, Ellen Moers states that when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, her “emphasis is not upon what precedes birth, not upon birth itself, but upon what follows birth: the trauma of the afterbirth” (319). This means that when Shelly is writing about birth, she is actually cluing into what happens next. A passage from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus that reflects this is where after years of research, Victor Frankenstein has finally given life to a creature. This creature is described as having “yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath” (Frankenstein, 49), which contrasted in a horrible fashion with his eyes. Shelley goes on to describe “his shrivelled complexion, and straight black lips” (49). The descriptions given by Shelley emphasizes the physiological features of the monster created by Victor Frankenstein, and does so in a way meant to bring fear and disgust, and allows the reader to infer that this monster will bring terror to anyone who encounters him.

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Humanity - Frankenstein

The monster represents a classic trope in the sci-fi genre, an outwardly ugly creature finds itself continuously rejected by an inwardly ugly humanity. And thus, at last, the monster turns on humanity itself.

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Humanity neglection

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However, humanity negates the clones, as they are ‘modelled’ to be passive, making them incapable of rebelling like the creature in Frankenstein. Kathy’s first-person narrative is limited by her ignorance, as she remains undisturbed by her predetermined fate and accepts what she is ‘supposed to be doing’, exhibiting the societal constraints imposed on her.
Pointedly, Kathy’s colloquial language is marked by the pleasant-sounding euphemisms of ‘privileged estates’, ‘recovery centres’ and ‘completion’, which seek to subtly justify humanity’s mistreatment of clones. Alternatively, it is plausible to suggest that Kathy’s retrospective narration can be otherwise seen as a passive protest against humanity’s mistreatment of clones, as her casual tone in describing that clones will ‘unzip’ their ‘liver’ and ‘kidney’ subtly reveals humanity’s evident corruption, which diminishes the clones’ sense of humanity.
This sinister chremamorphism enhances the unease of the clones’ inevitable end; perhaps, highlighting the brutality of humanity in ensuring the clones are bound to their roles as ‘donors’.

Impact of science

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The numerous aspects of science presented in both, Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go can be said to have immense impact in relation to the societies presented in the two novels, as well as the way in which they influence the concept of social order within those societies. To an extent, the degree of science’s impact on society can be said to be more prominent and influential in one novel, more than the other as their chain of events despite all being drastically affected by the ideas brought about through science - such as the concept of artificially made life, can be said to have more impact of the concept of social order within NVLMG
The science which leads to the initialisation of the idea of creating organ donors which will contribute to the later life of those who stand higher in the society’s capitalistic structure can be said to have impacted the overall concept of a social order through the obstruction of proceeding in what is morally right as a result of deeming cloning perfectly acceptable. However, another way to interpret Ishiguro’s ideologies behind social order in Never Let Me Go can be through the lack of surprise at the ways in which Kathy’s society is run. The fact that science was powerful enough to normalise the concept of organ donation in a manner which is disadvantageous for the donors in regards to a chance at a normal life comes alongside the fact that there is very little desire to rebel on behalf of the donors. Through this, it can be deduced that science and its influence can completely overpower the idea of self righteousness and own will, enforcing conformity to the values put upon by a corrupt society

Fear/fearlessness introduction

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Fear and fearlessness are recurring themes in literature, often serving as powerful catalysts for character development and narrative exploration. Mary Shelley’s iconic novel, Frankenstein, and Kazuo Ishiguro’s haunting dystopian masterpiece, Never Let Me Go, both delve into the profound and complex nature of fear and fearlessness. While Shelley’s Frankenstein examines the destructive consequences of fear and the relentless pursuit of knowledge, Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go explores the fear of mortality and the courageous acts that arise from accepting one’s fate. Through their respective works, Shelley and Ishiguro invite readers to ponder the intricate relationship between fear and fearlessness, as well as the moral and ethical implications that accompany these emotions.

Fear/fearlessness - society and morality

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Society - Morality
Fear of ‘the other’
Fear of ‘the creator’
Frankie: “Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred.”

NLMG: “We took away your art because we thought it would reveal you souls. Or to put it more finely, to prove you had souls at all.”

In Frankenstein, fear and fearlessness are intricately tied to societal norms and moral boundaries. Victor Frankenstein’s creation is initially feared and rejected by society due to its monstrous appearance. This fear-driven rejection highlights society’s tendency to judge and alienate those who are different. Victor’s fear of societal judgment drives him to hide his creation, fearing the moral implications of his actions. In contrast, the creature’s fearlessness emerges from its yearning for acceptance and understanding. It challenges the conventional notion of good and evil, seeking compassion and companionship. Shelley’s portrayal underscores the moral complexities of society, inviting readers to question the consequences of prejudice and the courage required to defy societal expectations.
Similarly, Never Let Me Go explores the impact of fear and fearlessness on societal norms and moral choices. In this dystopian world, clones are created solely for organ donation. The fear of their predetermined fate influences the characters’ actions, leading to the suppression of their emotions and desires. However, their fearlessness emerges as they question the morality of their existence and seek to assert their humanity. Ishiguro confronts readers with the moral dilemma of sacrificing one group for the benefit of another, prompting contemplation about the ethical boundaries society establishes and the courage required to challenge them.

Fear/fearlessness - fear of ‘the other’

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FRANKIE: His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcey covereed the work of muscles and arteris beneath.”

NLMG: “We all complete”

Both novels address the fear of “the other,” highlighting society’s tendency to fear and reject what is different or unfamiliar. In Frankenstein, Victor’s fear of his creation stems from its monstrous appearance, making it the epitome of “the other.” The creature, despite its desire for acceptance, is met with fear and violence. Shelley explores the consequences of prejudice and the destructive power of fear when it leads to the rejection and marginalization of “the other.”
In Never Let Me Go, the clones are considered “the other” within society, instilling fear in the general population due to their perceived lesser value and status. This fear creates a divide between clones and humans, resulting in the exploitation and dehumanization of the former. The characters’ fearlessness lies in their defiance of this societal perception, seeking to challenge the fear-driven divisions and find common ground with the “other.” Ishiguro prompts readers to reflect on the fear that arises from difference and the moral imperative to recognize the shared humanity in all individuals.

Fear/fearlessness - the creator

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NLMG: - “Completion”
“created to do […] [they] were brought into [the] world for a purpose”

FRANKIE: “I, too, can create desolation: my enemy is not invulnerable; this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him.”

The fear of “the creator” is another prominent theme in both novels, highlighting the consequences of playing god and the ethical implications of creation. In Frankenstein, Victor’s fear towards his own creation stems from his realization of the immense power he has wielded, challenging the natural order. His fear of the creature’s potential for destruction and his inability to control it leads to disastrous consequences. Shelley warns against the dangers of unchecked ambition and the responsibility of creators towards their creations.
In Never Let Me Go, the fear of “the creator” is depicted through the characters’ fear of their creators, the institutions that control and exploit them. The fearlessness emerges from their questioning of their role as mere commodities and their search for autonomy and dignity. Ishiguro examines the moral implications of creating life for a specific purpose and raises questions about the responsibility of creators towards their creations.

Gender roles - Societal expectations

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Societal expectations
Agency and Identity
Consequences of transgressing Gender Roles
Both Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go are set in different time periods and societal contexts, which greatly influence the expectations placed upon individuals based on their gender. In Frankenstein, Shelley depicts a patriarchal society of the 19th century. The female characters, such as Elizabeth and Justine, are expected to embody purity, submission, and domesticity. They are confined to traditional roles and serve as nurturing figures for the male protagonists.In contrast, Ishiguro presents a dystopian society in Never Let Me Go, where gender roles are more fluid but still deeply entrenched. The characters are clones raised in a strictly controlled environment, their primary purpose being to provide organs for donation. Gender roles within the clone society are less rigid due to the emphasis on their utilitarian function.

Gender roles - Transgressing roles

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FRANKIE: “I did confess, but I confessed a lie. I confessed, that I might obtain absolution; but now that falsehood lies heavier at my heart that all my other sins.”
“I shall be with you on your wedding night”

NLMG: “holding an imaginary baby to my breast”

Both novels reveal the severe consequences faced by characters who dare to transgress or challenge the societal norms surrounding gender roles.The female characters in Frankenstein who attempt to assert themselves within a patriarchal society suffer dire consequences. For instance, Elizabeth becomes a victim of the Creature’s vengeance, and Justine is wrongly accused and executed. Their defiance against their prescribed gender roles ultimately leads to their tragic fates.
In Never Let Me Go, the clones’ attempts to deviate from their predetermined roles are met with a sense of futility. The characters, including Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, attempt to find meaning and love beyond their predetermined fate but are ultimately unsuccessful. The consequences of challenging their prescribed roles are not as overtly violent as in Frankenstein but rather result in emotional and psychological turmoil.

Gender roles - intro

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Gender roles have been a recurring theme in literature, shedding light on societal expectations and the struggles individuals face due to their prescribed roles. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go provide intriguing insights into the complexities of gender roles. Both authors utilise the theme to portray the characters experiences, societal expectations, and the consequences of challenging these roles.

# 3 Gender roles - Agency and identity

- NLMG: "It's just as well the fences at Hailsham aren't electrified. You get terrible accidents sometimes." FRANKIE: "A new species wold bless me as its creator." - The exploration of gender roles in both novels delves into the characters' struggles to define their identities and assert their agency in the face of societal expectations.Victor Frankenstein's pursuit of scientific knowledge is predominantly masculine, emphasizing the idea of men as creators. However, his creation, the Creature, represents a disruption of traditional gender roles. The Creature grapples with his lack of agency and his desire for companionship, ultimately leading to his tragic fate. - In Never Let Me Go, the clones' identity and agency are deeply compromised from the start. Their purpose as organ donors takes precedence over their individual aspirations. However, the female protagonist, Kathy, seeks to understand her own identity and challenges the boundaries imposed by society, highlighting the struggle against predetermined roles.

# 3 Scientific Endeavours - Ambition

- Ambition - Responsibility - Dehumanization - FRANKIE: "I collected bones from charnel houses and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame." NLMG: "We took away your art becuase we thought it would reveal your souls. O to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all." - In both Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go, the protagonists exhibit ambition and a thirst for knowledge that drives their scientific pursuits. Victor Frankenstein seeks to unlock the secrets of life and create a new being, while the guardians in Never Let Me Go strive to understand the intricacies of human cloning and organ donation. Both narratives underscore the dangers of unchecked ambition, as Victor's creation turns into a destructive force, and the guardians' scientific advancements ultimately result in the dehumanization and commodification of the clones.

# 3 Scientific Endeavours - Responsibility

- FRANKIE: "I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart." NLMG: We all know it. We're modeled from trash. Junkies, prostitutes, winos, tramps. Convicts maybe, just as long as they aren't psychos." - While Victor Frankenstein and the guardians embark on their scientific endeavors driven by curiosity and ambition, they soon realize the weight of responsibility that comes with their actions. Frankenstein abandons his creation, neglecting his duty as a creator and inadvertently unleashing a monster into the world. In contrast, the guardians in Never Let Me Go are aware of the clones' purpose from the outset but grapple with the ethical implications of using them as organ donors. Both stories highlight the moral responsibility that accompanies scientific discovery and the dire consequences of neglecting it.

Scientific Endeavours - intro

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go are two compelling novels that explore the consequences of scientific endeavours and the ethical implications of playing God. Both stories delve into the human desire to push the boundaries of knowledge and the price we pay for our relentless pursuit of scientific progress. The theme of scientific endeavours in these two literary works highlights the similarities and differences in their portrayal of ambition, responsibility, and the dehumanization of individuals.

# 3 Scientific Endeavours - Dehumanisation

- FRANKIE: "I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy." NLMG: That's what each of you was created to do. [...] You were brought into this world for a purpose, and your future's, all of them, have been decided." - In Frankenstein, the creature experiences profound isolation and loneliness, rejected by society due to his monstrous appearance. Victor's scientific experiment results in the creation of a being that lacks the fundamental human qualities of love, companionship, and acceptance. - Similarly, in Never Let Me Go, the clones are systematically dehumanized, treated as objects solely for organ harvesting. They are denied the opportunity to live fulfilling lives and are constantly reminded of their predetermined fate. Both novels emphasize the dehumanizing effects of scientific manipulation and the erosion of humanity that occurs when individuals are reduced to mere experiments or commodities.

Morality - Intro

Morality, the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and evil, plays a significant role in shaping human behaviour and societal norms. Two literary works, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, explore the complex theme of morality in unique ways. While both novels delve into ethical dilemmas and the consequences of playing God, they differ in terms of the moral responsibility of their characters and the broader societal implications. Morality in Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go, both shed light on the human condition and the consequences of transgressing ethical boundaries.

# 4 Morality - Moral responsibility

- Moral Responsibility of the characters - The Consequence of playing God - Societal Implications and Reflections on Morality - FRANKIE: "I beheld the wretch - the miserable monster whom I created" NLMG: "took away your art because we thought it would reveal your souls. Or to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all." - In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley raises questions about the moral responsibility of Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monstrous creature. Victor's ambition and thirst for knowledge drive him to create life, but he abandons his creation due to its grotesque appearance. This abandonment leads to the creature's vengeful actions, challenging the reader to consider the extent of Victor's moral culpability. The novel presents a cautionary tale, emphasizing the importance of assuming responsibility for one's actions. - In Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro explores the moral responsibility of the characters toward society. Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are clones created for organ donation purposes. They grow up in a dystopian society that views them as mere commodities. Despite their limited agency, they navigate their morally complex situation by seeking personal connections and striving to find meaning in their lives. The characters in Never Let Me Go are trapped within a morally flawed system, highlighting the individuals' struggle to assert their humanity against a dehumanizing society.

# 3 Morality - Consequence of playing god

- FRANKIE: I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel." NLMG: "you'll donate your vital organs. That's what each of you was created to do. [...] You were brought into this world for a purpose, and your futures, all of them, have been decided." - Both Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go delve into the consequences of playing God by interfering with the natural order of life. In Frankenstein, Victor's ambition to create life leads to catastrophic consequences. His creation, initially intended to be a marvel of scientific achievement, becomes a tormented being filled with bitterness and anger. The monster's moral compass becomes skewed due to its isolation and rejection, ultimately leading to a series of violent acts. Shelley's novel warns against the dangers of tampering with the natural course of life and the potential ramifications that can arise from unchecked scientific advancement. - In Never Let Me Go, the consequences of playing God are explored through the creation of clones for organ harvesting. The novel raises questions about the ethical implications of treating clones as mere objects for the benefit of others. The characters' existence is predetermined, denying them basic human rights and agency. Ishiguro's narrative highlights the inherent moral dilemma of creating life solely for the purpose of sacrificing it, prompting readers to question the boundaries of human morality in the face of technological advancements.

# 3 Morality - Societal implications and reflections on morality

- FRANKIE: "Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge." NLMG: "We're all modeled from trash. Junkies, prostitutes, winos, tramps. Convicts, maybe, just as long as they aren't psychos." - Frankenstein serves as a cautionary tale for society, challenging the reader to reflect on the ethical boundaries of scientific advancement. Shelley's novel critiques the Enlightenment era's excessive focus on reason and progress, cautioning against the unchecked pursuit of knowledge without considering the moral consequences. The tale reminds readers that moral responsibility should guide scientific progress and that the boundaries of nature should not be surpassed heedlessly. - In Never Let Me Go, Ishiguro's dystopian world is a reflection of society's moral shortcomings. The novel raises pertinent questions about the commodification of human life, the ethics of organ harvesting, and the dangers of societal apathy towards marginalized groups. By depicting a world where the majority turn a blind eye to the suffering of a few, Ishiguro challenges the reader to examine their own moral compass and question the ethical implications of societal systems that dehumanize and exploit certain individuals for the benefit of others.

Relationships - Intro

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go are two iconic works of literature that delve into the complexities of human relationships. While separated by time, genre, and narrative style, both novels explore the theme of relationships, albeit in vastly different ways.

# 4 Relationships - companionship

- Companionship - Love - Consequences of Isolation - FRANKIE: "I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to be." NLMG: "We all complete. Maybe none us really understand what we've been through, or feel that we've had enough time." - In both Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go, companionship plays a crucial role in shaping the characters' lives and their sense of identity. Victor Frankenstein's creation longs for companionship but is rejected by society, leading to his feelings of isolation and eventual despair. The creature's longing for connection showcases the human desire for companionship and its consequences when denied. - In comparison, The students at Hailsham seek solace and support from each other, forming deep bonds despite their harrowing circumstances. Their friendships become a means of coping with their bleak realities and provide moments of joy amidst their constrained existence.

# 2 Relationships - love

- FRANKIE: "I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart." NLMG: "it should have been you two. [...] Put right what I messed up for you." - Love, in its various forms, is a recurring theme in both novels, presenting different perspectives on the complexity and power of human emotions. Victor Frankenstein's obsession with creating life leads him to neglect his loved ones, ultimately leading to tragic consequences. The absence of love and empathy in his actions demonstrates the destructive nature of pursuing scientific ambitions at the cost of personal relationships. Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth's intertwined love triangle explores the complexities of human emotions within the confines of their predetermined fates. Their love serves as a source of comfort, hope, and longing, despite their inevitable destinies.

# 3 Relationships - Consequences of isolation

- FRANKIE: "In a solitary chamber, or rather cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a gallery and staircase, I kept my workshop of filthy creation" NLMG: "a dark fringe of trees, but I certainly wasn't the only one my age to feel their presence day and night." - Both novels explore the consequences of isolation on the human psyche, shedding light on the profound effects of loneliness. Victor Frankenstein's isolation from society and rejection of his creation lead him down a path of self-destruction. The isolation he experiences mirrors the monster's own alienation, emphasizing the destructive consequences of social isolation. - The clones in Never Let Me Go are physically isolated from the outside world, and their limited interactions with others shape their identities and perceptions of themselves. The characters grapple with a sense of existential loneliness, questioning their purpose and struggling to find meaning in their secluded lives.

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