Kazuo Ishiguro's novel "Never Let Me Go" is set in a dystopian world where human clones are created so that they can donate their organs as young adults. Ishiguro proposes the possible threats posed by the upper class in relation to capitalism and the way in which the working class is exploited, which is emphasized through the characterization of the characters and the construction of the hierarchy. The novel "Never Let Me Go" remains an entirely Marxist strike against the inventions of the bourgeoisie and the effect that these then have on the proletariat. Ishiguro also uses symbolism to show how the clones will become proletariats despite their attempts to absorb Hailsham values and be accepted within mainstream society. Ishiguro has a strong view of how the lower classes are generally expected to not only obey but also sacrifice lives for the ruling elite, which he describes in his writings. He describes this society in his book and uses it to challenge society against this view. Furthermore, his writings actively explore topics such as selfhood and oppression which are expressed in chapters that evoke extreme feelings of sympathy and helplessness in the reader. Using a critical Marxist perspective, we can discuss Ishiguro's depiction of the working class, examining the power conflict between social classes and the way the economy is organized, including the mistreatment and exploitation of the powerless. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The most obvious way in which “Don't Leave Me” represents an indispensable Marxist meaning is through Ishiguro's emphasis on the segregation of society, which is still evident in today's society. The reason the Hailsham students are cloned is to provide organs to the rich when they need them, so it is clear that the protagonist and the other clones live their lives for the intelligentsia. This is an example of exploitation within a socially unjust society and immediately places Hailsham students in the lowest status within society due to a lack of control over their lives and physical aspects. Ishiguro reinforces the students' helplessness towards the reader through the character of Miss Lucy when he states, “You're not like the actors you watch in your videos, you're not even like me. You were brought into this world for a purpose and your future, everything, has been decided. This suggests that the students of Hailsham are limited to having their own lives and are simply just bodies with functioning organs that will be ripped away from them. Ishiguro symbolizes finality through the word "decided", as this reinforces how captured the individual's life is and the futility of rebelling as everything has already been set in stone. This quote is very powerful as it shows the manipulation of a proletariat's personality so as to destroy their individuality. Furthermore, human rights are taken away from the proletariat so that the rich can continue to live in luxury, which means physically depriving the child of free will over his own body. The idea that students are being raised to die in most cases is stripping away their innocence and childhood, concluding that children experience life as what Aries (1960) would call “mini adults.” This fits with the sociological idea of a child's childhood being taken away from them as Hailsham forces students to adapt to the norms and values they need to serve the interests of capitalism; which is a Marxist convention. Ishiguro presents an artificial division between theupper and lower classes through the relationship between the students of Hailsham and those from whom they were cloned to show the different means of social control. These clones are created to serve the interests of the bourgeoisie. This luxury of having donors immediately available is provided and available only to the highest in society; remember how the bourgeoisie exploits the powerless, as students are literally sacrificing their bodies in service of the upper class. Kathy's character emphasizes her separation from mainstream society when she mentions "waiting for the moment when you realize that you are truly different from them." Kathy sees a connection with the person she was cloned from and wonders if their lives are different, however, it is obvious to the reader that there is a clear segregation between them. Hailsham's authority reinforces this idea for Kathy and the students by stating that their life's purpose is to serve the upper class. Kathy "waiting" for the moment to realize this shows how she has no right to know the truth and how she has been completely isolated from the upper class as all her questions remain unanswered. This demonstrates that there is a clear divide between social classes and how agents of social control exercise their power over the powerless. Ishiguro also clearly presents the divide through Kathy by saying “that they fear the idea of your hand brushing against theirs” which demoralizes the students as human beings and accentuates how they are figures of social needs instead of lives. The fact that everyone else, apart from the students, is “afraid” to even touch them reinforces how severe the divide between Hailsham and the outside world is and how this has created prejudice against them. This highlights how Ishiguro presents the students as objectified only for the needs of the upper class that Ishiguro is challenging. Ishiguro uses Miss Lucy's characterization to impose the norms and values of Hailsham on the purity of the students. For example, Miss Lucy states: "If you want to live a dignified life, you must know who you are and what awaits you, each of you." Arguably, Miss Lucy is the most heroic character in the novel, suggesting that it is best to face the reality that is "death" and accept what life demands of them. For example, the reason for their life is to provide and assist their functioning organs and simply live for their death which is imminent. In contrast, Miss Lucy could be seen as a very manipulative character in the novel, suggesting that she also works for the bourgeoisie or could be bound by what they call "law", but according to legislation it goes against human rights like artificial laws. they are imposed on students to make capitalism and exploitation successful. Theoretically, Miss Lucy is indoctrinating the students to keep them unaware and separated from reality. An example of indoctrinated students can be shown when Kathy mentions "I tried to leave Hailsham behind... But then there came a point where I stopped resisting", this reinforces the success with which all hierarchies and authority figures have instilled their ideology in the students and how the students cannot leave their past behind as it constantly surrounds them. Obviously, Ishiguro is encouraging the character of Miss Lucy to absorb the Hailsham regime and work to satisfy the needs of a capitalist society that only benefits the bourgeoisie. For example, this is demonstrated when he conveys, “You were a lucky chit. There was a certain climate and now it no longer exists. You have to accept that sometimes this is how things happen in this world. The word "lucky" connotes that the students are lucky enough to live in Hailsham, but the word "pawns" implies that the students.
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