Dystopia, Hailsham and Tommy's Tantrum Flashcards
Prose Revision
In what year was the novel published?
2005
In what time and place is the novel set?
‘England, late 1990s’
The novel is most obviously influenced by the conventions of which genre?
Dystopia
Which word (beginning with o) means all-powerful and could be used to describe the anonymous ‘they’ of the novel?
omnipotent
What does ‘omnipotent’ mean and who/what could be described like this?
omnipotent = all-powerful. This could be used to describe the anonymous ‘they’ authority figure of the novel.
In the opening chapters, how does Kathy refer to the faceless authority that she works for?
‘they’
Which word (beginning with e) means a mild or indirect word used instead of one that might be deemed too harsh?
euphemism
What is a euphemism?
A mild or indirect word that is used instead of one that might be deemed too harsh.
What are some examples of euphemisms used in the novel?
‘carer’, ‘donor’, ‘recover centres’, ‘completing’
Why does Ishiguro present a society full of euphemisms - e.g. ‘complete’ is used instead of die.
To show how society does not want to face the blunt truth of what is taking place; language has been adapted to make the cloning programme seem less horrific.
Which word (beginning with v) means creating the appearance of reality?
verisimilitude
What does ‘verisimilitude’ mean?
The appearance of reality
What are some of the ways that Ishiguro creates verisimilitude?
Through referring to real places (e.g. Dover, Norfolk etc.) and real things (e.g. Walkmans, the novel Daniel Deronda etc.)
Why is the novel set in ‘England, late 1990s’ and not some futuristic alternate reality (as might be expected of a dystopian text)
Ishiguro wants to make the horrific events of the novel seem plausible.
Which word (beginning with n) means a longing for the past?
nostalgia
Which does nostalgic mean?
A longing for the past