hopes and dreams

Question 1

theme of social expectations vs individual goals

Answer 1

The novel’s clones make plans for their futures as though they might be allowed to live their own, fulfilling lives—even as they know, in the back of their minds, that these plans are either impossible or highly improbable

Question 2

symbol of open plan office

Answer 2

symbolizes the students’ gradually diminishing sense of possibility for the future. At this point, none of the students have begun donating organs. They are in a transitional period and still able to hold onto the dream of an alternate future

Question 3

kathy and freedom

Answer 3

freedom tends to be symbolized most strongly by the Judy Bridgewater tape of the song “Never Let Me Go,” to which Kathy listens constantly, and which Tommy and Ruth “find” again in Norfolk. Kathy knows that the song stirs in her the kinds of emotions—of love and human attachment to a child—that Kathy can never experience. But it is simply the feeling of wanting these attachments that allows Kathy to feel human and complete, and to live a life that is satisfying to her.

Question 4

impact of setting

Answer 4

WW2 ideas

symbol of ‘dark fringe of trees’ and the fence sense of entrapment

Question 5

the characters dreams

Answer 5

KATHY - she wants to be with tommy, however something always stops them mostly ruth but sometimes their own fate but she stays hopeful until the very end
RUTH - dreams of working in an office, her angry reaction to not finding her possible emphasises her disappointment at the shattering of her dream. tommy suggests she’s the one who held most hope for future
TOMMY - has hope in his artwork because he thinks that will help them get a deferral