Narrative Techniques + Context (Part 1)

Question 1

How does the opening paragraph hook a reader?

Answer 1

• lots of information withheld
• Kathy, as narrator, expects us to understand terms such as ’donor’ and ’carer’
• conversational and colloquial tone is characteristic of whole novel and gives reader sense of intimacy (familiarity)

Question 2

What is a significance of withholding information?

Answer 2

• Ishiguro withholds information to imitate the experience the students have had at Hailsham
• we have been ’told and not told’ like them, and have to piece together small clues
• not until chapters 21 + 22 that we find out what their art is ’evidence’ for