Setting (Part 1)

Question 1

How is the theme of memories portrayed in the setting?

Answer 1

• Kathy pictures Hailsham as utopian place, but bullying and lack of privacy makes reader uncertain + question her reliability - Hailsham is more of a ’sham’ or fraud - an aptronymic name
• makes reader question power of memories - can they always be relied on, or do we just remember what we want?
• Kathy also only briefly talks about present - memories of past are too powerful for her to remain in the present - could suggest the harsh reality of the present

Question 2

What do the woods symbolise?

Answer 2

• ’a dark fringe of trees … that … cast a shadow over the whole of Hailsham’ - symbolise fear of outside world and threat of outsiders - could present what dangerous society has become - questions on ethics
• fear shown in stories + rumours of leaving Hailsham boundaries - dystopian convention - trapped from society