Visual (Film: Never Let Me Go) External Flashcards
Author of novel?
Kazuo Ishiguro
He is a Japanese-British novelist and screenwriter.
Director of film?
Mark Romanek
Composer of the motion picture score
Rachel Portman
Theme
What does it mean to be human?
Theme —-> three comprising ideas.
- The Ability to Love
- The Ability to Have Free Will
- The Inevitability of Loss
Character
Kathy H
Top two settings
Present setting for grown Kathy is the late 1990’s, but her childhood memories go back to 1970’s.
- Hailsham, the boarding-school-like institution where Kathy and her friends grow up.
- The Cottages, where they go immediately after leaving Hailsham, to stay at until they begin their donations.
Philosopher,
his two requirements to be human
Italian philosopher Thomas Aquinas.
He believed that to be human you must meet two requirements: the ability to love and to have free will.
Quotes for authors purpose
- In Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro proposes what initially seems to be a simple idea: human characteristics extend to artificial human lives, lives created in a laboratory, rather than to “naturally born” humans alone. However, the work hints at a far more complex theme.
- “Never Let Me Go” reminds us that regardless of the conditions provided on “humane” farms, animals exist in such places to be exploited. Like speciesism, which emerged to justify human exploitation of animals, an elaborate ideology exists in Kathy and Tommy’s world to rationalise the violence done to clones like them.
- The novel’s title epitomises this desire to hold on. The phrase “never let me go” is somewhere between a plea and a demand, reflecting a deeply human need to hold onto, and be held by, loved ones. Kathy’s memories are her way of holding onto everyone and everything she has lost.
- Another possibility is to read the novel as an allegory of the way in which, legally and ethically, we create a false, bright line between human and non-human lives: human lives matter and non-human lives matter less.
Quotes for character
Kathy H:
- “When we lost Ruth, and then we lost Tommy too, I just kept driving. Kept going back to the beginning.”
This quote reflects the very human act of returning to memories for comfort, understanding, or purpose. Memory is a big part of what defines us as individuals.
- “We all complete. Maybe none of us really understand what we’ve lived through. Or feel we’ve had enough time.”
This line hits hard—it’s philosophical and universal. Kathy is saying that life, no matter how short or controlled, contains longing, confusion, and unfinished dreams—exactly what makes human experience so fragile and real.
- “What I’m not sure about is if our lives have been so different from the lives of the people we save. We all complete.”
This statement highlights the finite nature of the mortality in being human. What Kathy is illustrating is that the donors will die before they have lived as long as they should have been able to, and yes they won’t live a life as long the people who receive the donations that allow them to keep living - but those organs cannot change the inevitability of dying. They’ll live a bit longer than clones like Kathy, but eventually they’ll die, complete too. The only difference between them and the clones that saved them is the choice of time and how much more or less of it they got to live. But ultimately, the clones die prematurely in saving the humans, but the humans will join them in death eventually - proving they were not so different to each other, just the random chance of what life you were born into, with one that would be full of choice, verses one that would be empty of it.
Quotes for two settings
HAILSHAM:
- Hailsham is a boarding school in the English countryside.
- It’s where the main characters—Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy—spend their childhood.
- The students are raised in a sheltered, controlled environment, taught art, manners, and basic education.
- They are clones, bred to later donate their organs, though this truth is hidden or only vaguely hinted at in their early years.
- Hailsham represents innocence, ignorance, and the illusion of freedom.
- It’s a place of false comfort—designed to make the students feel special while hiding their grim purpose.
- It also symbolises society’s way of dehumanising people gently—giving them just enough to keep them compliant while stripping away real agency.
- “We were special. We were chosen. We grew up in the shadows of a great secret.” – Kathy H.
This reflects the mysterious, isolated nature of Hailsham and the false sense of security it gives the students. - “Hailsham was the only place we’d ever known.” – Kathy H.
This emphasises how enclosed and cut off the world of Hailsham was—like a bubble where the students were raised without the full truth.
THE COTTAGES:
- The Cottages are a group of abandoned farm buildings where students go to live after leaving Hailsham, usually in their late teens.
- There are fewer rules, no formal education, and they are loosely supervised.
- It’s where Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy begin to explore adult relationships, independence, and confront their future as donors.
- The Cottages represent a transitional phase—a kind of emotional adolescence.
- It’s where they begin to grapple with identity, jealousy, love, and mortality.
- It reflects the search for meaning and self-awareness, which is a key part of what it means to be human.
- The freedom here is more real than at Hailsham—but it also comes with emotional uncertainty and loss of innocence.
“The Cottages were the last place we lived as children.” – Kathy H.
A nostalgic line that marks the cottages as a liminal space—between childhood innocence and adult awareness.
Film features showing the idea: The Ability to Love
- Cinematography and Framing:
The use of intimate close-ups, especially in scenes involving Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, highlights their emotional connections. The camera often lingers on their faces, drawing attention to the subtle expressions of affection, jealousy, or longing. For example, the scene where Kathy watches Tommy and Ruth together, a long shot shows her standing at a distance, underscoring her isolation despite the emotional intensity she feels. - Lighting:
Soft, muted lighting is frequently used to emphasise the tenderness and vulnerability of the characters. This choice contrasts with the bleakness of their lives, accentuating the beauty and poignancy of their love. - Sound and Music:
The score, composed by Rachel Portman, is gentle and melancholic, evoking a sense of longing and the fragility of the characters’ emotional connections. The music swells in scenes of deep emotional exchange, underscoring the characters’ need for love in the face of their grim fate.
Film features showing the idea: The Ability to Have Free Will
- Symbolism in Settings:
The setting of Hailsham, with its idyllic, controlled atmosphere, symbolises the illusion of freedom the characters experience. The spacious fields and the open sky outside the school contrast with the rigidly controlled internal life of the students. The students are physically free but are emotionally and mentally constrained, symbolised by the school walls, which subtly reflect the boundaries of their free will. - Dialogue and Acting:
Throughout the film, characters often discuss their futures without fully grasping their lack of agency. Kathy’s voiceover narrates their lives in a calm, resigned tone, subtly revealing the internalised acceptance of their fate. This passivity in dialogue reflects their inability to exercise real free will. When Tommy expresses frustration over the lack of choice in their lives, his raw emotions contrast with Kathy’s calm resignation, illustrating the differing responses to their lack of control. - Camera Angles:
The use of wide shots, particularly when the characters are outside, often emphasises their smallness in the larger context, reinforcing the theme of their lack of control over their lives. For instance, shots where they are shown walking in open fields with no clear direction suggest their search for meaning in a life that is ultimately predetermined.
Film features showing the idea: The Inevitability of Loss
- Use of Flashbacks:
The nonlinear narrative structure, which incorporates flashbacks, emphasises the inevitability of the characters’ loss and the passage of time. The film juxtaposes moments of joy with the looming reality of what is to come. Kathy’s narration about her memories of Hailsham introduces the theme of loss early on, and as the film progresses, we see how the characters’ awareness of their fate deepens. - Symbolism of Objects:
Items like the “donors’” artwork or the meaningful objects they keep (such as Kathy’s tape collection) serve as physical manifestations of the past that they can never fully possess or hold onto. The paintings created by the students, while valued in the context of their upbringing, represent the fragility of their existence. - Slow, Poignant Editing:
The film’s pacing—often slow, with long pauses between dialogue and actions—mirrors the inevitability of loss. Scenes are often held just long enough to feel uncomfortable, drawing out the tension between the fleeting moments of happiness and the approaching end. For instance, the scene in which Tommy and Kathy discuss their past after Tommy’s emotional outburst about their relationship emphasises the sorrow of knowing their love is doomed.
Film features showing the character
Kathy H and how her character illustrates the theme of “What it means to be human.”
- Close-Up Shots (Facial Expression and Internal Emotion):
- Close-ups of Kathy’s face, especially when she listens to her tape of “Never Let Me Go” or watches Tommy have a tantrum, show her quiet emotional depth.
- These shots reveal her inner world—grief, empathy, longing—suggesting she feels as deeply as any human, even though society deems her a clone. It invites the viewer to empathise with her, underscoring her humanity.
- Muted Colour Palette and Lighting:
- The film uses soft, desaturated colours—greys, greens, browns—particularly in Hailsham and the recovery centres.
- This subdued aesthetic reflects Kathy’s quiet resignation and the bleakness of her fate. But it also draws attention to the small, human joys and connections she clings to, like memories of childhood or her affection for Tommy and Ruth.
- Soundtrack (Emotive and Minimalist Score):
- Rachel Portman’s melancholic score plays during Kathy’s moments of reflection, such as when she drives through the countryside or looks out a window.
- The music supports her introspective, emotionally rich perspective. It highlights the human tendency to remember, to grieve, and to hope—all central to Kathy’s character.
- Voiceover Narration (Kathy as Storyteller):
- Kathy narrates much of the film in a calm, reflective voice.
- Her storytelling frames the film through a deeply personal lens. It emphasises her capacity for memory, reflection, and emotional insight—qualities that reinforce her humanity.
- Symbolism (The Cassette Tape – “Never Let Me Go”):
- Kathy clutches her tape player and dances to “Never Let Me Go” in private.
- The song’s lyrics and her attachment to it symbolise her yearning for love, security, and meaning. It captures a very human need for connection and being held emotionally—both literally and metaphorically.
- Mirroring and Framing (Looking Through Windows or Mirrors):
- Kathy is often framed alone, looking through glass—like in the car or at the donation centre.
- These frames isolate her physically but encourage the viewer to consider her inner life. The metaphor of “being seen but not seen” reflects how the world denies her humanity, even as the film insists on it.
Film features showing the two settings
HAILSHAM:
- Cinematography and Framing:
The film often uses wide, static shots of Hailsham’s pristine, manicured grounds to emphasise its sense of control and order. The framing feels almost too perfect, suggesting a sterile, controlled environment—much like the lives of the students there.
Examples: There are shots of Hailsham’s spacious fields and orderly paths, giving it an almost institutional feel, evoking the sense that it’s a place where students are kept in line, unaware of their true purpose.
- Lighting:
Soft, Natural Light: Early in the film, Hailsham is often bathed in gentle sunlight or soft, diffused light, giving it a serene and almost idyllic quality.
Example: The film shows students walking around the grounds in daylight, creating an air of comfort and innocence, which contrasts with the dark reality of their existence.
Shift in Lighting Later: As Kathy recalls her time at Hailsham in her older years, the lighting becomes slightly more subdued, hinting at a loss of innocence and the growing sense of something hidden beneath the surface.
- Sound Design:
Peaceful, Quiet Ambience: Hailsham is often accompanied by calm, serene soundscapes, like birds chirping or distant conversations, giving the feeling of a peaceful, idealised school environment.
Example: The humming of music or sounds of nature emphasise a life free from worry, before the truth about their existence is revealed.
THE COTTAGES:
- Cinematography and Framing:
Rustic, Natural Shots: The Cottages are framed with more natural, rustic shots compared to the sterile shots of Hailsham. The environment here is wilder and more open, contrasting with the controlled space of Hailsham.
Example: We see the Cottages in wide, open countryside, surrounded by grass and trees, reflecting a sense of freedom and change, but also uncertainty.
- Lighting:
Darker, Gritty Lighting: The lighting in the Cottages is often darker, especially in the interiors, creating a more somber and realistic atmosphere. This contrasts with the soft, idealized lighting of Hailsham and signifies the students’ move into a more adult, complex world.
Example: Many of the scenes at the Cottages take place during dusk or twilight, symbolizing a transition—the loss of childhood innocence and the impending reality of their futures.
- Sound Design:
Ambient Noise and Silence: The sound design at the Cottages includes more ambient noises like the wind rustling or the distant sound of a clock ticking. The occasional quiet moments emphasize the loneliness and introspection of the characters as they navigate their futures.
Example: There’s often silence between characters, which is more intense and reflective than the earlier scenes in Hailsham, where the students’ interactions are more innocent and carefree.
