Meet the Characters: Carers, Donors, and Guardians (Chpt. 1-7)

(left to right) Kath, Ruth, and Tommy in the movie adaptation of Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go opens up with our narrator, Kathy, who is in her early thirties, reflecting on her upbringing at an English boarding school called Hailsham. At first, Hailsham appears to be your typical boarding school, full of lively kids and considerate teachers, known as guardians. However, as Kath continues to describe her experiences as a child, it becomes clear that the students are brought up for a special purpose--to donate organs. Throughout their time at Hailsham, Kath and her two friends, Ruth and Tommy, slowly uncover the mystery of their lives and the society. In order for readers to follow along with the mystery, it is important to understand the characters. So far, the novel has primarily taken place in the past, allowing for readers to get to know the characters as they grow up. 

Readers are limited to Kath's perspective which means we get to know the characters through her own subjective memories. Kath is a caring and kind individual who is perceptive of other people's emotions and motivations. When her classmate Tommy is being bullied by other students, she chooses to approach him with a sympathetic attitude instead of being a bystander along with her group of friends. Whenever she feels that she has potentially damaged her friend Ruth's popularity, she takes long measures to make things right between them. This considerate and compassionate behavior is perhaps one of the reasons she has been a "carer" for over eleven years after Hailsham. We learn that she is caring for organ donors who include Ruth and Tommy. She thinks about the donors she has cared for over the years, especially her friends, and spends a lot of time reflecting on her life as her career comes to an end. I hope to learn more about her time as a carer and the discoveries she makes about the society during her time at Hailsham. 

We are first introduced to Tommy when he bursts into a fit of anger on the sports field after being picked on by other students. It is clear that he is a target of bullying due to his emotional sensitivity and lack of emotional control. However, he mainly stands out among the students due to his lack of artistic creativity. At Hailsham, students are pressured to create beautiful works of art to present to each other as well as the mysterious Madame, who collects the nicest pieces a few times a year. Tommy has little motivation to please others with his artwork and prefers sports instead. Although most guardians would find this behavior unacceptable, Miss Lucy tells Tommy that it is not his fault he is not creative and that "At least one person believes you're a very good student...never mind how creative you are"(28). Tommy takes this to heart and stops reacting to his aggressors, which eventually makes them stop. Both Kath and he develop a friendship in which they discuss the peculiarities of their upbringing. Together, they consider the deeper meaning of things the guardians have said or done. I will be interested to see where their curiosity leads them in the future chapters. 

Ruth is strong willed girl with a bold personality who likes taking charge of situations. During their childhood, she creates a fantasy in which there is an exclusive group of "guards" who are sworn to protect their favorite guardian, Miss Geraldine. Within this group, she is the leader and prides herself in keeping things from others as well as being in control of her friends. One day, Kath sneakily reveals that she knows Ruth is lying about receiving a pencil case from her teacher to show off to her friends. Ruth becomes visibly upset and it is clear that when she lacks control, she is just as vulnerable and insecure as any other young girl. I believe as I read further, Ruth and Kath will continue to navigate the milestones of adolescence with each other by their sides. 

The one distinct attribute that the three main characters share is curiosity. Each student is cautious when it comes to asking questions about their purpose in life, leaving many secrets hanging in the air at Hailsham. I think that the three main characters will begin to uncover some of these secrets as they grow up. In this section of reading, the characters are still quite naive. After a classmate challenges the credibility of one of Ruth's fantasy games, Kath takes offense. She reflects on this confrontation, realizing "What it was I suppose, is that Moira was suggesting she and I cross some line together, and I wasn't prepared for that. I think I sensed how beyond that line, there was something harder and darker and I didn't want that. Not for me, not for any of us"(55). At one point in life every kid steps out of their own simple world into a much more complex and confusing adolescence. However, for kids at Hailsham, the life they are being prepared for might be much more challenging than they ever imagined.