„Never let me go“, Genetics, Utopia/Dystopia

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(grumpy old guy) comes 2-3 times a week to check on them Veterans: students that are already there ("idols" for Hailsham students) grown up atmosphere (no gossip) can watch tv (Ruth: copies a lot from there) have access to the outside world Norfolk: Moral issue: - where are all lost things are found (also Kathy's tape) Message: Ruth: - clones are regarded less than human clones are instrumentalized (basically throwing them away) clones have no right of self determination Miss emily: Madame: Guardians: Kathy: Tommy: don't live in the past → appreciate moments before they turn into memories never destroy ones happiness when doing something wrong, address it and put it right before it is too late message about the future: maybe hes scared of this story becoming reality 31 years old and preparing to become a donor missing her time ar Hailsham with her friends (tells a lot about her childhood = she really appreciates her memories from Hailsham Characters first person narrator = subjective because she only presents things from her perspective worked as a donor for nearly 12 years (unusual long period of time) more introverted (usually not up to catch attention or take initiative (quiet observer)) // Except for that one time she wants to calm Tommy down after she saw his aggressive explosion more indirectly expressing feelings/emotions also towards Tommy Kathy's best friend leader of their friends group temperamental, commanding and manipulative, outspoken, hot-tempered, capricious wants to be seen and above all the others likes to show off when she has something to tell later gets into fight with Kathy because both have feelings for Tommy (while she is still with him, she accuses Kathy of being jealous) jealous of Kathy's emotional relationship with Tommy takes turn at the end asks for forgiveness and is more thoughtful towards her friends later, Kathy is her carer social outsider at first and gets bullied because his lack of creativity due to being a outsider, he becomes aggressive and out of control (as Kathy wanted to help him, he accidentally slaps her) wants to know what it is about with the creativity at Hailsham torn between Kathy and Ruth (Kathy's close friend, Ruth's boyfriend) open minded and uncomplicated because he is able to control himself later in relationship with Kathy Coming of age: all grew up from childhood to adulthood and transformed creating dreams (becoming an actor) expreience having sex for the first time / having the first relationship ups and downs in their friendship Dystopia in vocabulary: donor: should be something to do out of own will. But those people are not doing it on purpose (they are made to) euphemism recovery center: is not really made for recovery. they are only brought thee to prepare for the next donation and by that they prepare for death. = euphemism to complete: they did their job and are now dead. Nobody mentiones the dead in any case. Visions of the future: gene editing/modification cloning utopia, dignity Gene testing: Pro limiting amount of people with disease decrease of abortion more awareness of diseases while exploring them Lass psycological issues created by physicall issues (people in pain and sadness) Pros Genetics able to develop a better and stronger understanding of life by examining and maybe improve it Helps to prevent/ cure illness Genetic engineering Direct manipulation of an organism's genes using biotechnology Possibly a healthy society Increased lifespan Children will be smarter, stronger and better looking Cons downgrades people with disease/ special needs people with "bad" genes are excluded from society valuing people by genetic beauty/ perfection getting too deep into the privacy of a human better: find a treatment for disabled children trying to get onto god's throne by turning us into gods Cons manipulates the natural product Manipulating God's product More risks of geneticists making mistakes Loss of individuality Eliminate unique people Unpredictable problems or diseases Expensive = only accessible for society = inequality Questions about ethnicity Children given genes that their parents don't posess Marriages based on genetic screening: who determines which trait is good and bad? Is every trait even possible to put into those two categories perfect baby long lasting marriages Utopia: Pro There are a number of options that can be screened: gender Utopia Genetically engineering ´ethical' babies: designer babies could be considered a "moral obligation" → because it makes them grow up into "ethnically better children" Designer babie: a child that has been put together. So a baby whose genome has been selected or altered, often to include a specific gene or prevent genes that are associated with diseases Appearance Intelligence Disease Personality Only the one containing diseases is most of the time okay for people, but the rest is because of the factor of ethnicity strongly criticised. This is the most common screening, couples do. The rest is not allowed in most countrys. Everyone has right to do everything Everyone has enough money love less important in relationships/marriages you can't prevent incidents that cause a disability people only see perfection instead of prevention from genetic diseases Society that was created Society that is better than our world right now Does not exist yet Individuality is wanted -> optimistic about future Cons Utopia/Dystopia Dystopia antithesis of utopian society Describes a world, worse than ours Control of society No individuality is allowed -> pessimistic about future Examples: equality Freedom Classless Peaceful government Nothing bad happens Healthcare Paradise like Wealth Education for everyone Examples: sickness War Poverty Dehumanized world Absolute control of system Terrorism Limited to no freedom