Holding On

Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro

In this novel, Kathy holds on to the past. This is evident through the narration which tells the story in retrospect. "I half-closed my eyes and imagined this was the spot where everything I'd ever lost since my childhood had washed up, and I was now standing here in front of it, and if I waited long enough, a tiny figure would appear on the horizon across the field, and gradually get larger until I'd see it was Tommy, and he'd wave, maybe even call" (Ishiguro, 288). Kathy holds on to the past because she doesn't have a future. As a child, she was sheltered at Hailsham so that she had the opportunities to make "normal" memories. These memories are the only source of joy in Kathy's current life. Kathy starts her donations by the end of the year, so her life span has a more definite end approaching. Although the title of the novel was earlier revealed as the title to a song that Kathy loved as a child, "Never Let Me Go" can also represent that Kathy never wants to let go of the memories of how things were. Kathy also does not want to let go of Tommy. "And so we stood together like that, at the top of that field, for what seemed like ages, not saying anything, just holding each other, while the wind kept blowing and blowing at us, tugging our clothes, and for a moment , it seemed like we were holding onto each other because that was the only way to stop us being swept away into the night" (Ishiguro, 274).  Even after Tommy completed, Kathy still fantasized that he would come back. After her friends' deaths and notification to become a donor, Kathy does not have much to look forward to in her life. Because her future is so dismal, Kathy turns to the past to find joy. Only in her memories can she feel hopeful that she could have a better life.