Never Let Me Go
Chapter 4: Four
by Ishiguro, KazuoThe narrator, Kathy, reflects on her impending transition from being a carer, a role she has held for years, and her desire to revisit memories of her time at Hailsham, particularly those involving her friends Tommy and Ruth. She acknowledges how events at Hailsham profoundly shaped their later lives, including their curiosity about Madame, a mysterious figure who collected students’ artwork. This curiosity, initially playful, grew into a significant preoccupation, though the students avoided probing too deeply, sensing the topic was fraught with unspoken complexities. The mention of Madame became rare, yet the idea of the “Gallery,” where their art might be displayed, lingered in their minds.
The chapter delves into the “tokens controversy,” a pivotal moment during their time at Hailsham when students began questioning the fairness of Madame taking their artwork without compensation. As the children grew older, they became more possessive of their creations, valuing them for their exchange value in tokens, the school’s currency. The controversy erupted when students, led by Roy J., demanded tokens for artworks taken by Madame, sparking debates among both students and guardians. The guardians eventually compromised, offering minimal tokens, but the decision satisfied no one, highlighting the tension between honor and ownership.
During this period, Polly T. boldly asked Miss Lucy why Madame collected their artwork, breaking an unspoken taboo. Miss Lucy’s cryptic response—that there was a “very important reason” beyond their current understanding—left the students both intrigued and unsettled. This moment, along with other hints, planted seeds of doubt and curiosity in Kathy’s mind, which resurfaced years later during a conversation with Tommy. The chapter underscores how these early experiences at Hailsham were layered with unanswered questions, foreshadowing deeper revelations about their lives and purpose.
The chapter also touches on the students’ “collections,” personal treasures stored in wooden chests under their beds, which symbolized their growing attachment to material possessions. This shift in attitude contrasted with their earlier reverence for having artwork selected by Madame, reflecting their maturation and increasing awareness of value and loss. The tokens controversy and Miss Lucy’s enigmatic words serve as early indicators of the larger mysteries surrounding Hailsham, setting the stage for the novel’s exploration of identity, memory, and destiny.
FAQs
1. How does the narrator’s perspective on having artwork taken by Madame change as the students grow older, and what does this reveal about their development at Hailsham?
Answer:
Initially, the students viewed having artwork selected by Madame as a great honor, but by age ten, they became more ambivalent. As they grew more acquisitive through the Exchange system (which used tokens as currency), they began seeing their creations as valuable commodities. The “tokens controversy” emerged when students felt they should be compensated for artworks taken by Madame, revealing their developing sense of ownership and economic thinking. This shift shows how Hailsham’s systems simultaneously encouraged artistic expression while subtly preparing students for a world of transactions and valuations.2. Analyze the significance of Miss Lucy’s response to Polly’s question about why Madame takes their artwork. How does this moment contribute to the chapter’s themes?
Answer:
Miss Lucy’s careful response—that there’s “a very important reason” but they wouldn’t understand yet—creates dramatic tension and reinforces the theme of withheld knowledge. This moment is pivotal because it shows the guardians walking a fine line between honesty and concealment. The students’ mixed reactions (both eager for answers yet terrified of overstepping boundaries) demonstrate their conditioned acceptance of partial information. This interaction foreshadows later revelations while highlighting how Hailsham’s environment cultivates obedient curiosity rather than outright rebellion.3. Compare how the students relate to Miss Emily versus Miss Lucy. What do these relationships reveal about power dynamics at Hailsham?
Answer:
Miss Emily commands fearful respect as the intimidating but fair head guardian whose presence makes students feel safe. In contrast, Miss Lucy engages more openly with students, joining their laughter and allowing controversial discussions. These differing approaches represent Hailsham’s dual nature: Miss Emily embodies the institution’s rigid structure, while Miss Lucy represents moments of relative transparency. The power dynamic shows how control is maintained through both awe (Miss Emily) and measured warmth (Miss Lucy), with students instinctively understanding which boundaries cannot be crossed with each guardian.4. What symbolic purpose does the “collections” system serve in the narrative, and how does it relate to broader themes in the novel?
Answer:
The carefully curated “collections” (personal possessions stored in wooden chests) symbolize the students’ attempts to assert individuality and normalcy within their constrained environment. The narrator’s nostalgic reflection on these collections highlights how these mundane objects gained profound significance, representing one of their few avenues for self-expression and ownership. This system mirrors larger questions about what constitutes humanity—while allowing possessions like typical children, their collections ultimately underscore how even these “normal” childhood experiences occur within a highly controlled, artificial context.5. How does the narrative structure (with Kathy reflecting back from her perspective as a soon-to-retire carer) influence our understanding of these childhood events?
Answer:
Kathy’s retrospective narration adds layers of dramatic irony and poignancy, as her adult awareness colors descriptions of childhood innocence. Her stated purpose—to “get straight” her memories before retirement—creates a sense of urgency and finality. This framing device makes seemingly minor events (like the tokens controversy) carry greater weight, as we understand they’re being recalled by someone for whom these memories hold life-defining significance. The temporal distance allows Kathy to recognize how childhood moments like the Madame curiosity were “the start of a process that kept growing…until it came to dominate our lives.”
Quotes
1. “What I really wanted, I suppose, was to get straight all the things that happened between me and Tommy and Ruth after we grew up and left Hailsham. But I realise now just how much of what occurred later came out of our time at Hailsham, and that’s why I want first to go over these earlier memories quite carefully.”
This opening reflection establishes the narrator’s purpose in revisiting childhood memories, revealing how formative experiences at Hailsham shaped their adult relationships and destiny. It introduces the novel’s central theme of memory’s power and childhood’s lasting impact.
2. “We were, I’d say, as curious as ever about her, but we all sensed that to probe any further—about what she did with our work, whether there really was a gallery—would get us into territory we weren’t ready for yet.”
This quote captures the children’s growing awareness of unsettling truths beneath Hailsham’s surface, showing their instinctive self-censorship about Madame and the Gallery. It exemplifies the novel’s exploration of how children process difficult knowledge.
3. “Miss Lucy said: ‘All I can tell you today is that it’s for a good reason. A very important reason. But if I tried to explain it to you now, I don’t think you’d understand. One day, I hope, it’ll be explained to you.’”
Miss Lucy’s evasive answer about why Madame takes their artwork represents one of many guarded truths at Hailsham. This moment builds suspense about the school’s true purpose while showing guardians’ conflicted roles in preparing students for their futures.
4. “The point is, by the time we were ten, this whole notion that it was a great honour to have something taken by Madame collided with a feeling that we were losing our most marketable stuff.”
This quote illustrates the children’s developing critical thinking as they question Hailsham’s value systems. The “tokens controversy” marks an important transition in their understanding of value, ownership, and institutional control.
5. “We considered her to be fair and respected her decisions; and even in the Juniors, we probably recognised that it was her presence, intimidating though it was, that made us all feel so safe at Hailsham.”
The description of Miss Emily reveals the complex relationship between students and guardians, showing how fear and security coexist in institutional settings. This passage highlights the psychological dynamics of life at Hailsham.