Never Let Me Go
Chapter 10: Ten
by Ishiguro, KazuoThe chapter reflects on the narrator’s memories of transitioning from Hailsham to the Cottages, focusing on the symbolic importance of their unfinished essays. Initially assigned as a long-term project, the essays seemed trivial until the move, when they became a comforting link to their past. The narrator revisits these thoughts while driving, musing on alternate approaches to the essay, though acknowledging it’s now just nostalgic daydreaming. The essays once provided stability in their new environment, but over time, their significance faded into mere reminiscence, akin to recalling childhood achievements or missed opportunities.
The Cottages, a repurposed farm, housed eight former Hailsham students, who initially viewed it as an extension of their old school. The dilapidated buildings and the grumpy caretaker, Keffers, created a rustic, often uncomfortable living situation. Despite the cold, leaky roofs, and muddy floors, the group adapted, finding excitement in their newfound independence. Keffers’ disdainful attitude contrasted sharply with the guardians’ care, reminding them they were now responsible for themselves—a transition Hailsham had prepared them for, albeit with lingering nostalgia for their former mentors.
The narrator’s close friends from Hailsham remained together at the Cottages, while others dispersed to different locations. Though they fantasized about visiting their peers, the group rarely ventured beyond the farm initially, daunted by the unfamiliar freedom. The veterans’ casual trips seemed unimaginable to them at first, highlighting their sheltered upbringing. The narrator reflects on how quickly they adapted, eventually embracing solitude and even learning to drive—a far cry from their initial bewilderment upon arrival.
The chapter closes with the group’s first day at the Cottages, standing together in uncertainty as Keffers ignored them. The setting, though picturesque with overgrown grass, felt eerily off, like a distorted version of Hailsham’s familiar landscape. Ruth, usually confident, appeared uneasy, mirroring the group’s trepidation. This moment captures the dissonance between their past and present, foreshadowing the challenges and growth awaiting them in their new, unguided lives.
FAQs
1. How did the students’ attitude toward their essays change after arriving at the Cottages, and what does this reveal about their transition from Hailsham?
Answer:
Initially, the students viewed their essays as unimportant, choosing topics without much thought and rarely discussing them among themselves. However, upon arriving at the Cottages, the essays became a psychological lifeline—a “farewell gift from the guardians” that helped them cope with their new environment. This shift reveals their struggle to adapt to life beyond Hailsham, where the structured guidance of guardians was replaced by independence. The essays symbolized their lingering attachment to Hailsham’s familiar routines, highlighting their vulnerability in facing an uncertain future. Over time, the essays faded in significance, mirroring their gradual adjustment to autonomy.2. Analyze the role of Keffers in the students’ lives at the Cottages. How does his character contrast with the guardians at Hailsham?
Answer:
Keffers serves as a stark contrast to the nurturing guardians of Hailsham. While the guardians provided emotional and intellectual support, Keffers is distant, grumpy, and minimally involved, offering only practical oversight of the dilapidated farm. His sighs and disapproving demeanor imply frustration with the students, yet he provides no clear guidance, leaving them to manage chores and discomforts like cold floors and limited heating. Unlike the guardians, he rejects any semblance of mentorship, reinforcing the students’ realization that they must now rely on each other. His presence underscores the abrupt loss of institutional care post-Hailsham.3. Why did the students initially avoid exploring beyond the Cottages, and how does this reflect their upbringing at Hailsham?
Answer:
Despite having freedom to leave, the students stayed close to the Cottages out of bewilderment and ingrained institutional habits. Hailsham had sheltered them entirely, making the outside world seem daunting. Their hesitation to visit nearby villages or even wander the countryside reveals how unprepared they were for autonomy—they lacked practical knowledge of distances, transportation, or social interactions beyond their bubble. Watching the “veterans” leave casually amazed them, highlighting their own psychological barriers. This reflects Hailsham’s failure to equip them with real-world navigation skills, leaving them emotionally tethered to institutional structures even after leaving.4. How does the narrator’s retrospective view of her essay differ from her feelings about it at the Cottages? What does this suggest about memory and nostalgia?
Answer:
In retrospect, the narrator views her essay as “daydream stuff”—a nostalgic diversion, like reminiscing about a school match or argument. She toys with revisiting it but admits she isn’t serious, recognizing it as a passive comfort. This contrasts with her earlier reliance on the essay as an anchor during the disorienting transition to the Cottages. The shift suggests how memory softens past struggles into sentimental artifacts. Nostalgia here serves as a coping mechanism, allowing her to revisit Hailsham’s warmth without confronting its unresolved tensions or the darker realities of her present life as a carer.5. Critical Thinking: The chapter describes the Cottages as having “only the most tenuous links with Hailsham.” How does this setting symbolize the students’ broader existential situation?
Answer:
The Cottages’ physical decay and lack of formal ties to Hailsham mirror the students’ precarious place in society. Just as the farm buildings are neglected and functionally obsolete, the students are left to navigate a world that doesn’t fully integrate them. Their assumption that the Cottages would be “Hailsham for older students” reflects their naivety about their purpose post-graduation. The crumbling outbuildings and Keffers’ indifference symbolize systemic abandonment, hinting at their eventual roles as expendable donors. The setting thus becomes a metaphor for their transitional state—no longer children but not fully acknowledged as autonomous adults.
Quotes
1. “But somehow—maybe we could see something in the guardians’ manner—no one really believed the essays were that important, and among ourselves we hardly discussed the matter.”
This quote captures the students’ growing awareness of the performative nature of their education at Hailsham. The essays symbolize the hollow rituals they participate in, hinting at deeper truths about their purpose that the guardians won’t openly acknowledge.
2. “In our first days there, and for some of us a lot longer, it was like we were each clinging to our essay, this last task from Hailsham, like it was a farewell gift from the guardians.”
This poignant passage shows how the students use academic work as emotional anchors during their transition to the Cottages. The essays become transitional objects connecting them to their fading childhood at Hailsham.
3. “We arrived at the Cottages expecting a version of Hailsham for older students, and I suppose that was the way we continued to see them for some time. We certainly didn’t think much about our lives beyond the Cottages, or about who ran them, or how they fitted into the larger world.”
This reveals the students’ deliberate naivete about their circumstances. Their limited perspective reflects both their sheltered upbringing and their unconscious avoidance of confronting their true purpose as clones.
4. “You have to remember that until that point we’d never been beyond the grounds of Hailsham, and we were just bewildered.”
This simple statement underscores the profound disorientation the students experience when first encountering the outside world. Their bewilderment highlights how completely institutionalized they’ve been at Hailsham.
5. “If you’d told me then that within a year, I’d not only develop a habit of taking long solitary walks, but that I’d start learning to drive a car, I’d have thought you were mad.”
This reflection shows Kathy’s dawning awareness of her capacity for change and adaptation. It foreshadows her future independence while emphasizing how unimaginable such freedom seemed when she first arrived at the Cottages.