Previous
Terms
“Lifting” is a fictional term that refers to a type of genetic enhancement performed in early childhood that allegedly makes children smarter but carries serious potential side effects, including chronic illness and even death. The full mechanics of lifting are never described in depth—perhaps the most important detail is that most colleges will only accept children who have been lifted, meaning that the lifted Josie has many more options than the unlifted Rick, even though Rick is smart and could be a talented engineer. Lifting may have been inspired by a real-life process called CRISPR gene editing, which raises ethical questions about the possibility of modifying human embryos.
Lifting Quotes in Klara and the Sun
The Klara and the Sun quotes below are all either spoken by Lifting or refer to Lifting. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Part Two
Quotes
“I suppose they have a point though,” he said. “I don’t belong here. This is a meeting for lifted kids.”
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Part Four
Quotes
“Now Rick. You said just now you’re not seeking favoritism. Then let me ask you this. If that is really the case, then why am I sitting in front of you now?”
Part Five
Quotes
“You must tell me if the love between Rick and Josie is genuine, if it’s a true and lasting one. I must know this. Because if the answer is yes, then I’ll have something to bargain with, regardless of what occurred in the city. So please think carefully Rick, and tell me the truth.”
“I don’t need to think. Josie and I grew up together and we’re part of each other. And we’ve got our plan. So of course our love’s genuine and forever. And it won’t make any difference to us who’s been lifted and who hasn’t. That’s your answer, Klara, and there won’t be any other.”
“And there was more. On this question of being lifted. She wants you to know she wouldn’t wish it any other way. If she had the power to do it again, and this time it was up to her, she says she’d do exactly what you did and you’ll always be the best mother she could have.”
Part Six
Quotes
“But now we’re no longer kids, we have to wish each other the best and go our different ways. It couldn’t have worked out, me going to college, trying to compete with all those lifted kids. I’ve got my own plans now, and that’s how it should be. But that was no lie, Klara. And in a funny way, it still isn’t a lie now.”
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Lifting Term Timeline in Klara and the Sun
The timeline below shows where the term Lifting appears in Klara and the Sun. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part Two
...intervening. Rick explains that he doesn’t belong in the group because it’s a meeting for “lifted” kids. Lifting is a procedure that parents (especially wealthy parents) have their children undergo in...
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Part Four
...Mother herself. She blames herself for Josie’s illness—she got sick as a result of being lifted. The Father was against the idea of Josie being lifted, since Sal had already died.
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...for Rick, which is taking a while. The Mother asks if Miss Helen regrets not lifting Rick, and Miss Helen says she does, despite all the trouble it has caused for...
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Part Five
...Mother) might have shaken the dice, but Josie was the one who gambled (by being lifted). And Rick played it safe. Does Rick feel like a winner, she wonders. The Mother...
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...always love the Mother, and that she would make the exact same choice about being lifted if she had to do it again.
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