Previous
Tone
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Memory and Narration:
Kathy's narration in Never Let Me Go is nonlinear—she ambles through the past, recalling snatches of conversation here or there, moving between memories as one thing reminds her of another. This style mirrors the actual act of remembrance, especially when the memories in question are muddled by time and trauma.
This muddled nature of memory in Never Let Me Go ultimately positions Kathy as an unreliable narrator. While Kathy is nowhere near delusional, her perspective is limited, clouded by the passage of time and the trauma of donation. She often undermines the trustworthiness of her own memory, bringing into question any information she presents the audience. Note the following passage from Chapter 1:
Or maybe I'm remembering it wrong. Maybe even then, when I saw Tommy rushing about that field, undisguised delight on his face to be accepted back in the fold again, about to play the game at which he so excelled, maybe I did feel a little stab of pain.
In this passage, Kathy questions her own memory of the events she describes, undermining her perception of the past. The unreliability of memory operates as motif in Never Let Me Go, representing Kathy's trauma. Where trauma destabilizes, the past may be shaky or inaccurate, and this is the effect of stress-related coping mechanisms. The above passage emblematizes this unreliability.
