Kazuo Ishiguro discusses his intention behind writing the novel, Never Let Me Go

[cyrus0007]

The possibility also exists that escape wouldn't have been easy. Remember how they have some sort of computer chip implanted in their hands and they scan their hands every time they enter a building or open doors? Chances are they could probably be tracked that way as well, hence no means of escape.

[nick794]

power of conditioning over nascent mind is beyond comprehension. even for adults. 

[Oktubre1984]

why they want to live more but don´t run when the teachers don´t let them live a few more years... that´s a nonsense part of the movie.

[corpsemunger]

@Oktubre1984 Not at all - you just didn't understand one of the most important themes of the novel/movie.

[carnal104]

I don't think this is good enough as an argument. If they don't have a reason not to scape and save their lives, the novel (and the book) are flawed. People are not that passive, they don't wait about to be killed. We all have a limited time in life, but these characters could increase their life time tremendously if they at least tried to scape. Mr Ishiguro should have put some more effort into his otherwise very interesting novel.

[gnoynix1]

@carnal104

What is 'scape'?

[thisdeepwell]

@carnal104 I see what you mean, but the problem is that the whole "donation" thing is a metaphor for death in real life, in our life as human beings. We can't escape death, that's why the characters can't escape "donating". Ishiguro uses this context, of clones having to donate, simply as a way of talking about us, about how WE also have to "donate" at the end of our lives, we have to die, and there's no way we can escape that. So the characters can't escape either, it would break the metaphor

[thisdeepwell]

Didn't mean to sound harsh though, this is just the way I see it! :)

[writerblaster]

@thisdeepwell I agree with you.

For me the first reason they don't escape is the education they received in that school, in that parallel society. They are raised in this remote environment and are told that they absolutely need to stay healthy, not to smoke, drink alcohol... In our society we receive a different kind of education, we are told different things and in the end we work just to pay our taxes and feed our leaders, and in the end... we die. Just like them. And, escape... to go where?

[motogpslider]

@carnal104 I think you may be missing the idea that these kids were conditioned to believe that who they were and what they were served a greater purpose and was an honorable thing to do and be. Since we all complete, this movie makes me wonder what each of us were meant to do or be.

[aha45]

Interesting.