Nurture In Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go

Often in science fiction the debate of what is possible arises to stretch the imagination beyond the usual bounds. In Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, clones pull at the limits of the readers’ mind, not only with their successful human existence but also with their multi-dimensional thoughts and emotions. Addressed in “More Human than Human” written by Chung Chin-Yi, clones, although created artificial, have their own original and unique emotion. He even states, “…it is the clones who are capable of emotional depths and compassion as well as love while it is the humans who commit atrocities and are inhumane,” (Chin-Yi, 1). Chin-Yi claims the clones do in fact have souls, and are more human than the humans although they are mere copies. While Ishiguro does paint the clones as soulful creatures, Chin-Yi is wrong in his assumption humans are more “cold, …show more content…
Again and again, Chin-Yi and Ishiguro lead readers to believe the clones do in fact have souls. Ishiguro also states some people began to look after, nurture, the clones so they could have a more humane life. Thus, nurture wins the first battle. Then, Chin-Yi should have considered the environment in which the two populous he was comparing grew up. The clones were raised in an environment that was conducive to positive emotions. The main goal of Hailsham and other facilities like it were to allow the clones to have an enjoyable childhood. All humans are not raised in the same manner. Additionally, the environment during adulthood should be considered as well. Of course the Guardians would be more cold and calculating than the clones: their actions and outward emotions were necessary to allow the clones to grow up in a place akin to the biblical Garden of Eden. Someone must make the decisions in the real world. Thus, in the final battle, seclusion wins out over nurture and the result makes the clones appear “more human than human” (Chin-Yi,