Quote:
Originally Posted by gmw
Your comment made me wonder whether the reader needs to be almost as passive and accepting as the clones themselves to become involved in the story that's there - which then made me wonder whether an author can create that sort of effect deliberately (I couldn't), or if it came out that way indirectly.
While I can see why you identify the romantic triangle, the romance aspect seemed so understated - to me - as to be mostly just another emphasis on their passive nature. It certainly didn't occupy the same sort of significant, up front, role that such a triangle would play in a more typical romance.
I don't know that Ishiguro had a particular point, or wanted to make a statement. It felt to me more like a question: "I saw this, what do you think?" He's not trying to compel, he's querying. (At least, I like to think of it that way, because that's the impact the book had on me.)
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Great post, gmw! You put into words what I was having difficulty forming in my own head. I think you have made a very important point. He is querying. You point out "I saw this, what do you think?" And, I'd add to that questions like "Do you think this is how it really feels?" and "Can you relate to that in your own life?".
This discussion has been great. It has helped me understand and appreciate the book more. I think I would have a completely different experience to read this book a second time. The first read-through there are so many concealed details that get revealed slowly that you are in a questioning mindset which makes its more difficult to passively accept the science and alternate world. The second time I would focus more on the people and emotions and interactions between characters.