Quote:
Originally Posted by gmw
Not sure "study" is a good word, there's more to this story than any one element. But to the extent that Ishiguro felt pushed in that interview to explain his intention then perhaps that aspect did fail. Or, more accurately, it failed for some people. And that's really all you can say. For others ... well, I think the book works overall. Perfect, no, but very very good.
I am still wondering about the boat they go to see near the end. Is there some particular significance to the boat and it's location? The location seems important, but I haven't yet worked out why. And why has this fairly simple thing become a widespread rumour among the donors? I keep wondering if I missed something here.
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I don't think something will ever fail for every single reader.
I too wondered about the boat and its location, but can only speculate. It is quite literally stuck in the Marsh, not entirely divorced from the water but stranded. Perhaps it is intended to be a metaphor for the the life of the donors. And for the futility of escape from their fate. As for the rumour. For the donors, their lives narrowed to hospital beds, the clock at 15 or 10 or 5 to midnight, any chance to escape that world, even for a short time, would be significant. And, unlike real escape, possible. For Ruth, like most or all of the donors seeing the boat, it was likely their last time out of the hospital before completion.