“Readers of Never Let Me Go can have difficulty sympathising with Kathy, Ruth and Tommy because they are too passive and accept their fate without question.” Discuss this view, supporting your answer with suitable reference to at least two of the above characters in the novel. - Leaving Cert English - Question D(i) - 2014

In Kazuo Ishiguro's novel, characters like Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are often perceived as passive figures. This view suggests that their resignation to fate hinders readers from sympathizing with them. Kathy, as the narrator, frequently reflects on her life with little resistance against the societal norms imposed upon her. Her acceptance of her role as a donor exemplifies a deeper theme of fatalism.

Ruth, on the other hand, displays a mixture of ambition and passivity. While she attempts to assert control over her life, particularly regarding her relationship with Tommy, her actions ultimately lead to further entrapment within the confines of her preordained fate. This contradiction may lead readers to view her as a tragic figure deserving of pity, yet also as someone who fails to take decisive action.

Tommy's character adds another layer; his emotional outbursts demonstrate a struggle against the acceptance of his destiny. However, his failure to rebel against the system might contribute to readers' difficulty in fully sympathizing with him. Their shared passivity becomes a reflection of a broader commentary on humanity's struggle against societal expectations.