Exploring the Dystopian World of Never Let Me Go

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to understand the concept of dystopia, identify key characters in Never Let Me Go, and describe the setting of the book.

Introduce the learning objective to the students and explain what they will be able to do by the end of the lesson.

What do you already know about the book Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro?

Exploring the Dystopian World of Never Let Me Go

Introduction

Never Let Me Go is a dystopian novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro. It explores themes of love, identity, and the ethics of science.

Provide a brief overview of the book and its themes to generate interest among the students.

What is Dystopia?

Dystopia is a genre of literature where the society is characterized by poverty, oppression, or a lack of freedom. It often presents a bleak vision of the future.

Explain the concept of dystopia and ask students if they can think of any examples from other books or movies.

Key Characters

The main characters in Never Let Me Go are Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth. Kathy is the narrator, and Tommy and Ruth are her friends. They grow up together in a secluded boarding school called Hailsham.

Introduce the main characters and their roles in the story. Encourage students to discuss their initial impressions of the characters.

Kathy

Kathy is the protagonist and narrator of the story. She is introspective, compassionate, and tries to make sense of her existence as a clone.

Discuss Kathy's characteristics and ask students to share their thoughts on her role in the story.

Tommy

Tommy is Kathy's close friend and a fellow student at Hailsham. He is portrayed as sensitive, impulsive, and struggles with his emotions.

Describe Tommy's personality and ask students to consider how his character develops throughout the book.

Ruth

Ruth is another friend of Kathy and Tommy. She is often seen as manipulative, but also has a vulnerable side. Her actions drive the plot forward.

Discuss Ruth's complex personality and ask students to analyze her motivations and impact on the story.

Setting

Never Let Me Go is primarily set in a dystopian version of England in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The story takes place in various locations, including Hailsham, a remote farmhouse, and a mysterious facility called the Cottages.

Explain the setting of the book and ask students to consider how the locations contribute to the overall atmosphere of the story.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.