Tyler Jones

Professor Jorgenson
English 114B
26 March 2014
Subhuman Treatment
A human is a person who has a soul, has the ability to feel, have basic rights, and be
treated with equal respect and not has to be separated because of a difference. Kazuo Ishiguro's
novel Never Let Me Go, deals with the issue of subhuman status and the treatment of the
clones. Whether or not you consider Kathy, Ruth, Tommy, or other clones in the novel human or
not, it is clear their treatment is cruel. They are segregated from the human because the humans
are uncomfortable with their presence, but the humans apparently are not uncomfortable with the
clones saving their lives, when they need organs. The clones are expected to grow up in separate
area from the humans, and when they grow up they must become donors, and go through many
donations until their body cannot take it anymore. The expectation of clones becoming nothing
more than a donor and donating basically to death is just the tip of the iceberg of their poor
subhuman treatment. The clones treatment in certain spaces of the novel is parallel to the harsh
subhuman treatment of humans that are currently living on this planet.
The clones are denied basic human rights, which also a current global issue. Some
people see the clones as more than donors, human even. When Kathy and Tommy go to
Madames house, they are treated like humans. Madame and Miss Emily tell the clones that they
were fighting for the rights of clones, but the movement eventually died down. Kathy and
Tommy learn the true purpose of Hailsham, and the so called good life they had been provided,
compared to other clones. Human rights are still being violated to this very day. In recent news,
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the United States has been slacking when it comes to human rights violation abroad and even in
their own country there are issues with human rights. In the article What are Human Rights
discusses what humans rights consist of, Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings,
whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion,
language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without
discrimination.According to U.N. Holds U.S. Accountable for Human Rights Violations at
Home and Abroad, America has been neglecting to deal with basic human rights such as:
counter-terrorism operations overseas, treatment of migrants, racial inequalities with the judicial
system, unlawful killings, and even torture. While some people may see people as less than
human, others realize everyone is equal and deserve to be treated as human.
Authority figures use their power to oppress people and keep them from rising against
wrongdoings or inequality. At Hailsham, Kathy and the other clones are watched all the time,
which makes it difficult for them to express emotion toward others. The constant surveillance is
also by the guardians that guard them from the truth. It is later revealed that is why one of the
teachers was removed because she wanted to reveal the truth, but authority figures made sure
that would not happen. People abusing power is nothing new it has been happening for a long
time, so it is not surprising that it is still happening today. For instance, a family member of mine
went to a prison in Los Angeles County, and he told me about his experience. He said that the
police officers would abuse their authority by putting different gang members in the same area,
and make them fight. He even had to go as far as to make a shank out of a plastic bag to protect
himself because he is a pervious gang member. This is a shocking abuse of power that is rarely
talked about in society. Authority abuse like this is never told and is just the beginning of
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authority abuse in this country. Being controlled by authority figures not only happens in Never
Let Me Go but also in real life.
Segregation is another unfair treatment the clones have to go through in the novel, but
this doesnt just happen in the novel it is also a current issue today. Hailsham was a place for
only clones, so they would not be with the humans because they were essentially treated as
outcasts. The cottages are another place only for clones during their adolescence. They are
ultimately segregated because they make humans uncomfortable because they are a product of
science. Segregation is a big part of American history and present whether it is racial, class, or
anything else that can separate people by discrimination. Being poor is tough especially in more
affluent neighborhoods. The article The U.S. Cities Where the Poor Are Most Segregated From
Everyone Else, focuses on the segregation in the metro areas of Americas metro areas.
According to the article, The more evenly distributed the poor are compared to the rest of the
population, the lower the level of segregation (Florida). People are being treated like they are
subhuman because they lack riches compared to other people. Having less money does not make
you any less human than anyone else, but sadly some people see it that way. Segregation can be
seen in the in the novel as well as real life situations.
No matter if a person is human or not they all show human like qualities. The clones
constantly show human qualities, when they are interacting with each other. There subhuman
treatment of the clone is unnecessary because the clones have emotions and are basically human.
Kathy and Ruth show how clones are very similar to human when they are at the cottages they
share secrets and thoughts. In the in the scene where the girls that anything we told each other
during these [bedtime heart-to-hearts] would be treated with careful respect ... we wouldnt use
against each other anything wed talked about (126). This shows they have same emotions and
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feelings that humans have, and should not treated as less than human. In the beginning of the
novel, it is shown that Tommy has a temper, and has to learn how to control. I do not know about
you, but human children often throw tantrums, if something doesnt go their way. Tommys
tantrums are an example of human like attributes. Also the apparent love triangle between Kathy,
Ruth, and Tommy, show that clones can express the emotion of love and the hope of being loved
by someone. The fact that at the end of the novel Tommy loved Kathy so much he had to send
her away so he wouldnt see him so weak and at the end of his life. Hope is all they had, but it
wasnt to last but it was only a delusion. The humans take away the hope with the donation
process the clones are required to do for the rest of their lives. False hope happens to people in
need all the time, and then it crushes their spirit.
The clones are treated like second class citizen, which is a problem that still happens
today. At the clinic, where the clones are treated, have poor maintenance, especially Tommys
compared to Ruth. This is another example of the subhuman treatment that is unnecessary. It is
required that the clones have to become donors, while the humans have an option. This actually
happens a lot in the world like: a hospital or basic things like a grocery store. If those basic
places are in a poor neighborhood compared to an upscale or even a middle class neighborhood
you would see the difference, especially between upscale and middle. I actually have
experienced this before. For instance, homeless people already have it bad enough without
proper shelter, but to add on to their hardship they are treated like a second class human or
subhuman. In the Homeless People: How they Deserve to be Treated, it describes the
subhuman treatment. It talks about how people walk on other sides of the street to avoid them, or
hold on to their valuable items tighter when they pass by. The discrimination does not stop
there some homeless people seeking work are sometimes turned down because of their
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appearance. The article finishes with this quote that sums it all up, Let's face it, they are people
to, and they deserve to be treated as such (Howell). Being treated as a subhuman is demeaning
and no one should have to go through such treatment, whether they are human or not.
No matter human or not, a person is a person, and should be treated with some respect,
and have basic rights. Never Let Me Go demonstrates social issues dealing with subhuman
treatment, which relates to issues today. Kathy, Ruth, Tommy, and the other clones face poor
condition because the humans see them as subhuman and inferior. From day one, the clones are
sentenced to a life of donating organs until they die. The neglect of basic human rights and
feeling you superior to others are just some of the things that lead to subhuman treatment.
Unfortunately, everyone is not seen as equals and subhuman treatment still occurs all too often in
todays society. Everyone is born equal and should not have to suffer subhuman treatment
because of a difference someone else does not like. Subhuman treatment is not right no matter if
a person is a human or a clone.

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Works Cited
Florida, Richard. The U.S. Cities Where the Poor Are Most Segregated From Everyone Else.
The Atlantic Cities. 24 March 2014. Web. 30 March 2014.
Howell, Theresa. Homeless People: How they Deserve to be Treated. Yahoo People. 2007
June 27. Web. 30 March 2014.
Ishiguro, Kazuo. Never Let Me Go. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. Print.
Reves, Astrid. U.N. Holds U.S. Accountable for Human Rights Violations at Home and
Abroad. The Atlantic Cities. 24 March 2014. Web. 30 March 2014.
What are Human Rights?. United Nations Human Rights. N.d. Web. 30 March 2014.