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Summer Reading Study Guide Background:

Summer reading for AS English II require careful reading and thoughtful analysis. To help

prepare you for the summer reading quizzes and essay at the beginning of the year, the AS

English II teachers teamed to make study guides for each novel, which follow.

Reading Selections:

Please read both of these books:

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Plague by Albert Camus

(we recommend the Vintage edition with translation by Stuart Gilbert)

Please annotate your books, noting questions and comments in the margins as you read. You

may wish to complete the study guides as you read, or return to the questions after you have

completed the book (allowing you to review the book as you answer the questions).

Before You Read: The Philosophy of The Plague

This outline is meant to act as a philosophical primer to help you understand some of the

difficult questions being tackled by Albert Camus’ The Plague. Camus usually wrote fiction, but

his essay The Myth of Sisyphus describes his philosophy more straightforwardly. Much of our

work here will be drawing connections between that essay and The Plague. For a more in-depth

discussion, I encourage you to search the internet for resources outlining Sisyphus.

The Absurd:

Camus begins Sisyphus by stating that either the universe is illogical or that our limited

minds will never be able to make sense of it. When we try to figure out the “Truth”, the big

answers behind our existence, we are facing an impossible task. This is what Camus calls the

condition of the absurd, an utterly hopeless condition. Throughout the novel Camus displays the

human condition as violating logic. A clear example of this is the old man who likes to spit on

cats.

Recognizing the absurd requires humility, because none of us have access to the real

answers underlying existence. Some of the easiest targets for criticism in the beginning of The

Plague are the government officials who take a logical and painfully slow perspective on the

threat of disease. Similarly, the population tries to provide reasons for the rats acting as they are,

but all explanations fall short as nothing can make sense of death. Camus criticizes those who

rely too strongly on their own logic and rationality, preferring those who are more honest about

the confusing and unknowable state of existing.

Along these lines, Camus criticizes the church in the form of Father Paneloux. Twice he

provides answers for why the plague has come and both times his answers seem to provide little

help in actually combating it. Camus’ rejection of God and religion is clearly displayed in

Rieux, who defends his atheism by saying that the “Truth” of religion is incompatible with the

suffering he has seen.

The absurd is not just a claim about what we can know, but is also a rejection of ideals,

for they can only exist as fictions. Le Grand is debilitated by the desire to write a perfect

sentence and Rambert is blinded to his responsibility to his fellow citizens by his allegiance to

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the ideal of seeing his wife again. Camus displays the more realistic characters as the only ones

who can actuate positive change.

Life as Struggle/Rebellion:

In Sisyphus, once he has outlined the absurd, Camus raises the question of why we

should choose to live in such an existence. After all, we know we are going to die one day and

we live in a universe that seems to have no meaning. Yes, Camus explains, there are certain facts

of our existence that we must struggle with, such as the inevitability of our own death and the

impossibility of finding any meaning, but we should search for meaning and fight death anyway!

He explains why by modifying the ancient myth of Sisyphus. According to legend, Sisyphus was

punished by the titans to push a boulder up a hill for eternity, only to have it roll to the bottom

once he got to the top. This, in a nutshell, is just like the frustrating task of being alive. When

Sisyphus sees the boulder roll to the bottom of the hill, Camus likes to imagine him smiling,

refusing to be broken by the absurdity, rebelling against the absurd. Camus believes that rather

than be discouraged by the difficulties of being alive, we should fight them because there is

nothing more powerful than man or woman in a state of revolt. In The Plague, Camus’ heroes

are continually fighting impossible tasks, tasks they believe to be hopeless. They don’t define

themselves in terms of success; they define themselves by the struggle.

Life as value:

The population at large is also clearly criticized for filling their hours with meaningless

tasks. One would think that this would all change when their death becomes much more likely,

but they ultimately go back to indulging their appetites for food, sex, and entertainment. We

might wonder on what grounds Camus can criticize the behavior of anybody, especially if our

lives are without logic or meaning.

Camus states that there is one exception to the absurdity of the universe: we know life is

valuable. He states the very fact that we value our own lives requires that we value the lives of

others as well. This clarifies how he can criticize the population at large: they indulge their thirst

for materialism, doing nothing to help save –or at least comfort –the sick around them. The

people of Oran are continually described as bored, for they fill their lives with pointless activities

to pass the time.

The simple truth that life is valuable is why our narrator rejects calling our heroes by that

name. The poor behavior of others is merely ignorance; once they have come to realize their

responsibility to the only thing that has value they must work to protect it. It’s not a matter of

heroism but common sense. It is here that we see the real ambition and beauty of Camus’ novel.

He hopes to make a compelling case for compassion and self-sacrifice without

Narrative Structure:

The novel is divided into five books. Briefly summarize the action of each book:

Book I:

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Book II:

Book III:

Book IV:

Book V:

Point of View:

Point of view refers to the method of narration. Dr. Rieux is the narrator, but he does not

function as a first-person narrator. He disguises himself, referring to himself in the third person

until the end of the novel, when he reveals himself. In the space below, explain the effect of this

method of narration and how it might relate to the philosophical underpinnings of the novel:

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Setting:

Where is the novel set? What is the historical context for the novel? Why is the setting

significant in terms of the story – how does it function allegorically?

Key Characters:

Note the defining traits of each of the characters listed below. Describe the character’s response

to the plague epidemic, and note his or her ultimate fate.

Dr. Bernard Rieux

Joseph Grand

Cottard

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Father Paneloux

M. Othon (and his son Jacques)

The Prefect

Raymond Rambert

Jean Tarrou

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Subjects/Themes

Exile and separation:

In The Myth of Sisyphus, an essay of philosophy, Camus wrote “In a universe that is suddenly

deprived of illusions and of light, man feels a stranger. His is an irremediable exile.” Consider

how Rieux and Rambert each deal with separation a loved one, and in Rambert’s case, exile from

home. Make notes below pertaining to their situations, and note page references for useful

quotations for a future essay:

Rieux:

Rambert:

Fate vs. Free Will

An early image establishes the absurdity of trying to control one’s fate: “From basements,

cellars, and sewers they [the rats] emerged in long wavering files into the light of day, swayed

helplessly, then did a sort of pirouette and fell dead at the feet of the horrified onlookers.” The

valiant efforts of Rieux and the municipal officials to stem the tide of the plague parallels the sad

little dance of the rats: human effort is as absurd in the face of an indifferent and capricious

universe as the rats’ “pirouette” appears to “the horrified onlookers.” Note below other evidence

of the machinations of the absurd:

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Solidarity and Resistance:

In The Rebel, Camus argues that “rebellion… put in the first rank of its frame of reference an

obvious complicity among men, a common texture, the solidarity of chains, a communication

between human being and human being which makes men both similar and united.” Faced with a

common destiny, human beings develop an ethical frame that fosters a united community. This

tenet underlies much of the “action” of The Plague. How do the people trapped in Oran while it

is under quarantine develop solidarity? Discuss below, using quotations where appropriate:

Role of religion:

Review both sermons preached by Father Paneloux. In the first, he describes the epidemic as the

“flail of God,” through which God separates the wheat from the chaff, the good from the evil.

When, however, he witnesses the death of Jacques Othon, Paneloux must reconcile his doctrine

with the suffering of an innocent child. In his second sermon, Paneloux insists that the love of

God “demands total self-surrender, disdain of our human personality.” What is Paneloux’s

argument regarding the suffering of innocent children? How does he go on to demonstrate his

belief in God? Is Camus advocating for religious faith? Why or why not?

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Name/Period: ________________________________

Never Let Me Go Student Guide Before you read…

1. What sort of memories do you remember from childhood? What topics, events, or ideas

do your memories tend to revolve around?

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2. How do you think people create value in their lives? What makes life valuable to you?

(Consider: life goals, school, jobs, relationships, etc.)

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3. How far would you go to provide health to someone who is sick? (Consider: treatment of

cancer, transplants, procedures, etc.)

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______________________________________________________________________________

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While you read…

Part One: Hailsham Reading Questions. Complete the following reading comprehension questions as you read.

Respond in complete sentences.

1. Describe the narrator. What is she like? What does she do for a living? Where is she

from?

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2. Describe Tommy. What is he like? How does he appear to be different from other

Hailsham students? What is his dynamic with Kathy?

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3. Describe Ruth. What is she like? What is her dynamic with Kathy?

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4. What are Sales and Exchanges? What do Hailsham students seem to value?

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5. What does Miss Lucy tell Tommy? Why does this seem strange to Kathy?

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6. What is the Gallery? Why is the subject taboo?

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7. How does Madame react to the girls when they gather around her? In hindsight, why is

Kathy not surprised?

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8. What is the “secret guard”? Why was it significant to the dynamic of the female

friendships?

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9. Where does the title “never let me go” come from? Why was this moment particularly

odd? What does Kathy reveal about Hailsham students?

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10. In their last year at Hailsham, what does Miss Lucy emphasize to the students? Why do

they not seem surprised or upset?

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11. How is sex education handled at Hailsham? How do students view sex?

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12. How does Miss Lucy’s opinion on Tommy’s art change? Why does she say it is

important?

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13. What happened to Miss Lucy? How does this affect Tommy?

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______________________________________________________________________________

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14. Based on references in narration, how long have Hailsham students known each other?

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15. Describe Kathy’s tone. How does she appear to feel about her time at Hailsham?

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Part Two: The Cottages Part Two – characters to know: As you read, keep track of these important characters. What

are their relationships to other characters? In what ways are they responsible for developing the

plot or revealing important thematic insights?

Kathy:

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Tommy:

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Ruth:

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Keffers:

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The Veterans:

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Chrissie:

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Rodney:

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Ruth’s Possible:

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Other important details to remember for comprehension:

The town of Norfolk is important because

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Judy Bridgewater, Songs After Dark is important because

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The idea of finding a “possible” is important because

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The essays they are assigned at Hailsham and expected to finish at the Cottages are important

because

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Part Two Comprehension Questions:

1. Why do you think Kathy mentally revises her essay even in her role as a carer? How

does this console her? What does it reveal about her?

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2. Discuss the significance of Keffer’s role in this part of the novel. How is he similar to

and different from the guardians? Whose perspective does he represent? Try to explain

his discomfort being around the students.

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3. Explain why the newcomers to the Cottages are uncomfortable with the idea of travel.

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4. Why does Kathy try so hard to hold onto her group from Hailsham? In her words, they

were “unable quite to let each other go” (120).

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5. Why does Ruth try so hard to become more veteran-like? Why does she see herself as an

ambassador for the Hailsham group?

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6. Why is Ruth consumed with finding her Possible? What hope does it represent for all of

them? What behavior suggests that Kathy is concerned with similar ideas?

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7. Why do veterans at the Cottages model so much of their behavior from what they see on

TV? Why does it bother Kathy?

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8. When Ruth interrups Kathy while reading Daniel Deronda, Kathy decides to call Ruth

out about her contrived efforts to mimic and fit in with the veterans. She comments that

“a few months before I might have let it go at that” (123). What has changed for Kathy?

What is different from a few months ago, and why does she stand up to Ruth here?

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______________________________________________________________________________

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9. Explain Ruth’s outburst when she realizes the woman they follow isn’t her possible

(166). What is painful about her assessment of where they came from? Why does she

think this, and how does it impact our understanding of cloning? Does her outburst make

her more or less sympathetic?

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10. Why does Tommy start drawing again? Describe Tommy’s drawings and his attitude

towards them.

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11. Describe Kathy’s initial reaction to Tommy’s drawings. What happens when Ruth brings

them up? Why does Ruth decide to ridicule Tommy’s artwork in front of Kathy?

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Part Three: Life as a Carer Part Three – characters to know: As you read, keep track of these important characters. What

are their relationships to other characters? In what ways are they responsible for developing the

plot or revealing important thematic insights?

Kathy:

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_______

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Ruth:

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Tommy:

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Madame:

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Miss Emily:

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Miss Lucy:

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James Morningdale:

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The Donors:

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Part Three Comprehension Questions:

1. What change makes Kathy decide to be Ruth’s carer?

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2. Why do Ruth and Kathy go to Kingsfield?

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3. What change in Ruth’s demeanor does Kathy notice on the drive to the boat?

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4. What subject is Ruth defensive about when they are looking at the boat? Why?

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5. What confession and request does Ruth make in the car ride home?

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6. How does Tommy show Kathy that he is preparing to meet Madame?

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7. Describe Madame’s reaction to seeing Kathy and Tommy.

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8. What is Madame’s real name? Who does Madame live with?

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9. Why does Miss Emily have to sell her furniture? What cause has put her into debt?

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10. Describe the mission of Hailsham and Madame’s “gallery.” What did Madame and Miss

Emily hope to accomplish there? In what ways were they successful?

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11. Explain why Miss Lucy was asked to leave Hailsham.

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12. Why does Tommy think that Miss Lucy was right about wanting the students to know

what they were in for? Do you agree?

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13. Identify and discuss the circumstances that lead to Hailsham’s closure.

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14. Explain what Madame saw the day she found Kathy dancing at Hailsham.

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15. How does Kathy explain Tommy’s fits at Hailsham?

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16. Kathy’s describes the donors’ fourth donation as “horror movie stuff.” Explain what

makes it horrific. Why hasn’t the novel been graphic up until this point? What makes

the timing of this description so painful and terrifying? How would we have received it

differently if had been made clear to readers earlier in the novel?

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17. Explain why Tommy wants a different Carer to help him through his fourth donation.

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18. To what extent have Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy “transcended their fate”?

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After you read…

Part One Quotations for Analysis and Discussion: Respond to the quotations after you’ve completed reading the entire book. You might have a

different perspective reading them for a second time knowing what happens to the characters at

the end.

For each quotation below, identify who is saying/thinking it, and discuss what it reveals about

the novel’s reoccurring conflicts, characters, or themes. Use the guiding questions at the top and

within each box, but feel free to say more.

Quotation What does the quotation reveal about the characters,

conflicts, or themes? Which phrases or ideas seem

most important? How can you tell?

“That was when I first understood,

really understood, just how lucky we’d

been – Tommy, Ruth, me, all the rest of

us.” (6)

In what way were they lucky? What makes her realize

this?

“Madame was afraid of us. But she was

afraid of us in the same way someone

might be afraid of spiders. We hadn’t

been ready for that. It has never

occurred to us to wonder how we

would feel, being seem like that, being

the spiders.” (35)

Why does Madame react the way she does? Why is this

moment significant for Kathy? For the plot?

“All I can tell you today is that it’s for

a good reason. A very important

reason. But if I tried to explain it to you

now, I don’t think you’d understand.

One day, I hope, it’ll be explained to

you.” (40)

What does Miss Lucy’s concern show about her

character/personality?

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“And suddenly my behaviour seemed

to me utterly baffling. All this effort,

all this planning, just to upset my

dearest friend. So what if she'd fibbed

a little about her pencil case? Didn't

we all dream from time to time about

one guardian or other bending the

rules and doing something special for

us? A spontaneous hug, a secret letter,

a gift? All Ruth had done was to take

one of these harmless daydreams a

step further; she hadn't even

mentioned Miss Geraldine by name.”

(60)

Why does Kathy regret her confrontation with Ruth?

Does her sentiment about childhood seem true or

accurate? What made their experience different?

“When I think about it now, it seems

to me, even if she wasn’t a guardian,

she was the adult, and she should have

said or done something, even if it was

just to tell me off. Then I’d have

known how to behave.” (72)

Why does Kathy think Madame should have done

something? How would Madame’s reaction have told

her how to behave?

“I still have it now. I don’t play it

much because the music has nothing to

do with anything. It’s an object, like a

brooch, or a ring, and especially now

Ruth has gone, it’s become one of my

most precious possessions.” (76)

Why would the tape still be precious if it’s no longer

played? What meaning does it carry for Kathy?

“Your lives are all set out for you. […]

You’re not like the actors you watch

on your videos, you’re not even like

me. You were brought into this world

for a purpose, and your futures, all of

them, have been decided.” (81)

How is this statement true for the students? In what

way is it potentially true for all children?

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“We’d been ‘told and not told,’” (82) How is her statement paradoxical?

“In those days I had this secret game.

When I found myself alone, I’d stop

and look for a view—out of a window,

say, or through a doorway into a

room—any view so long as there were

no people in it. I did this so that I

could, for a few seconds at least,

create the illusion the place wasn’t

crawling with students, but that instead

Hailsham was this quiet, tranquil

house where I lived with just five or

six others.” (90)

Why would this game be important or valuable to

Kathy? What does it show about her personality?

“Look, there are all kinds of things

you don’t understand, Tommy, and I

can’t tell you about them. Things

about Hailsham, about your place in

the wider world, all kinds of things.

But perhaps one day, you’ll try and

find out. They won’t make it easy for

you, but if you want to, really want to,

you might find out.” (109)

How does Miss Lucy’s suggestion/prediction turn out to

be true? Would Miss Lucy be proud of Tommy?

Part Two Quotations for Analysis and Discussion:

Quotation What does the quotation reveal about the characters,

conflicts, or themes? Which phrases or ideas seem most

important? How can you tell? “But somehow—maybe we could see

something in the guardians’ manner—

no one really believed the essays were

that important, and among ourselves we

hardly discussed the matter . . . Once we

got to the Cottages . . . it was like we

were each clinging to our essay, this last

task from Hailsham, like it was a

farewell gift from the guardians. . .

those essays helped keeps us afloat in

our new surroundings” (115).

Why does the idea of the essay become more important when the students leave

Hailsham? How and why does it help them adjust to this new stage in their

lives? What internal conflict does this new period—one step closer to their

donations—present for the students?

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The essays reemerge as a topic on page

197.

“I don’t think we were afraid exactly.

We all knew no one would stop us if we

wandered off, provided we were back by

the day and the time we entered into

Keffer’s ledgerbook . . . We’d watched

[the veterans] with astonishment,

wondering if by the following summer

we’d be the same” (118).

Why does the veteran’s attitude towards travel seem like “scary nonchalance”

to the new Cottage members? What does this quotation reveal about rules and

internalized acceptance of their roles in the larger society that they’ve been

largely excluded from? What do they find astonishing about the veteran’s

independence?

“There was one Ruth who was always

trying to impress the veterans, who

wouldn’t hesitate to ignore me, Tommy,

any of the others, if she thought we’d

cramp her style. . . But the Ruth who sat

beside me in my little attic room at the

day’s close, legs outstretched over the

edge of my mattress, her steaming mug

held in both her hands, that was the Ruth

from Hailsham” (129).

How real is Kathy and Ruth’s friendship? Why does Kathy remain loyal to Ruth

despite her potential for cruelty? What creates internal conflict for Kathy here?

Is this internal conflict similar to the typical growing pains of friendships you’ve

experienced?

“What I’m saying is that we were all of

us struggling to adjust to our new life,

and I suppose we all did things back then

we later regretted. I was really upset by

Ruth’s remark at the time, but it’s

pointless now trying to judge her or

anyone else for the way they behaved

during those early days at the Cottages”

(131).

Why is Kathy able to be so forgiving and compassionate in hindsight? Why is it

“pointless” to judge? Consider that she is telling the story as a carer.

“Though most of us had first come

across the idea of ‘possibles’ back at

Hailsham, we’d sensed we weren’t

supposed to discuss it, and so we

hadn’t—though for sure, it had both

intrigued and disturbed us . . . Some

students thought you should be looking

for a person twenty to thirty years older

than yourself—the sort of age a normal

parent would be. But others claimed this

Why would considering possibles be considered intriguing and disturbing?

What is sentimental about imagining a possible being parent age? Why is

understanding the truth about possibles and “dream futures” so consuming for

some characters?

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was sentimental. . . Others argued back

that they’d use for models people at the

peak of their health” (139).

“I remember feeling . . . a sort of

resentment towards them on Ruth’s

behalf. Because however sympathetic

they were, I could see that deep down

they were relieved. They were relieved

things had turned out the way they had;

that they were in a position to comfort

Ruth, instead of being left behind in the

wake of a dizzying boost to her hopes.

They were relieved they wouldn’t have

to face . . . the notion which fascinated

and scared them: this notion of theirs

that there were all kinds of possibilities

open to us Hailsham students that

weren’t open to them” (165).

“My first instinct was to deny it, then

just to laugh. But there was a real

authority about the way Ruth had

spoken, and the three of us knew each

other well enough to know there had to

be something behind her words. So in

the end I was silent, while my mind

searched back frantically, and with a

cold horror, settled on that night up in

my room with our mugs of tea” (194)

“I’ve thought about those moments over

and over. I should have found

something to say. . . I could have

challenged Ruth, told her she was

twisting things, that even if I might have

laughed it wasn’t the way she was

implying. I could have even gone up to

Tommy and hugged him” (195).

What kept Kathy from doing what she felt was right at the time?

“But the fact was, I suppose, there were

powerful tides tugging us apart by then,

and it only needed something like that to

finish the task. If we’d understood that

back then—who knows?—maybe we’d

have kept a tighter hold of on another

(197).

What does Kathy wish they had understood?

Name: 24

AS English II

Remembering a time they got in trouble

at Hailsham:

“The thing was, he got into trouble

because that proved he’d been coming

down through the rhubarb patch.”

And that was when Ruth looked at me

and said: “Why? What was wrong with

that?”

It was just the way she said it, suddenly

so false even an onlooker, if there’d been

one, would have seen through it. (202)

In hindsight, why is Ruth’s question a good one? Explain Kathy’s irritation.

Part Three Quotations for Analysis and Discussion

Quotation What does the quotation reveal about the characters,

conflicts, or themes? Which phrases or ideas seem most

important? How can you tell?

“Every so often, I could see the man’s

fist, where all the balloon strings

converged, and I could see he had them

securely twisted together in a tight grip.

Even so, I kept worrying that one of the

strings would come unraveled and single

balloon would sail off up into that cloudy

sky” (213).

How does the image of the balloons relate to Kathy’s feelings about Hailsham?

“I’m sure Tommy felt it too, because

we’d always hold each other very tight

after times like that, as though that way

we’d manage to keep the feeling away”

(240).

What feeling is she referring to? How does this relate to their purpose in life?

Name: 25

AS English II

“I don’t know if she recognised us at that

point; but without doubt, she saw and

decided in a second what we were,

because you could see her stiffen—as if a

pair of large spiders was set to crawl

towards her” (248).

Why does Madame react this way? How does this relate to the similar, earlier

scene at Hailsham? Why does Ishiguro italicize those specific words?

“You Hailsham students, even after

you’ve been out in the real world like

this, you still don’t know the half of it.

All around the country, at this very

moment, there are students being reared

in deplorable conditions, conditions you

Hailsham students could hardly imagine”

(261).

“But you mustn’t be dejected. I hope you

can appreciate how much we were able to

secure for you. Look at you both now!

You’ve had good lives, you’re educated

and cultured” (262).

Name: 26

AS English II

“We’re all afraid of you. I myself had to

fight back my dread of you all almost

every day I was at Hailsham. There were

times I’d look down at you all from my

study window and I’d feel such

revulsion. . . But I was determined not to

let such feelings stop me from doing

what was right” (269).

“There was no way to reverse the

process. How can you ask such a world

to put away that cure, to go back to the

dark days? There was no going back.

However uncomfortable people were

about your existence, their overwhelming

concern was that their own children, their

spouses, their parents, their friends, did

not die from cancer, motor neurone

disease, heart disease. So for a long time

you were kept in the shadows, and people

did their best not to think about you”

(263).

“You know why it is, Kath, why

everyone worries so much about the

fourth? It’s because they’re not sure

they’ll really complete. If you knew for

certain you’d complete, it would be

easier. But they never tell us for sure”

(279).

What makes the uncertainty of “completing” scary? Why don’t they just tell

them it will be their last?

“I’ve got no anger left for her now.

When I say I wish she’d found out the

whole score, it’s more because I feel sad

at the idea of her finishing up different

from me and Tommy. The way it is, it’s

like there’s a line with us on one side and

Ruth on the other, and when all’s said

and done, I feel sad about that, and I

think she would too if she could see it”

(285).