The Interpellated Subjects in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go

This paper aimed to critically investigate Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, in terms of Louise Althusser’s concepts of ideology and Interpellation. Kazuo Ishiguro’s sixth novel, Never Let Me Go, explores the tragic condition of clones living in an imaginary England of the late ۱۹۹۰s. Out of the parts and pieces of the main character’s fragmented memory and unclear descriptions, the reader finds out that Kathy and her friends are clones created to give certain vital organs to ordinary people. However, the main characters in this dystopian novel are not looking for emancipation, and very little could be observed in terms of resistance or objection. Applying Althusser’s theories of ideology and interpellation, this study tried to discover the reasons for the characters’ passivity and submission. The findings showed that certain beliefs and values despite being shockingly violent were internalized, naturalized, and justified in the decisive ages of childhood through the dominant ideological system. Moreover, the effect of educational system as one of the most important ISAs (Ideological State Apparatus) in interpellating the individual characters into subjects is analyzed in this novel.

Keywords:

Ideological State Apparatus , Interpellation , Subjectivity , Kazuo Ishiguro , Never Let Me Go