295 Text-in-Context Proposal

Human genetics and the manipulation there-of has been debated since the 1990s. Specifically, the ethics have been called into question, especially regarding things like stem cells, which while not genetic themselves are lumped into the debate for multiple reasons. This ties into a major question in Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go which deals with the idea of “what is a human?” The debate over genetics has become more prominent since this book was published, particularly with new technologies allowing embryos to survive longer within a lab. Obviously, the novel deals with the question of clones and whether it is ethical to use them as they are used. The question of genetics in the world has more to do with scientists should even study and manipulate the genome at all rather than if clones should be treated a certain way. Thus, while not connected to a specific place, policies regarding research involving human genetics ties into the same basis as the book in dealing with ethical questions. The UK passed policies on the study of stem cells and the use of in vitro fertilization, both of which have been debated around the world. Therefore, I propose to investigate the book through a lens of “What makes a human, human?” with specific regard to debates going on in the past ten or so years dealing with the manipulation of human genetics. More specifically I want to focus on the scenes with Miss Emily and Madame telling Kathy and Tommy about Hailsham and how children who are born form in vitro fertilization are thought of by the general populace. I want to compare the view by the general population in the book of the clones to the view now of in vitro fertilization, because while not the same, both bring up the question of what should be considered human.