Never Let Me Go: I judged the book by the cover

The four different Never Let Me Go covers represent the themes expressed in the novel with each highlighting different elements. The first cover on the top left shows a young girl with long hair sitting alone in the midst of little white flowers and greenery. The purpose of this cover is to display a peaceful scene but also a sense of alienation or isolation. This theme is also seen in the cover below with the lone boat tied to the dock in a foggy marsh. Both of these covers display a somber yet intriguing story to the reader for the purpose of highlighting the themes of humanity and alienation in the novel. I believe the covers on the right represent the contrast of the humanity of Kathy H., the narrator and protagonist, and her inhumane purpose of donations. Contrasting the cover with the girl in nature, the boat cover has not yet been physically represented in the book which leads me to believe that the boat is most importantly symbolism of the theme of isolation and alienation while the girl also shows the importance of relationships in the novel.

In fact, in all of the covers other than the boat, I see both the themes and where I feel the picture could relate to the actual content and plot of the novel. For example, although vague at first, the cover in the top right displays a blurred picture of a girl in a blue dress with an orange background. To me, the picture looks as though she is dancing which relates to the time that Kathy H. is seen dancing to her favorite song, Never Let Me Go. I believe the importance of this scene is that it shows the dilemma of children built for one purpose at Hailsham which is similar to the message seen in the first cover. Each child desires to engage with their humanity and interact in the world the same as any human. This cover contrasts with the covers on the right as it is blurry and more vague as to what it could be representing within the many themes of the novel. Finally, the cover in the bottom right is the most explicit with the dilemma at hand in the novel. The penciled outline of the upper body with displayed organs alludes to the donations and that the characters’ bodies are not their own. The purpose of this cover could be to show the audience that something is off about this story and to pick up quickly on the odd wording and phrases such as “carers” and “completion”. Another interesting element that I believe is referenced in the bottom two covers is the inability for the characters to escape their fate with the tied up boat and what looks like barbed wire outlining the exposed body.

Looking Deeper

The first words that come to mind when I see this image are the words: solitude, peace, romance, and loneliness. The girls positioning, surrounding, and long flowing hair make me think of Jane Austen novels and her time period. If I hadn’t read any of this novel I would have assumed the story was about a young girl in the late 18th century growing up as an orphan. I would have assumed that romance was the focus of the story and that perhaps in the midst of the blooming relationship with a local farm boy, the darkness from her family past comes to the surface and threatens the young lovers. Since I have read the novel, I believe this cover is depicting Kathy H. in a state of reflection within a cherished moment of solitude. Although she seems somber and possibly a bit melancholy, her body language is relaxed which adds to the peaceful setting of the vibrant surrounding nature. If Kathy H. is the one being displayed, we seem to be an outsider observing her moment alone. This could allude to the fact that personal escape is difficult to find in this dystopian society. However, another idea that comes to mind is that we could be the “you” that Kathy H. is writing to and referring to throughout the novel. This could then mean that we are a part of the society in some way and maybe even present in this moment that is pictured. This cover implies a Westernized cultural construction because the girl is white with light blonde hair and there is review for The New York Times on the front. I think this cover was most likely created by American publishers to create a relatable image with intrigue as the girl does stand out with her red shirt and light features. The title of the book on a cover like this makes it seem like a historical romance novel which appeals to young nostalgic readers as the teenage girl looks about their age with an air of mystique.

Perhaps I am just a hopeless romantic, but this cover also makes me think of romance. In addition to romance, the other words that come to mind are organs, tragedy, horror, and mystery. The reason romance first came to my mind is that the outline of the body with the title of the novel made me think of a Fault in Our Stars. So, at first I might assume the novel is a tragic love story of terminally ill teenagers. However, upon deeper analysis of the picture I might have seen the outline of the body in barbed wire and the light background of trees and what look like jail cell bars. This would have ultimately led me to believe that the story could be a personal account from a survivor of a concentration camp during World War II (possibly relating to the horrifying events surrounding Josef Mengele in Auschwitz). Knowing that this is not the case, I believe that the outlined body represents the donors as a whole and specifically Kathy H. and her friends from Hailsham. The perspective of the cover seems to of someone seeing the aftermath of the events in the novel. The cover screams urgency as the sketch of the body seems quick and focused on organs rather than detail followed by the title written like a cry for help. The cultural construction of this cover seems to centered around the science fiction side of the novel and for the appeal of the gothic literature culture. This cover seems that would be created by those who see the darker elements of donations and the dystopian setting as more important the relationships and coming of age story. The people that would read this kind of book would be those who are interested in science fiction and dystopian novels.