The meaning of humanity and dignity becomes more and more essential nowadays and a key concept in our ethical thinking in the world of modern biopolitics, possible future cloning and organ donations. The topic addresses every single one of us, since it deals with our lives and basic human rights.
The Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben deals with the concept of those, whose human rights are taken away. In his work entitled Homo Sacer. Sovereign Power and Bare Life he presents the concept of a dehumanized protagonist figuring as “homo sacer”, a bad and impure man, whose life is considered to be unworthy. He proposes an idea of this figure, which is still applicable in our modern times. He links this idea ultimately to the concept of sovereignty, to whom homo sacer corresponds and with whom he correlates.
The depiction of this figure and his counterpart, the sovereignty, will be closely looked at and after that Michel Foucault´s definition of biopolitics and the relation to life and death will be given.
Afterwards, we will look at Kazuo Ishiguro´s novel Never Let Me Go, in which these concepts take shape. The novel deals with young students, who are destined to donate their vital organs before they reach middle age. We will analyze the relationship between these students and the figure of homo sacer. The character of sovereignty that comes into existence with the help of the guardians who accompany these students, will also be elaborated. We will focus on these concepts related to biopolitics and figure out, how the characters in Kazuo Ishiguro´s novel are stripped of humanity.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Dehumanization: denying humanness
2.1 Homo sacer and sovereignty
2.2 Biopolitics: degradation of death
3. Kazuo Ishiguro´s Never Let Me Go
3.1 The depiction of homines sacri
3.2 The sovereign: a hidden power
4. Conclusion: humans or not?
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the themes of dehumanization and biopolitics in Kazuo Ishiguro's novel "Never Let Me Go," applying Giorgio Agamben’s concept of "homo sacer" and Michel Foucault’s theories on biopower to analyze the treatment and ontological status of the clones.
- Application of the "homo sacer" concept to the fictional clones.
- Analysis of the relationship between sovereignty and bare life.
- Exploration of Foucault’s biopolitics in the context of organ donation.
- Investigation into the humanity and moral status of the clones in the novel.
- Examination of the hidden power structures governing the students at Hailsham.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The depiction of homines sacri
Kazuo Ishiguro´s novel Never Let Me Go deals with the story of young students, human clones, who live in order to donate their organs later on as adults. The reader gets to know Kathy, who in retrospect speaks about her life and experiences at Hailsham, a school, where all the clones grow up together. Later on, Kathy works as a carer and companion for the clones, who are in between their donations. She talks about her closest friends, Ruth and Tommy, and recalls her adventures with them as well as with the guardians at school, who accompany the clones through their childhood and young adulthood and who guide them through their lives there.
At first the reader is not aware of the fact that the students are clones, who are destined to donate their organs and finally die, when no more donations can be made. Kathy herself does not consider anyone of her kind to be different at the very beginning: "I don´t know how it was where you were (...)" (Ishiguro 2005, p. 13). Kathy addresses the reader and assumes that he or she also had to be at a school that is similar to hers. She does not know that a school like hers is special and only for clones. She practically assumes she is a person like every other, because she herself does not know she is different.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the core ethical concerns regarding humanity, biopolitics, and cloning, while framing the theoretical approach based on Agamben and Foucault.
2. Dehumanization: denying humanness: This section defines dehumanization through philosophical lenses, specifically detailing the "homo sacer" figure and the evolution of biopolitical power.
3. Kazuo Ishiguro´s Never Let Me Go: This central chapter applies the theoretical framework to the novel, analyzing how the clones function as "homines sacri" under a hidden sovereign power.
4. Conclusion: humans or not?: The final chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that while the clones are treated as non-human "homines sacri," their emotional depth and experiences confirm their inherent humanity.
Keywords
Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro, Homo sacer, Biopolitics, Dehumanization, Bare Life, Sovereignty, Clones, Organ Donation, Bioethics, Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, Human Dignity, State of Exception, Ethics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper explores the dehumanization of clones in Kazuo Ishiguro’s "Never Let Me Go" by analyzing their status as "homo sacer" within a biopolitical framework.
Which theoretical concepts are central to the analysis?
The study relies heavily on Giorgio Agamben’s concept of "homo sacer" and "bare life," alongside Michel Foucault’s theories of "biopolitics" and "biopower."
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to determine how characters in the novel are stripped of their humanity and to investigate how the novel reflects the political and ethical implications of modern biopolitical governance.
Which scientific methods are employed in this work?
The paper utilizes a qualitative, literature-based research method, combining literary analysis of the novel with philosophical and sociological theory.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the definition of dehumanization, the mechanisms of biopolitical control, the characterization of the clones as "homines sacri," and the function of the "hidden sovereign" in the novel.
How would you characterize the keywords defining this work?
The keywords include "Biopolitics," "Homo sacer," "Dehumanization," "Bare Life," and "Bioethics," reflecting the intersection of political philosophy and literary study.
How does the author interpret the role of the "guardians" in the novel?
The guardians are viewed as representatives of a hidden sovereign power who simultaneously care for the clones while maintaining their exclusion from society and enforcing their ultimate fate.
In what way does the author relate the clones to animals?
The author argues that the clones are placed in a "space of indistinction" between human and animal, a condition characteristic of the "homo sacer" in traditional philosophy.
- Arbeit zitieren
- BA Kinga Gmiat (Autor:in), 2014, Stripped of Humanity. Dehumanization in Kazuo Ishiguro´s "Never Let Me Go", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/275986
