Beware Independent Thought. (Chapter 6/ Pages 61-76)

" "You've been told about it. You're students. You're... special. So keeping yourselves well, keeping yourselves very healthy inside, that's much more important for each of you than it is for me." "

~ Never Let Me Go, page 68-69

In this chapter, Kathy tells us that the guardians take extreme measures to prevent the children from smoking. I understand this - smoking is ridiculously unhealthy and can be fatal. But there's a more important factor in this scenario. My theories I recently shared with you have been confirmed - the students are all going to one day be organ donors. So, again, the whole no-smoking thing makes sense: they have to preserve their bodies and lungs and livers and such. The only thing I'm a little confused about is the measures taken to keep the students from cigarettes... ripping out pictures of people smoking in books and removing valuable pieces of literature from libraries? They seem to be taking this a bit too far for my liking. Kathy was absolutely terrified to let anyone see that her cassette cover had a cigarette on it, and she didn't even have any intention to smoke.

This reminds me of a grade school experience I once had. My brother Jon had recently got me interested in the Harry Potter books, so after reading the first three at home, I walked into fourth grade with the latest copy, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. However, shortly after I started reading during DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read), my book was confiscated for the day. Why, you ask? Because the Harry Potter books are heresy and therefore contradicted my teacher's endeavors to give us a Catholic education. There were also several parents who had already contacted the school and informed administration of the dangers of these books; they were horrified that their children were being taught in a classroom that also contained these monstrosities. Okay, I'm exaggerating a little, but my book was confiscated like Kathy's cassette tape would have been if any guardians had seen it. As children, we should have limited experiences so that we can establish moral values, but in both my elementary school and Hailsham, censorship was taken to extreme and unnecessary levels. I mean, come on, people - it's a book! I don't think I'm going to transform into a wizard once I read it, and I don't think there is actually a school of magic.