Describe the life at Hailsham
Children cannot leave Hailsham
The only glimpses of the outside world come from pictures in Miss Emilys calendar
Their fate as donors is predetermined no choice of carrer paths
No hugging or other pysical forms of love or sympathy
Strict rules
Being creative is the most important and cherished quality of a student -> clear demand for being creative
Students know that they are not “normal” they scare people outside
Children are given some form of medical investigation every week
Building up a collection of personal possesions through Exchange
Private conversations were rare (f.e. possible in a queue), lack of privacy
Wodden chest with their name with personal things from sale or Exchange
Sale was a big disappointment because most of the things were broken
Aspects of ordinary teenage life
“normal” social life
Normal relationships between students
Privacy/having own bedrooms
Activities -> laughing and playing together
Exploring your surroundings -> travelling
Carrying out hobbies/activities according to your personal interest
Normal relationships with families
Being friends/finding a group that you belong to
Developing your own personality + interests
Not being controlled all the time
Consequences growing up in Hailsham has for the personality of the children
No contact to the outside world
Problem of adapting to a normal structure of a day
Problems of developing a full and own personality
Feeling of insecurity regarding what might wait for them outside Hailsham
Higher risk of depression
Filtered information by guardians: manipulation
Risk of being dramatised/afraid for their whole lives
Potential feeling of security: you know exactly, where your limits are
Recognition by achievements in sports and arts
+ motivation to be better than others some sort of competition
+ personal belongings don’t matter nobody can stand out/show off
- putting lots of pressure on the children preperation for any kind of future competition
Only very few character of social skills in other fields of life
Very little physical contact
Might lead to mental/social problems when interacting with others
Problem of passing on love + emotions to others later on
Replacing physical contact by talking a lot about it can also provide chances
No strong bonds among the children can develop
They cannot experience love at all they don’t know what love is
What was Miss Emily like in Hailsham
head guardian
not particularly tall, but keeps herself very straight, head held up
silvery hair tied back, talks in a quiet, deliberate voice
intimidating – students are scared of her and respect her and her decisions
seems to know where students are even if they try to hide from her
students don’t want to disappoint herm want to please her
always listens to the students, but unpredictable with punishments
her authority makes Hailsham students feel safe and protected
What is Miss Emily like when Tommy and Kathy meet her fifteen years later
Physical weak: not the upright woman they knew, but in a wheelchair, dependent on others
Remembers all her students: they were important for her
Is proud of them, has kept track of Kathy
Is attached to them, calls them “my dears”
Together with madame she fought a desperate battle for the students with all her means, is committed because of this
She always believed that the students had souls, was nevertheless terrified by them: she felt dislike, but surpressed it:
She was determined not to let such feelings stop her doing what was right
She feels she won
The battle might be lost and her body broken, her spirit is not
The children were right that it was Miss Emily who protected them at Hailsham
Who was Miss Lucy
Sports teacher
Very fit
Better at sports than most Hailsham students
Very short black hair
Doesn’t talk much to the younger students
Lively
Trustworthy, emotional, honest, helpful, kind
Describtion of Kathy
has a low self-esteem and quiet person
Stands up for her friends and not for herself
Strange relationship with her sexuality
Careful observer
Describtion of Ruth
outspoken, complex and difficult
Has lied a lot in the past years
Natural leader
Describtion of Tommy
lacks artistic ability
Struggles to control his temper
Friendship between Kathy and Ruth …
Love: Tommy and Kathy…
How do the clones view themselves
Have souls
Just waiting for their task: donation
Wonder about their model
How are the donors treated
See them as machines
Ignore them
- Regulates the donors
The only possible job for clones ….
Last changed3 months ago