Never Let Me Go 13

"Even then, it was mainly a nostalgia thing, and today, if I happen to get the tape out and look at it, it brings back memoriesof that afternoon in Norfolk every bit as much as it does our Hailsham days." pg 173

The tape, Judy Bridgewater's Songs After Dark, is more than just a memory. The simple casette is a symbol of Kathy's life before being a carer, her innocent life. Although Kathy's life was organized for her for the most part, the tape was unique to her. The songs on the tape were not typical Hailsham tunes, so Kathy had to sneak around to listen and throughout the book the characters' fondest memories always involve bending rules or breaking trends. Moreover, because Tommy remembered how much that tape meant to Kathy and he made an efort to find it in Norfolk, it is symbolic of his love for her, in her head atleast. The tape meant Tommy had always thought of her even though he was in a couple with Ruth. The tape brought Kathy and Tommy back to their Hailsham days when they were the best of friends and genuinely happy. All in all, the tape is symbolic of Kathy's life before caring and donating were so near, and she longed to go back to that life instead of moving forward into the unknown.