When memory is used as a source of narrative in literature, many essential qualities of conventional narratives are lost. However, Kathy's narrative voice in Never Let Me Go is by no means exclusive, rather it resonates on a universal level; the memories of each individual are fundamental in the formation of their identity. The supposedly unreliable aspects of Kathy's narration are only so to the extent that they present an intimate portrait of this universal experience. Among the many axes of the novel, Ishiguro is certainly interested in the functioning of memory. Kathy's retrospective narrative voice demonstrates the very human struggle to define ourselves and our identities, a relationship between memory and identity plays out before the reader; psychological principles in action. The desire to preserve early memories suggests that Kathy wants to remember who she is, a strong sense of identity helps strengthen the narrative. Compared to Ruth, who gradually disappears as the story progresses, Kathy's desire to keep old memories alive is presented as a better way to move forward. Ruth is a shadow of herself when Kathy describes her life as a donor; she seems to intentionally put the memories of Hailsham to the back of her mind and, as a result, loses a sense of identity, becoming increasingly bitter and reflective. Another comparison between Kathy and Ruth shows that Kathy is much more open and honest about her memory of Hailsham. Ruth, while at the Cottages, distorts their experiences to fit her own self-image, ultimately revealing herself to be insecure. The interdependence of memory and identity is not without problems. Self-assessment and evaluation of the characters in the novel will lead one to realize that manipulation of the past is an integral...... middle of paper ...... true to the nature of memory, which Barry Lewis calls memories that “zigzag back and forth, with an emotional logic that is true to the way our minds actually work” (Lewis, 2011: 209). What Lewis is saying is that Kathy's narration is consistently typical of memoir, she shifts from memory to memory suddenly and frequently and yet clearly divides her narrative into distinct parts: Hailsham, the Cottages, life as a caregiver and the life of a donor. Ishiguro deals with memory both explicitly in the novel and by using literary devices such as unreliable narration and narrative displacement. Kathy's story and the act of telling it affirm her human qualities in the eyes of the recipient. By exploring and sharing the nature of her existence, she subverts the role she is meant to play, she becomes more than just a collection of organs by engaging her own mind..