Character Analysis — Supporting Characters

While Kathy is the narrator, the supporting characters in Never Let Me Go are essential for understanding the novel's themes and Ishiguro's critique of society. This lesson analyses Tommy, Ruth, and the key adult figures — Miss Lucy, Miss Emily, and Madame.

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Character Relationship Map

              MADAME (Marie-Claude)
             /          |           \
        Gallery     fears the     wants to
        curator     clones        prove they
                                  have souls
            MISS EMILY                MISS LUCY
           (head of Hailsham)        (guardian)
           believes in gradual       believes in
           revelation                direct truth
                    \               /
                     HAILSHAM
                    /    |    \
              KATHY -- TOMMY -- RUTH
              (narrator)  |    (manipulator)
                    \     |    /
                   love triangle

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Tommy

Tommy is arguably the novel's most tragic figure — a character whose emotional vulnerability and creative struggle embody the central question of whether the clones have souls.

Tommy's Arc

  Angry Outcast → Gentle Friend → Ruth's Partner → Kathy's Love → Devastated Donor
   (Part One)      (Part One)      (Part Two)       (Part Three)     (Part Three)

Tommy's Rages

In childhood, Tommy has violent rages — outbursts of screaming and physical fury that make him an outcast among the other students. These rages are significant: