Surname 1 Student’s name Instructor’s name Course Date Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro, who is widely recognized as one of the most famous modern writers, is considered to be the genius of dystopia. The combination of imaginary and real, an unpredictable plot and accurate philosophical expressions makes him one of the most successful modern writers in the world. His novel, Klara and the Sun demonstrates his stylistic approach and deals with the themes of humanity and feelings, social and technical progress and the problems between parents and children. Nowadays, in our fast-moving world, where robots are becoming a necessary part of our life, the idea of such artificial friends is especially relevant. This novel examines the issue of artificial intelligence, which is able to constantly learn, process information quickly, accumulate knowledge and apply it successfully, in other words to acquire opportunities to perceive and study the world around them, as do the people. Despite serious philosophical topics, ethical problems and eternal questions that are raised in this novel, this moving story about an android, who has much deeper human feelings that people will not leave someone indifferent. The scene takes place in the future, where children study remotely and don’t have any opportunity to communicate with others. So, those parents who have a possibility buy special Artificial Friends, so that their children have a companion for spending with them free-time. Klara, the main character of the science fiction novel, is one of such androids, who waits for a child who will choose her. She sits near the window of the shop for days observing everything. Klara pays on Surname 2 the Sun а special attention, as she is a solar-powered robot and receives energy from it. ‘They were both hungrily absorbing the Sun’s special nourishment and becoming stronger by the minute, and I saw that before long, perhaps even by that afternoon’ (Kazuo Ishiguro,10). One day the girl Josie chooses Klara and takes her home. As it turns out, this girl is sick and her mother, Krissy, who has already lost her eldest daughter worries about Josie and is afraid that she will die. But, instead of curing Josie, she asks Klara to imitate her daughter. Of course, Klara is disappointed but does everything. And one day, when the mother takes Klara with them to make Josie’s portrait Klara realizes, that the artist prepares not the portrait, but the shell for IF with the appearance of Josie, as Krissy hopes to put Klara in Josie’s shell if she dies. On the one hand, these actions seem to be amoral and don’t have any explanation. But on the other hand, the situation makes the reader to think if a person can be reduced to a set of algorithms, if such robots can replace humans or how to deal with the bitterness of loss. And, probably, the main question is how society will perceive such artificial copied people. The author doesn’t give us any answers so that the reader analyzes everything by himself after the reading. Presumably, people are afraid of loneliness, so do everything to avoid it, however, Kazuo Ishiguro states that ‘perhaps all humans are lonely, at least potentially’ (43). So, Klara and the Sun is not only a novel about Artificial-Intelligence, but also about moral values and ethical problems. One more topic, that is touched in this novel is the theme of humanity and feelings. Josie has only one friend Rick, who is her neighbour. Furthermore, they love each other and decide that they will be together. The author shows us the special contact of Klara and Rick: ‘Josie was standing surprisingly close to Rick, not actually touching him, but with hands raised just behind his back and left shoulder.’ (Kazuo Ishiguro,15) But change their behaving, ignoring all their feelings is it an eternal feeling? As the reader can see, Klara and Rick won’t communicate in Surname 3 some time. Kazuo Ishiguro emphasizes that people are so volatile and often. In contrast to this behavior, the author shows us Klara and her dedication. She does everything so that Josie alive, and even sacrifices the fluid that plays the role of blood for her and destroys the Coatings Machine. Therefore, the robot, paradoxical as it may sound, is more human than people, as she gives up her personal gain and stays devoted even ending up in the trash heap. Besides, there is one more character who plays one of the main roles- the Sun, which is equated with God in this novel. It is absorbing and engaging to observe how powerful is the belief of an android in the Sun. When Klara finds something difficult, she goes to the barn where she asks the Sun to help her. In her opinion, it is not only a source of energy but something omnipotent and divine. She even ‘could tell that the Sun was smiling towards me kindly as he went down for his rest.’ (Kazuo Ishiguro, 56). Klara believes, that after performing a ritual with damaging the Coatings Machine, the Sun cured Josie by sending special energy in the girl’s room and in a few months Josie’s health is restored: ‘The Sun … was always kind to me from the start, but when I was with Josie, once, he was particularly kind.’ (74) The author emphasizes, that the belief in God is one of the human needs, as there are things that not always can be controlled by people. To recapitulate, Klara and the Sun is not a simple fantasy with the elements of predicting the future. All in all, it is a masterpiece that carries the reader away and leaves him in the thoughts. Kazuo Ishiguro is a master of describing life, as his masterpiece is full of indescribable emotions, a unique atmosphere and ethical problems of human values and the meaning of life, so it makes the mind fight with feelings. Surname 4 Work cited Ishiguro, Kazuo. Klara and the Sun. London, Faber and Faber, 2021
