Klara and the Sun is a novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in a far dystopian future, it tells a story about the relationship between Josie, a home schooled, genetically modified child and Klara, an artificial friend (AF) and companion to Josie. It’s a remarkable tale that tries to answer some of the most important questions we often ask ourselves: What makes us human?, What does it mean to be human? We encounter multiple themes throughout the book, but there are two which I would like to write about.
The book starts with Klara standing in the middle of the store where AF’s are sold. She is an android-like product designed to provide company to real human children, and the narrator of the book. Curious, observant, and intelligent, Klara tries to learn as much as she can about the world around her: Unlike most AFs, unlike Rosa, I’d always longed to see more of the outside – and to see it in all its detail.
Josie is a pale and thin girl, fourteen years old and very intelligent. In the future, most children are home schooled and genetically modified to be smarter. However, this sometimes comes at the cost of their health - Josie is suffering from an unknown illness, which could be fatal. In the store she specifically picks Klara to be her personal AF. Know what? Your friend will make a perfect friend for someone out there. But yesterday, we were driving by and I saw you, and I thought that’s her, the AF I’ve been looking for!
Once Klara finally moves in to live with Josie, we learn that not everyone in the household appreciates Klara’s presence. Melania, the housekeeper, is opposing from the start, and treats Klara with suspicion and hostility: […] but then Melania Housekeeper came between us, and before I was fully aware, had taken Josie’s arm, tucking it under her own. Moreover, Josie’s best friend Rick doesn’t like Klara either. ‘Rick, this is Klara.’ Rick went on concentrating on his remote and didn’t look my way.‘You said you’d never get an AF,’ he said. However, with time Klara becomes a part of the family. Rick sympathizes with her during the party at Josie’s house, and Melania entrusts her with taking care of Josie during the trip to the city. Although an artificial being, Klara soon becomes as important as Josie herself. This made me wonder: How easily do we allow technology to enter our daily lives? I really liked this part of the book, because it relates a lot to my work field. Computer systems are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, and I think it is worth to stop and think how much online systems take from our daily lives.
Klara relies on the energy from the Sun to function - being in the light re-charges her batteries. As a result, she treats the Sun like a deity, and believes it nourishes and takes care of everyone around her. I could understand that for all his kindness, the Sun was very busy; that there were many people besides Josie who required his attention. This is a recurring theme throughout the book, with Klara’s unwavering faith displayed through her brave actions to help Josie get better. However, this gives rise to the questions: What does it mean for an android to believe in a god?, Can an artificial robot believe in a god in the first place? Towards the end of the book we learn Klara’s true purpose - to replace Josie in an event of her death. Mr. Capaldi, who is preparing an android body resembling Josie, argues that since there is no soul, Klara not only can replace Josie, but she can fully become her. I particularly like the contrast between Klara’s faith in the Sun’s nourishment and the agnostic approach of Mr. Capaldi. It’s a paradox which makes the reader question the nature of faith itself.
Overall, I really liked the book, and I hope Kazuo Ishiguro will continue to write novels as great as Klara and the Sun.
>> Home