susceptible to The Farm ’ s methods of recruitment . 34 Žižek argues that ‘ for those who have nowhere to retreat from their trauma ,’ their trauma is not a ‘ specter ’ ( an unpleasant memory ) but a continuation of the original trauma itself . 35 When this theory is applied , The Farm ’ s recruitment methods become even more dehumanising . In forcing entrants to record themselves talking about their traumatic experiences so that they can be played back to them at various points , The Farm ’ s leaders ensure that trauma cannot become a ‘ specter ,’ but remains an ongoing mental state . They then manipulate this to get their members to agree to anything in the name of ‘ healing ,’ putting them in a position where they trust the those who continue to harm them . 36
When encouraging Betty to join so that she can become another organ donor on his list , farm leader Edgar tells her ‘ your Mother is here ; your sister is here ; your best friend , Kevin , is here . Your principal is here . Cousin Cheryl is here .’ 37 This repetition of ‘ is here ’ serves to use Betty ’ s traumatic family life to convince her that , if she joins The Farm , she will be only with those who do not wish to hurt her , placing her in a community separate from the challenges of the outside world . Furthermore , Edgar commands her to ‘ be a sister to Polly . Be a Godmother to Juniper ,’ making her feel as if her societal role is at The Farm . 38
Similarly , Never Let Me Go ’ s Hailsham is presented as a safe space for students , with stories of the danger of the woods deterring students from escape attempts and making them feel safe inside Hailsham ’ s grounds . 39 However , the non-chronological nature of Kathy ’ s narrative demonstrates that Hailsham is the true world that these characters need to escape from but cannot . In the first chapter , everywhere Kathy drives past reminds her of Hailsham , suggesting that whilst she seems positively nostalgic about her time there , she has been conditioned to always remember this world and the ‘ purpose ’ she was assigned there . 40
Eatough convincingly argues that the residents of Hailsham are discouraged from viewing their bodies as separate to other bodies , and are instead encouraged to have ‘ emotional
34
Aguirre-Sacasa , ‘ Season 2 , Episode 21 : Judgment Night ,’ Riverdale
35
Slavoj Žižek , ‘ Descartes and the Posttraumatic Subject ,’ Filozofski Vestnik , 29 ( 2 ) ( 2008 ), 11
36
Aguirre-Sacasa , ‘ Season 3 , Episode 17 : The Raid ,’ Riverdale
37
Aguirre-Sacasa , ‘ Season 3 , Episode 19 : Fear the Reaper ,’ 30:40 , Riverdale
38
Ibid , 30:55
39
Kazuo Ishiguro , Never Let Me Go ( London : Bloomsbury , 2005 ), 50
40
Ibid , 6