"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more."

"And though we just kept on walking, we all felt it;  it was like we'd walked from the sun right into the chilly shade."  Never Let Me Go (p. 35)

Is it just me, or does Madame seem like Cruella Devil?  I'm not really sure what it is about her, but she seems to me like a rich lady out for power and money.  I guess I will find out soon enough.

In this chapter we are introduced to a new character Kathy calls "Madame."  This is not really her name, but no one else really knows what to call her.  She seems to have authority and power over the guardians and students at Hailsham; however, Ruth proves that Madame is actually scared of the people at Hailsham.

In the above excerpt, Ishiguro uses a simile to illustrate how the students felt when walking so close to Madame.  The simile not only explains the emotions of the students, but also the aura of a symbol of authority.  Madame is a representation of the unknown world outside of Hailsham to the students.  Obviously, they have not really traveled beyond the walls of the well-known.  But ironically, I'm going to assume that Madame hasn't either.  Both parties feel uncomfortable in the situation of walking past one another.  The simile serves a tool to add imagery and depth to the novel.

This simile is also a juxtaposition.  The word "sun" reminds me of words such as warm and bright.  These words are the opposite of the words "shade" and "chilly."  I think this is the point where the students begin to realize their perfect world may not be as perfect as they thought...