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Rodney is one of the “veterans” (the older residents at the Cottages) who befriends Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth. He is a clone like the rest of them, but he did not go to Hailsham as a child. He is characterized as a friendly and easygoing young man who is always up for an adventure. For example, he excitedly talks about going on a trip to Norfolk to track down Ruth’s “possible” (a term for the person that a clone is copied from). He is also Chrissie’s boyfriend and a bit of a pushover. Kathy, ever the observer, notices that Rodney is generally under Chrissie’s influence and does and says whatever Chrissie wants him to. Ishiguro uses Rodney, with his malleability, to symbolize the lack of free will that all clones experience. Kathy realizes that Rodney and the rest of the veterans unintentionally copy the behavior of television characters, such as tapping their significant other on the arm to say goodbye. Their mimicry seems harmless at first but it is actually a disturbing reminder that clones are intentionally kept at a distance from the real world. They need to copy fictionalized depictions of everyday life because they have no real-world experiences themselves. Even Rodney’s attempts at individuality—his long hair and his fascination with reincarnation—were likely copied from a television show or inspired by an old book or magazine.

Rodney’s future anticipates Kathy’s own. He tried to get a deferral for him and Chrissie, was unsuccessful, watched his partner die after a donation, and will soon “complete” as well after he finishes his own. Tragically, Kathy will experience the exact same fate. Ishiguro intentionally draws parallels between Rodney and Kathy’s narrative arcs to show the cyclical nature of their dystopian society. One gets the sense that the creation, harvesting, and killing of clones has simply become part of the routine in this newer, darker age.

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