Dolly the Sheep, sweetly named after Dolly Parton, was a revolutionary development in the science community, with her being the first ever mammary clone. Born from the Roslin Institute's research team led by Professor Sir Ian Wilmut,  Dolly's birth was life-altering, as her cells that she was developed from were taken from adult cells which were originally believed to only have one purpose, not containing enough genetic material to clone, yet her birth proved that science was incorrect. She was born via surrogate mother and went on to live a relatively normal life, even having six baby lambs, but eventually developed health issues. Due to inexplainable reasons, was aged faster than her living age, and developed a disease caused by a virus that caused tumors in the lungs and was terminal. After this discovery, it was decided that Dolly should rest forever and not awaken from her anesthetics to diminish any suffering she could obtain by living. 

The novel, Never Let Me Go, is centered around the lives of clones, ultimately created for scientific purposes also. Their existence is controversial, just like Dolly's. After the announcement of Dolly being created, the Roslin Institute received upwards of 3,000 calls to discuss the dangers and excitement that revolve around cloning. The discomfort the public felt in regard to Dolly's arrival is like that of Madam and Miss Emily's curiosity and disgust they both discussed around their personal feelings, as well as the general public’s opinions regarding clones. This alludes to the novel well, making it feel more and obtainable, while still being dystopian. Never Let Me Go revolves around the questions of existence and purpose, while also questioning morality in multiple overlays including developments in the science community.  

Dolly the Sheep with Professor Sir Ian Wilmut

Photo Source: https://www.nms.ac.uk/discover-catalogue/the-story-of-dolly-the-sheep

Sources: 

National Museums Scotland. “The Story of Dolly the Sheep.” National Museums Scotland, nms.ac.uk, www.nms.ac.uk/discover-catalogue/the-story-of-dolly-the-sheep.

University of Edinburgh, The Roslin Institute. “The Life of Dolly.” The Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, 2 Sept. 2024, vet.ed.ac.uk/roslin/about/history/dolly/facts/life-of-dolly