Reimagining Companionship in „Klara and the Sun”

Abstract

This paper explores Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun as a literary examination of companionship in the age of artificial intelligence. Set in a technologically advanced society where Artificial Friends (AFs) are purchased to alleviate human loneliness, the novel interrogates what constitutes meaningful emotional connection. Drawing on philosophical theories of relationality and sociological insights into mediated intimacy, this study situates the novel within broader debates about authenticity, emotional labour, and the commodification of companionship. By analysing the limitations of Klara’s emotional capacity and her role in children’s social development, the paper argues that Ishiguro redefines companionship as a contested space—one where human longing, technological substitution, and societal pressures collide. The novel ultimately challenges us to reconsider whether true companionship can survive in a world increasingly shaped by algorithmic empathy.