Scientific Development Research

From the lens of the Artificial Friend Klara, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun probes the complexities of identity in the posthuman era. Drawing on Lacan’s mirror stage theory, this essay examines Klara’s observations of other AFs and human behavior, uncovering the nuance of her reverential relationship with the Sun. Although Klara is capable of imitating human, she remains fundamentally disconnected from the essence of human emotion. This limitation underscores the broader challenges artificial intelligence faces in comprehending and embodying human affect. The mirror and the window serve as dual symbols of Klara’s connection to, also the alienation from human society, while the Sun emerges as a metaphor for her pursuit of self-worth and ontological recognition. Klara’s struggle with identity not only reveals the constraints inherent in her design but also invites a deeper reflection on the evolving interplay between humans and intelligent machines in the posthuman condition.

Klara and the Sun; Humanoid robot; Identity; Posthumanism