"Sometimes she'd be going on very intensely then come to a sudden stop with something like: "What is it? What is it? What can it be that thwarts us?" (Never Let Me Go, page 43)
Miss Emily asks this rhetorical question to the students as she lectures them on the proper way to behave. I think these rhetorical questions are effective because they show what kind of person Miss Emily is. When she preaches to the students, they feel awkward and confused not really knowing how to respond to her. She is the head guardian and people are afraid to cross her.
I especially found Kathy's encounter with Miss Emily on the footpath interesting. Kathy finds Miss Emily muttering to herself. I think Miss Emily might know something that the reader doesn't. Maybe she knows something about the Gallery or Madame. She seems like the type of person who is knowledgeable and respected but not really sociable. I was surprised when Kathy said "it was her presence, intimidating though it was, that made us all feel so safe at Hailsham." Then again, it seems like the most influential people are those who are feared.
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