The Remains of the Day

Kazuo Ishiguro's intriguing novel centred around the character of Stevens, the aging

butler of a grand house, Darlington Hall, is definitely worth a read as it completely transports you into the mind of a man consumed with duty, proving to be an excellent study of the personality and beliefs of a dying culture. The novel almost acts as a stream of consciousness as we are taken through Steven's nostalgic memories of life at Darlington Hall and, most importantly, the role of a butler in all that occurs.

An aspect that I really liked about the novel was how the narrative was interspersed with reflections on what made a butler, "a 'great' butler". I thought this was particularly effective as it really started to dissect the protagonist's mindset, highlighting how his sense of duty and responsibility consumes his whole being, thus helping the more modern reader to further understand his actions. The one main quality that stands out in the novel, however, is the question of 'dignity'. It goes without saying (at least according to Stevens), that 'dignity' is the most essential quality for a 'great' butler to possess, however, what 'dignity' actually is, is a question that is debated throughout the novel, and it is this which, for me, makes Ishiguro's novel a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, as it provides the source for thought and questioning of society. There are various dictionary definitions for 'dignity' including "the state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect", or "a composed or serious manner of style" (Oxford Dictionary), however, the novel takes this idea further, suggesting that it is the ultimate goal of a butler to strive for this in their career, thus 'dignity' almost becomes an Aristotelian virtue, giving it a higher status than merely a "state", and transforming it into a somewhat deified objective.

Another theme that consumes the novel is the idea of a lost society and way of living, perhaps symbolised through the change of owners of Darlington Hall from Lord Darlington, a very traditional man, to Mr. Farraday, a young American. Ishiguro presents Stevens' difficulty in offering the same level of service to Mr. Farraday as he once did to Lord Darlington. While this could be drawn back to the ideas of 'dignity' and 'loyalty', in that Stevens had given all he had in service to Lord Darlington, striving to be a 'great' butler, it could also represent the distortion between the older, more traditional ways of thinking and the newer, more progressive ideas that arrived in post-war Britain. A big concern that Stevens carries throughout the novel is his lack of ability to take part in "bantering" with Mr. Farraday, and this epitomizes the more relaxed employer-employee interactions that came with the arrival of more recognizably modern-day ideas. It is endearing to see Stevens actively practicing and striving to be able to produce such witticisms in everyday conversation so that he can provide a good service to his employer, however, his lack of comprehension about the need for such things, and his rose-tinted memories of Darlington Hall's previous era serves as a constant reminder of the difficulties many had in letting go of the times before and embracing the new, especially for people like Stevens who, as previously mentioned, were so duty-bound that this was an insurmountable task.

The character of Stevens is much more complex than he initially appears; at first, he seems utterly consumed by his desire to please, leading to him perhaps exuding a degree of arrogance, especially when he discusses (with much authority) what makes a 'great' butler. However, along with this perceived arrogance, we soon learn, comes a great sense of humility; a feeling of service and a desire to do his best for others not just for self-gratification, but mainly out of respect for those he serves and a wish to fulfill what seems to be his life's destiny. Unfortunately, what this leads to is Stevens becoming an extremely emotionally-detached man; it is almost as if he is too overpowered by his knowledge of what he must do for others, that he pushes what he must do for himself to the bottom. Although this is not necessarily the worst vice to have, it does mean that the reader gets a sense of unfulfillment from him; a sense that although he has achieved his goal of striving to be a 'great' butler, he has somewhat neglected his emotions. This idea is explored through his relationship with Miss Kenton, the housekeeper, which, although only ever remains formal, is tinged with the promises of a closer, more intimate friendship than is presented in the novel. The two have a (mostly) positive working relationship, to the extent that the reader begins to hope that perhaps Stevens will break out of his solitude and share his thoughts with her, however, his sense of duty once again overpowers any emotions he may have, leaving the reader somewhat disappointed. It may just be my over-active imagination, but I felt that there was the possibility for a romantic attraction between the two; Miss Kenton was evidently intrigued yet frustrated by Stevens, and Stevens held great respect for Miss Kenton, which could have translated into something more.

Stevens' relationship with his father is also extremely fascinating. As you may have guessed, this is also a relationship that carries severe overtones of duty, as some pivotal events in the novel will show, however, unlike with Miss Kenton, the two seem to share a mutual understanding of just how important their jobs are to them; their lives and their work are inextricably intertwined. Despite this, there still remains a sense of intrigue surrounding their relationship as we are provided with no backstory yet are begged to ask why they behave as they do towards each other, and how their relationship seems somewhat more distant than that between Stevens and Lord Darlington, for example.

For anyone who has watched 'Downton Abbey', the first thing that struck me was the similarities between that show and this book, particularly when it comes to Stevens and the Downton Abbey butler, Carson, however, I will leave you to make your own decision when you read The Remains of the Day. It is a highly intriguing yet heart-rending novel, exploring the life and mind of an extremely fascinating character representative of a lost society and way of life.