1.1 Biography

"The Remains of the Day", winner of the 1989 Booker Prize, was written by Kazuo Ishiguro in 1989.

Ishiguro was born in Nagasaki , Japan, on November 8, 1954. At the age of five he came to Great Britain, were he had a typical English upbringing with an immersion in Japanese culture and language.

Ishiguro has gained a reputation as one of the finest British writers. "His fiction deals broadly with themes of self-deception, truth and the clash of public and private images of his characters. He reworks the images which people have both of themselves and of their historical background. He situates his work firmly in the inner world of his characters and often avoids much overt plot construction." 1

1.2 Summary of the text

While set technically in the present, most of the novel takes place in a sequence of reminiscences in the past.

The book tells the story of an old man who takes a trip across England to the sea. His name is Stevens, and he had been the head butler at Darlington Hall, a famous country house, for many years. He is going to visit a woman, he has not seen in a long time: Miss Kenton, who was once the housekeeper at Darlington Hall. He thinks perhaps she can be persuaded to resume her old position under the hall's new owner, a retired American Congressman. Along his way to the sea, in flashback, we see his memories of the great days at Darlington Hall, when Lord Darlington played host to the world's leaders.

2.1 Characterisation and development of Mr. Stevens

The main character in this novel is Mr. Stevens, the head butler of Darlington Hall. He is the first-person narrator, or more precisely, an intradiegetic narrator. This means he is both outside and inside the events being narrated. So we have actually "two" main Characters. The "narrating Stevens" of 1956 and the "narrated Stevens" of the past events.

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Stevens is definitely a round Character, because we can trace a development within his person. From being a devoted butler, he comes to the point where he realises, that there's something else in life than serving his employer.

The "narrated Stevens" lives only for his employer Lord Darlington. He believes that his position as a servant to a "great gentleman" requires him to remain close to the hub of the wheel. Etiquette between a butler and all others is, at least in Stevens' world, defined clearly and narrowly, and "dignity has to do crucially with a butler's ability not to abandon the professional being he inhabits" (42). 2

Stevens thinks that " good English" is one of the most important things a butler has to know. So even in his time-off, he does everything to achieve the standards which the "great gentlemen" have.

I often tended to choose the sort of volume Miss Kenton had found me reading that evening simply because such works tend to be written in good English, with plenty of elegant dialogue of much practical value to me [...] A weightier book- a scholarly study, while it might have been more generally improving would have tended to be couched in terms likely to be of more limited use in the course of one's normal intercourse with ladies and gentleman.(168)

His manner of speech, he achieved while reading all these books, leads the townspeople that he meets on his trip to mistake him for a distinguished gentleman. But Stevens only lives for Darlington Hall, he hasn't been in the outside world at all, what's important for him, is to be a " great butler". He doesn't have "real" friends, he is even distant with butlers from other households, to maintain a strict professionalism. To achieve " ´dignity` and its crucial link with greatness"(113), he even separates himself from himself. He doesn´t use the first pronoun `I' when he talks of himself, instead he always uses the term ´one` when he talks about his own actions or thoughts. To serve his employer is even more important for Stevens than his father. He doesn't leave his work when his father is dying. The way he treats his dying father is shameful, he doesn't even want to listen to his last words:

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"I'm glad Father is feeling so much better," I said again eventually. "Now really, I'd best be getting back. As I say, the situation is rather volatile." He went on looking at his hands for a moment. Then he said slowly: "I hope I've been a good father to you." I laughed a little and said: "I'm so glad you're feeling better now." "I'm proud of you. A good son. I hope I've been a good father to you. I suppose I haven't." "I'm afraid we're extremely busy now, but we can talk again in the morning." My father was still looking at his hands as though he were faintly irritated by them. "I'm so glad you're feeling better now," I said again and took my leave.(97)

He wants to talk with him in the morning, but that is too late. His father needs him now, but he has to go back to work, because "the situation is rather volatile".(97)

Even when his father is dead, Steven doesn't find a minute to say goodbye to his father. He leaves it up to Miss Kenton to close his eyes. You can't recognise any sorrow he feels. He is totally calm and composed. One get the feeling he doesn't even care.

Miss Kenton, please don't think me unduly improper in not ascending to see my father in his deceased condition just at this moment. You see I know my father would have wished me to carry on just now. (106)

The way he treats Miss Kenton also shows how cold Stevens is. He doesn't show any feelings, not even does he admit them to himself. All those years he had been in love with Miss Kenton, but didn't admit it. He was too much occupied with work and being a "great butler". When she is crying behind her door, he doesn't take any opportunity to tell her how much he cares. Then, finally Miss Kenton gets married and leaves Darlington Hall. Again he gives us the impression that he doesn't care. That it doesn't matter to him if she leaves or stays.

[...] I just tell you that I accepted my acquaintance's proposal". "I beg your pardon, Miss Kenton?" "His proposal of marriage." "Ah, is that so, Miss Kenton? Then may I offer you my congratulations." "Thank you, Mr Stevens. Of course, I will be happy to serve out my notice. However, should it be that your are able to release me earlier, we would be very grateful. My acquaintance begins his new job in the West Country in two weeks` time."

"I will do my best to secure a replacement at the earliest opportunity, Miss Kenton. Now if you will excuse me, I must return upstairs."(218)

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