This paper analyes the book „The Remains oft he Day“ from Kazuo Ishiguro.
It is told from the perspective of Stevens, an elderly head butler, who, during a six- day road trip to England’s West Country, reflects on his past at the country mansion Darlington Hall. He dedicated his life to serving Lord Darlington, a labelled traitor and Nazi sympathizer, and to the task of being a “great” butler. Shortly after the war, Mr Farraday, an American purchases the estate and minimizes the staff drastically. Under him, Darlington Hall is no longer the meeting point for “the wealthy and influential”
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2.1 The values of greatness and dignity
2.2 Stevens and Englishness
2.3 Remembering historical events
3. Conclusion
4. Works cited
Objectives and Topics
The study aims to analyze how the protagonist Stevens in Kazuo Ishiguro's "The Remains of the Day" serves as an embodiment of British national identity. It examines the protagonist's internal conflict and self-deception as he reflects on his lifelong service at Darlington Hall, exploring how his personal memory and professional ideals are shaped by the socio-cultural context of England and his perception of historical events.
- The construction of "Englishness" through the butler's persona and professional conduct.
- The relationship between individual memory, national identity, and cultural history.
- The interpretation of "dignity" and "greatness" as central pillars of the protagonist's life.
- The influence of the English class system and the legacy of the World Wars on personal development.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Stevens and Englishness
The dedication to his duties, to Lord Darlington, and to becoming the best he can be is what makes Stevens a typical English butler, and at the same time forms an important part of Stevens’s Englishness. Stereotypically, Englishmen stick to their traditions and prefer tasks to be done properly and correctly. Throughout the novel Stevens tries to live up to the stereotype of the old fashioned English butler. Already in the beginning of The Remains of the Day, Stevens demonstrates his characteristic English modesty. When his new employer, the American Mr Farraday, suggests that the butler should take a break and explore England with his new master’s car, Stevens, when talking to the reader claims that he saw more of his country than most people, because he served in a house where “the greatest ladies and gentlemen of the land gathered” (Ishiguro 4). But the butler would never express such thoughts to his employer, because it might appear arrogant, vain, and thus somewhat out of place.
The fear of being held to be vain is again depicted when Stevens talks to the reader about the correct clothing for a country trip. He is proud to own magnificent suits, passed on to him by his former employer, Lord Darlington, and by different guests hosted at Darlington Hall. To Stevens, being dressed worthy of his position is very important when being asked about his professional activity, but he fears that thoughts about such issues might appear too conceited (11). Again, when thinking about his trip and talking to Mr Farraday, Stevens tries to bypass a subordination of arrogance. He prefers to stop expressing his thoughts about Darlington Hall’s future and accepts looking awkward rather than continuing to pronounce those thoughts aloud (14).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the protagonist Stevens, the setting of Darlington Hall, and the central themes of memory, professional duty, and national identity within Ishiguro’s novel.
2.1 The values of greatness and dignity: This section explores how Stevens defines his existence through the concepts of greatness and dignity, analyzing his admiration for other butlers and his father while grappling with the hollowness of his own life’s work.
2.2 Stevens and Englishness: The chapter examines the construction of the butler's Englishness, focusing on his modest demeanor, adherence to tradition, and the suppression of personal emotions to maintain a professional identity.
2.3 Remembering historical events: This part analyzes the role of political history and the impact of the World Wars on Stevens’s life and his perception of his former employer, Lord Darlington.
3. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the realization of Stevens’s wasted life and his eventual confrontation with the reality of his political and personal misjudgments.
4. Works cited: This section provides a list of academic sources and primary texts utilized throughout the analysis.
Keywords
Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day, Stevens, Englishness, National Identity, Memory, Dignity, Greatness, Darlington Hall, Professionalism, Historical Narrative, Cultural Memory, Class System, Butler, Post-war England.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the character of Stevens in "The Remains of the Day" and how he represents the embodiment of British national identity through his professional service and internal values.
What are the central thematic fields discussed?
The work explores themes of memory, dignity, the English class system, national identity, and the struggle between personal desire and professional duty.
What is the core research question?
The research seeks to understand how Stevens’s identity is constructed through his adherence to the ideals of "greatness" and "dignity" and the extent to which his life is shaped by the socio-political climate of the time.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a literary analysis approach, drawing on theoretical frameworks such as cultural memory (Astrid Erll) to interpret the narrative structure and the protagonist’s psychological state.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections delve into the definition of Englishness, the specific concepts of greatness and dignity, the role of historical events like the World Wars, and the protagonist's retrospective self-reflection.
How would you characterize the keywords of this work?
The keywords are centered around literary criticism, specifically relating to Ishiguro's novel, the role of memory, and the socio-historical construction of identity.
How does the concept of "dignity" change for Stevens throughout the story?
Initially, dignity is synonymous with professional perfection and unwavering loyalty. By the end, Stevens is forced to confront the fact that his unwavering trust in a morally compromised employer has rendered his own life and service essentially hollow.
Why is the "English landscape" significant in the novel?
The landscape serves as a mirror for the English national character—specifically the qualities of calmness, restraint, and understated beauty that Stevens aspires to manifest in his own behavior.
- Quote paper
- Mona Baumann (Author), 2017, Memory in Kazuo Ishiguro's "The Remains of the Day", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/416823
