The Remains

Protagonists of novels should be relatable and realistic. They should be individuals with whom readers can easily identify, and consequently should be painted with as much humanity as possible. Mr. Stevens, the protagonist of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel The Remains of the Day, is no exception. He is meant to be an incredibly human character, and consequently it makes sense that the reader should seek to define his flaws and limits, and whether or not he exhibits “spiritual imprisonment”, as Robert Stone terms

At the center of Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day is a lack of loyalty to oneself in the protagonist, Mr. Stevens, an aging butler at Darlington Hall, who is blindly loyal to his employers, Lord Darlington and Mr. Farraday. Stevens’ absentminded loyalty to Lord Darlington in particular has significant ramifications, most notably affecting his relationship with Miss Kenton, the head housekeeper at Darlington Hall for many years. Rob Atkinson’s assertion that Stevens’ position in Darlington

The theme of dignity is often used in literature. There are many ways characters can obtain dignity. In Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day, the author employs the use of characterization, tone, and conflict to depict the theme of dignity that is perceived throughout the novel. First of all, Ishiguro utilizes the use of characterization to display the theme of dignity. The protagonist, Stevens, demonstrates he is a professional individual by “maintaining proper order” while he is living through

43). There is an assumed dignity in being a butler of an early twentieth century British household, but that dignity apparently disappears once the notion of Britain is removed. Stevens, a British butler and main character in Ishiguro’s novel The Remains of the Day, holds onto this ideal tightly. In an attempt to recapture the past, Stevens clings to a distorted sense of dignity that is bound by the social constructs of the time in which he longs to be in. His altered view of dignity works with his

Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro’s Remains of the Day is about the struggles one man, Mr. Stevens, has with relationships with his father, Miss Kenton and his employer, but the struggle he focuses on the most is to be a “great butler.” He pushes himself physically to work as hard as he can, as well as mentally to determine what makes a butler great. Stevens sacrifices all normal human encounters with those around him in order to be an emotionless person. “When one encounters them, one simply

Regrets in The Remains of the Day “...For a great many people, the evening is the most enjoyable part of the day. Perhaps, then, there is something to his advice that I should cease looking back so much, that I should adopt a more positive outlook and try to make the best of what remains of my day. After all, what can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished? The hard reality is, surely, that for the likes of

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro Postmodern literature has its many spokesmen. Many would agree that Kazuo Ishiguro is not the most typical representative of this somewhat anarchistic literary and social movement, but he is certainly one of its most subtle and valuable artists. He uses the principles of post modernistic writing in a very meaningful way, and only after a thorough analysis can one fully appreciate all carefully constructed and presented elements trough which he successfully

and short-term memories in the archives of our brains, what makes us remember specific events and forget others? To what extent do memories serve as a guideline to the type of personality and characteristics an individual displays? In the novel The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro and the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, memories are used for the understanding of main characters. Ishiguro uses memories to narrate Stevens’ past working for royalty and his struggle to transition into the

to last while loyalty that is bought tends to fade. Two books, The Human Factor by Graham Greene and The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro show this difference. While both characters demonstrate external loyalty, Stevens’ loyalty was purchased, and Castle’s was earned. Castle’s genuine loyalty allows him to risk his life, while Stevens’ loyalty is only compliance. Stevens, in The Remains of the Day, lives only to serve.

and The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro show that some loyalties are bought, while others are earned. Earned loyalty tends to last while loyalty that is bought tends to fade. Through the characters Stevens and Castle, they demonstrate this difference. While both characters demonstrate external loyalty, Stevens’ loyalty was purchased, and Castle’s was earned. Castle’s genuine loyalty allows him to risk his life, while Stevens’ loyalty is only compliance. Stevens, in The Remains of the Day