The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro*****

What is the key to a happy life? “I rather fancy it has more to do with this skill of bantering.” The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is an introspective masterpiece by Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro. Mr. Stevens is the butler at Darlington House. This novel covers a week where he considers his life of dignity and service, while the reader considers the broader question of the meaning and purpose of life. Mr. Stevens ends on a melancholy note but the reader gains from sharing the week.

SPOILERS FOLLOW

The two main characters are Mr. Stevens, the butler of Darlington House, and Miss Kenton, head housekeeper. Mr. Stevens is proud of serving Lord Darlington with efficiency and dignity and fears Miss Kenton has left service only to have found sadness. From Mrs. Benn’s (nee Kenton) correspondence he learns that she has had ups and downs. She separated from her husband three times. He pities her sad life. However upon meeting her, now in the remains of the day, he discovers she is happy to retire with her husband and enjoy her grandchildren. Mr. Stevens, in contrast, has lived a life of consistent service, but now find himself with nothing.

One of Mr. Stevens disappointments is that he supported antisemitism and the Nazis along with Lord Darlington. “He chose a certain path in life, it proved to be a misguided one, but there, he chose it, he can say that at least. As for myself, I cannot even claim that. You see, I trusted. I trusted in his lordship’s wisdom.”

Much of Mr. Stevens dedication and pride in his job revolved around dignity. His triumphal memories were of situations where Lord Darlington and circumstances conspired to make extraordinary, perhaps unreasonable, requests and he met them without complaint or question. “I recall that evening today, I find I do so with a large sense of triumph.” This is his idea of the ultimate of dignity. Unquestioning, unflappable loyalty, and obedience.

Later he meets some agricultural types who have a different idea of dignity. “We won the right to be free citizens. And it’s one of the privileges of being born English that no matter who you are, no matter if you’re rich or poor, you’re born free and you’re born so that you can express your opinion freely, and vote in your member of parliament or vote him out. That’s what dignity’s really about, if you’ll excuse me, sir.” Now Mr. Stevens questions whether subordinating himself to his employer and accepting the idea that he can’t have informed opinions was the best way to go.

On a wider stage, the book can be seen as a condemnation of the British upper-class and Royalty. A particularly disturbing note was Lord Darlington’s allegiance to the German upper-class Nazis over the ordinary French diplomats, something not dissimilar from the deposed King of England.

A beautiful novel for those who have more to look back to than forward to.

For my expanded notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2020/03/normal-people-by-sally-rooney.html

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