Remains of the Day

A detailed Summary of Remains of the Day


Kazuo Ishiguro's Remains of the Day gives an eloquent treatment of the issue of how a stoic English butler's unemotional reaction to the emotional world around him is damaging and painful, and how he resolves to make the best of the "remains of the day"-the remainder of his life. Ishiguro explores some of the differences between the old English Victorian culture-that of the stiff upper lip, no show of emotion, and repression of personal opinion-and the no-holds-barred American culture of free expression of opinion and emotion. The American culture's spread into England is hastened with the two world wars, and it ends Stevens' old way of work, if not the job itself. Although Remains of the Day concentrates on a particular culture, and an obsolescent one at that, Ishiguro makes many insightful observations on human behavior in general. I will explore a few of these observations here, and attempt to show that Ishiguro's work possesses meaning far beyond an examination of one emotionally-repressed servant.

Ishiguro illustrates Stevens, and all of the old English butlers, as characters who basically amount to machines, unable to think for themselves. They see loyalty to the master as the only thing that matters in the world.


defeated foe like this." Lewis' speech also can be thought of as saying that Darlington Hall needs butlers who can effectively mediate and discuss emotional problems, rather than mindlessly approving

One of the most tragic parts of the book occurs when Stevens' father, also a butler, lies dying in an upstairs bedroom, saying, "I hope I've been a good father to you," and the most emotional thing the son can say is "I'm so glad you're feeling better now," over and over (97). This is simply the end product in a lifetime of unhealthy denial of emotions. Stevens treats these moments as merely another part of

America also has had its share of servants loyally serving their employers. Stevens also would have felt right at home in a corporation such as General Motors. He would have been the perfect

world power. In the colonial days, that way of doing things was not so harmful because Britain was the most powerful nation on the planet, but in the modern era with the once upstart United Sates as a

knowing one's place rapidly goes out of favor. Farraday, the easygoing American who takes over the hall after Lord Darlington's death, requests of Stevens a give-and-take, "bantering" relationship.



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Approximate Word count = 2937
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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