The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day (1989) is the third novel by British-Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro. The book received much critical praise and he won the Booker prize, one of Britain's top literary prizes, for the novel.

Plot introduction

Like each of his previous two novels, the story is told in first person point of view. Additionally, like in his previous novels, the narrator recalls his life while also progressing through the present. Various aspects in the narrator's actual life makes him recall more and more from his past.

The novel was Ishiguro's first not to be based in Japan (although his first novel, A Pale View of Hills, was told from the point of view of an elderly woman living in Britain recalling back to when she lived in Japan) and also his first not to be told from the point of view of a Japanese person.

Plot summary

The novel Remains of the Day tells the story of Stevens, an English butler who dedicates his life to the loyal service of Lord Darlington (mentioned in increasing detail in flashbacks). The novel begins with Stevens receiving a letter from an ex co-worker called Miss Kenton, describing her married life, and 'hinting' at her unhappy marriage. Stevens' new employer, Mr. Farraday, grants permission for Stevens to borrow the car to take a break. As he sets out on the motoring trip and meets the long since retired housekeeper, Miss Kenton, he ponders his previous actions in the past, his underlying feelings of love for Miss Kenton which were never realised or even fully stated, and he is left with a vague feeling of loss, and regret, culminating in his break down at the end of the novel.

The novel is written in first person making use of narrative voice, so that much of the time Stevens does not directly say anything about his feelings for Miss Kenton, but rather leaves them implied. The aforementioned Miss Kenton, it later emerges, has been married for over 20 years, and is not Miss Kenton at all, but Mrs Benn.

Its ending can be read in a number of ways, with either the butler trying to come to terms with how he has spent his life, to make the best of what remains of his day, or attempting to please his new master, and not learning from his past.

Characters in "The Remains of the Day"

Stevens – a professional English butler
Miss Kenton – housekeeper
Lord Darlington – the previous, and now deceased owner of Darlington Hall
Mr Farraday – the new employer of Stevens

Literary significance & criticism

Depending on the interpretation of the reader, the novel can be seen to have either a positive or negative ending. When Stevens admits that his life had essentially been wasted, another character tells him that 'the evening is the best part of the day', essentially reminding him that his life isn't over. Stevens then tells the reader that he will 'make the best of what remains of my day', by learning how to banter to 'surprise' his new employer. This can be seen to have both positive and negative connotations.

Stevens and his disllusionment with Lord Darlington (and even his inability to face the truth of Lord Darlington's fall from grace) can be read to represent the citizens in post-colonial England and their relationship with the transitional British Empire, as both Stevens and British citizens blindly trusted the correctness of the actions of their master.

Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science

The novel is centred around the decline of the British aristocracy, and even Darlington Hall is now under the ownership of an American. The decline of the British aristocracy was linked to the 1911 Parliament Act, which reduced the powers of the House of Lords, and to the substantial inheritance tax increases imposed after WWII which forced the break-up of many estates that had been passed down for generations.

Awards and nominations

It won the Booker Prize, one of Britain's top literary prizes.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

The novel was adapted into a 1993 film by Merchant Ivory Productions.
A BBC Radio 4 adaptation in two hour-long episodes starring Ian McDiarmid was broadcast on August 8 and August 15, 2003.

1989 novels | British novels | Historical novels

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