Remains of the Day

Kasuo Ishiguro

Stevens is an English butler of the tradition of the 1920's through the 1940's. This is his diary and ruminations on a car trip (motoring trip in England) in 1956. He thinks back over his career with Lord Darlington and his relationship with the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. Butteling (is that a word?) seems to have been his life, and nothing would distract him from it.

The gentleman he worked under was involved in the politics of Europe between the two wars. Was Lord Darlington really a help? Or was he naive about relations between England and Germany? Stevens remembers the different parties with the dignitaries. The further along on his trip, the more we learn. Stevens had always been loyal to the Lord. Now the Lord was dead, and perhaps... But no, Stevens is a loyal butler, even to the Lord's memory.

Then there is Miss Kenton, although now she is Mrs. Benn. Stevens remembers incidents from the times the two of them worked together. Stevens remembers himself as professional and businesslike. She seemed to try to brighten and personalize his surroundings. He would have none of it. Even when she left to be married, he kept personalities out of it. Now, twenty years later, she has left her husband and Stevens is going to visit her.

What an intriguing, quiet story this is. There is no big action, no fights, no continuity to the memories. It is one man's memories of his dignity and his work. It appears he had no life other than his work. I got the impression that this outing may have been the first extended time off he ever took from his job. It is well written, and the past unfolds slowly as he contemplates it. By the end I understood his loneliness as well as his pride. He doesn't know how to judge the best type of butler, and has strived his whole life to achieve that goal.

The other storyline is for the culture itself. As Stevens was working the upper class and servants were slowly fading away. Lord Darlington and Stevens were part of a dying society. Ishiguro gives a poignant look at a changing society that isn't ready to change.