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Remains Of The Day Character Analysis

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The Remains of the Day was written by Kazuo Ishiguro in 1989, in which portrays the story of the long-life butler in an aristocratic British house. The author locates the novel in a critical historic moment and it plays an important role in which the political instability is reflected on characters. However, the main character seems not to be affected by this event in most of the book, actually he does not seem to feel anything. In this essay, we suggest that Stevens fails to express his feelings since his profession was inherited by his father as well as his obsession about being perfect and satisfying the desires of his landlord. A perfect example of this is the response to his father’s death. As a human being, he is obviously grieving and …show more content…

Ruth and Sarah have been members of my staff for over six years now. I trust them absolutely and indeed they trust me. They have served this house excellently.” “I am sure that is so, Miss Kenton. However, we must not allow sentiment to creep into our judgement.” […] “Mr Stevens, I am outraged that you can sit there and utter what you have just done as though you were discussing orders for the larder. I simply cannot believe it. You are saying Ruth and Sarah are to be dismissed on the grounds that they are Jewish?” “Miss Kenton, I have just this moment explained the situation to you fully. His lordship has made his decision and there is nothing for you and I to debate over.” “Does it not occur to you, Mr Stevens, that to dismiss Ruth and Sarah on these grounds would be simply - wrong? I will not stand for such thing. I will not work in a house in which such things can occur.”” (Ishiguro, 1996: 156-157). We find Stevens in a moral dilemma in which he secretly knows which side he is on since the beginning. In order to preserve his honour as a butler, he does not manifest it. “But the question is, how those driven by the desire to always behave like a “great” butler should react under such circumstances.” (Terestchenko, 2007: 85). Even so in this given situation, in which Miss Kenton blackmails on him about leaving Darlington Hall, Mr Stevens still refuses to agree with her point of view, position himself politically, and he keeps on with his apathetic

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