The Remains of the Day

Kazuo Ishiguro
 Plot- Day two: Morning
 Miss Kenton’s/Mrs Benn- through the letter Stevens observes that her
marriage is finally coming to an end.
 He assumes – she desires to be the housekeeper of the Darlington Hall
again.
 The letter mentions some fond memories they had at the Hall- both
Steven’s father and Miss Kenton joining the Hall – in the spring 1922- as
the former under-butler and housekeeper eloped
 Both Steven’s father and Miss Kenton are good at their own departments
 Steven's father is in his seventies and "much ravaged by arthritis and other
ailments.“
 His abilities are greatly diminished with illness and age- Miss Kenton
points out certain “trivial minor errors” to Stevens
 Contd.

 The dust-pan being laid in the outside of the hall by Stevens.

“…the central spot of the otherwise empty and highly polished floor, lay
the dustpan Miss Kenton had alluded to. …my father, I recalled, had been
brushing the entrance hall a half-hour or so earlier. At first, I found it
hard to credit such an error to my father. “
 The several pieces of silver having remains of polish.
“The end of one fork had been practically black…that the silver was one
of my father's main responsibilities and one he took great pride in. “
 The misplacement of the Chinaman
 Another trivial error happens when Stevens fells over a walkway while
carrying refreshments to entertain the guests-fell unconsious
 Contd.
 Lord Darlington entrusts Stevens with the duty to understand the present
situation of his father- “overworked”
 They converse less- but somehow he addresses the issue – his father
disapproves and points out that it was due to the crooked steps that he fell.
 Narration shifts to the present- the incident while travelling to Salisbury-
Nellie, a hen being saved – offered a tea in return-happily refuses
 The International conference 1923-close friend of Herr Karl-Heinz
Bremann, a distinguished German soldier who fought in the Great War
(World War I).
 Treaty of Versailles sent the economy of postwar Germany spiraling into
ruin—he said it did England "great discredit to treat a defeated foe like
this."
 Contd.

 With the condition of Germany getting worse- Herman shot and killed
himself – Lord Darlington decided to act and held meetings with great
gentlemen to the house- including Maynard Keynes and H.G. Wells and
many “off the record”
 During the conference Stevens father falls ill and is taken care of by Miss
Kenton- Stevens engages in his duty rather than staying by his father
 Amidst his busy works he rarely visited his father – his father wished him
to work rather than stay beside him
 Gradually his father passes away.
 Stevens is considered as a “great butler”
 Day two: afternoon
 Stevens continues his travels- Hayden Society claims that butlers must be
associated with “distinguished household”.
 However , Stevens had a different option- his generation was more
concerned about the “moral status of the employer”
 His car overheats – stops in the front of a Victorian mansion- a man helps
him- recognizes Stevens as “one of them top-notch butlers. From one of
them big posh houses.“
 But to the readers surprise Stevens denies that he had worked with Lord
Darlington
 Stevens then tours to the Mortimer’s Pond- recollects another incident
where he denied the same –working with Lord Darlington- to Mr and Mrs
Wakefield- just to avoid unpleasantness.
Thank You! 