The Remains of the Day
First edition
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| Author | Kazuo Ishiguro |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Faber and Faber |
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Publication date
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May 1989 |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 245 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 59165609 |
| Preceded by | An Artist of the Floating World |
| Followed by | The Unconsoled |
The Remains of the Day is a 1989 novel by British writer Kazuo Ishiguro. The work was awarded the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 1989. A film adaptation of the novel, made in 1993 and starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, was nominated for eight Academy Awards.
As in Ishiguro's two previous novels, the story is told from a first person point of view. The narrator, Stevens, a butler, recalls his life in the form of a diary while the action progresses through to the present. Much of the novel is concerned with Stevens' professional and, above all, personal relationship with a former colleague, the housekeeper Miss Kenton.
The Remains of the Day tells, in the first person, the story of Stevens, an English butler who has dedicated his life to the loyal service of Lord Darlington (described in increasing detail in flashbacks). The novel begins with Stevens receiving a letter from a former colleague, the housekeeper Miss Kenton, describing her married life, which he believes hints at an unhappy marriage.
His receipt of the letter coincides with Stevens' having the opportunity to revisit this once-cherished relationship, if only under the guise of investigating the possibility of her re-employment. Stevens' new employer, a wealthy American named Mr Farraday, encourages Stevens to borrow his car to take a well-earned break, a "motoring trip," and Stevens takes the opportunity to arrange to meet with Miss Kenton, now Mrs Benn, in Devon, where she now lives.
As he sets out, Stevens has the opportunity to reflect on his unshakable loyalty to Lord Darlington, who had hosted lavish meetings between German sympathizers and English aristocrats in an effort to influence international affairs in the years leading up to World War II; on the meaning of the term "dignity" and what constitutes a great butler; and even on his relationship with his late father, another no-nonsense man who dedicated his life to service. Ultimately, Stevens is forced to ponder Lord Darlington's character and reputation, as well as the true nature of his relationship with Miss Kenton. As the book progresses, increasing evidence of Miss Kenton's and Stevens' past mutual attraction and affection is revealed.
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