And that your life was winding down on a predictable path. But then you read The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, and you think again.
The book starts with Mr. Stevens explaining that he is a butler for a grand house in England, which recently acquired a new owner, an American. Mr. Stevens is being kept on as the “traditional English butler,” and as such, Mr. Stevens has a new employer.
The new gentleman he will be working for has a different style of living than Lord Darlington, the former, now deceased, owner of the house. The house used to have dozens of staff but is now down to a handful and Mr. Stevens is concerned that the “staff plan” is not adequate for the proper management of the estate. He is allowed to take some time and a vehicle to try and remedy this problem by visiting the former housekeeper, Miss Kenton, to see if she will rejoin the household.
The road trip to the West Country is filled with adventure and Mr. Stevens reminisces of how the house used to be an important place hosting pivotal events and world leaders making serious decisions. We get to see the English country through eyes appreciating its beauty in every detail by someone who knows how important the details can be.
While staying in guest houses, dining at village cafes, and driving narrow lanes, his memories are released as Mr. Stevens rereads his latest letter from Miss Kenton. He explains in many ways the relationships he had with his staff, which includes his father, during crucial meetings leading up to the second World War and the impact of choosing to serve an employer instead of caring for personal needs.
In fact, Mr. Stevens does not think of his personal needs being more important than the man he is in service to, and is proud of his dedication. This becomes a repeating question in his mind when it is revealed that Lord Darlington may have been a different man than he thought. And now Mr. Stevens must deal with the circumstances that lead to there being twenty years since he has seen Miss Kenton.
Believing wholly in one person and trusting them enough to not question what they are doing is the most important thing to Mr. Stevens in his service to others. What they need is most important as long as he maintains himself within the bounds of what he perceives as dignity. You get to a point in your life where you think that the chance for change is over, but you read this book, The Remains of the Day, and you think again.
This book is great because it tells this one man’s story with the subtext and underlining sub plots of the whole world cohesively woven throughout. They are always adding to and explaining the story, never confusing it. Feels like pure Gestalt in a novel. The arc of Mr. Stevens is satisfying with a character growth that fits perfectly and is completely believable. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is quite difficult to write a personal narration that seems as if it is in the second person, but Mr. Ishiguro pulls it off with perfection (I would swear that it was written in the second person, but no one else seemed to think so…). I felt the entire time that I was traveling along with Mr. Stevens on his quest to solve his staffing problem, as he told me his motivation for this need was from his experiences of leading a grand household in the past.
Take a trip with Mr. Stevens on this adventure through his mind, values, and heart.