The Remains of the Day

George Andrews

George Andrews is a neighbor of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor who comes to meet their gentleman guest, Mr. Stevens.

Herr Karl-Heinz Bremann

Herr Karl-Heinz Bremann is a former World War I German Army officer and Lord Darlington's friend who introduces his lordship to the devastating hardships imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles.

Genre

Historical

9. Why, Mr. Stevens, why, why, why do you always have to pretend? Miss Kenton, Chapter 5

In this outburst Miss Kenton reproaches Stevens for his unyielding emotional restraint, especially when it would have brought her comfort to know how he felt. Stevens and Miss Kenton are briefly alone in the summerhouse. Nearly a year has passed since the housekeeper threatened to quit when her two maids were fired for being Jewish. Lord Darlington has recently voiced his regret over the matter. In sharing this with Miss Kenton, Stevens notes the maids' dismissal distressed him terribly as well. Recalling how pitilessly Stevens had carried out his lordship's order, Miss Kenton is bewildered by this revelation, wondering "why, why, why" Stevens could not have been honest and sincere about his feelings. Unable to look behind his own mask, Stevens laughs and rejects her observation as ridiculous.

Mr. Stevens

William Stevens is James Stevens's father and a former butler himself. He comes to work at Darlington Hall as an under-butler following the death of his long-time employer, Mr. John Silvers. He has been a major influence in his son's life, instilling in him the values and ideals that shape and guide him, but also inflict lasting damage. The elder Stevens embodies the greatness Stevens aspires to. However, like his son, William's ideas of dignity and greatness do not permit expressions of emotion. Therefore, as a parent, he is aloof to the point of cruelty until he is dying, and then it is too late for his son to accept or respond to his deathbed declaration of pride and regret.

Mrs. Carolyn Barnet

Mrs. Carolyn Barnet is a frequent visitor to Darlington Hall during the summer of 1932 and a member of Sir Oswald Mosley's "blackshirts" organization.

Mrs. Clements

Mrs. Clements is the only other staff member remaining after Darlington Hall is sold to Mr. Farraday.

Type

Novel

2. It is the very lack of obvious drama or spectacle that sets the beauty of our land apart. James Stevens, Chapter 1

On the first day of his journey, Stevens climbs a hill to discover a view of the surrounding countryside he considers splendid. The view is in some ways unremarkable—one that might be encountered anywhere in England—yet it is memorable in its quiet beauty. The qualities of calmness and restraint reflected in the English landscape strike Stevens as the essence of greatness and symbolic of the greatness of Britain itself. They are also qualities Stevens personally admires and strives to possess, believing them to be essential in a great butler.

The Remains of the Day | Chapter 3 : Day Two, Afternoon: Mortimer's Pond, Dorset | Summary

Summary As Stevens continues his travels, he reflects again on the qualities of "dignity" and "greatness" in a butler, and associates them further with serving a family of good name. According to the Hayes Society, he recalls, members must "be attached to a distinguished household." However, Stevens believes his generation differs with the society on the meaning of the word "distinguished." Rather than judging the quality of the household on an employer's title and status as "landed gentry," Stevens's generation of butlers concerned itself with the moral status of an employer—the contributions a gentleman made to the future well-being of the empire. By serving in the household of an employer of moral worth, a butler could feel he had contributed to the betterment of the world. Stevens reveals that, in the course of his early career, he had consciously moved from employer to employer, seeking a household he would be proud to serve. He was "rewarded at last with the opportunity to serve Lord Darlington." As he ponders these recollections, Stevens concludes "greatness" is intrinsically tied to the quality of the house a person serves. The level of dignity a butler may acquire cannot bring him to greatness if he serves a gentleman of questionable moral stature. The day so far has passed pleasantly. However, as Stevens crosses the border into Dorset, he becomes aware the car is overheating. Anxiously, he looks for a garage or house along the narrow lane he's traveling, and eventually comes to a tall Victorian mansion that looks promising. A man comes out, looks over the car, and determines all it needs is water in the radiator. The man is a former batman, or military servant, to the retired colonel who owns the house. He recognizes Stevens to be "one of them top-notch butlers. From one of them big posh houses." Inquiring where Stevens is employed, the batman recognizes the name Darlington Hall. Oddly, when he asks the butler if he worked for Lord Darlington, Stevens denies it. On the man's recommendation, Stevens takes a short detour to a charming spot called Mortimer's Pond. While taking in the view, Stevens reflects on the fact this was not the first time he had denied working for his lordship. Not long ago an American couple, Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield, had visited Mr. Farraday at the hall. In a moment alone with Stevens, Mrs. Wakefield had asked if Stevens served at the house during Lord Darlington's time. Stevens had replied, "I didn't, madam, no." This proved to be an embarrassment to Mr. Farraday, who had claimed Stevens to be "a real old English butler" who had served "a real English lord." Stevens explains these two instances of telling white lies in no way imply shame at having served Lord Darlington. However, there are many foolish things being said these days about his lordship. Stevens merely wishes to avoid unpleasantness. He affirms he was in the truest terms "attached to a distinguished household." Analysis In this chapter the reader begins to sense Lord Darlington's character may not be as worthy of Stevens's devotion as Stevens claims. The butler struggles with thoughts and reminiscences that conflict with the image of the past he has so carefully constructed. Stevens admits denying his position as butler for Lord Darlington on two occasions—once during his road trip and once a few months before with Mrs. Wakefield. For all of his assertions that Lord Darlington is a great man, Stevens's refusal to acknowledge service to him indicates something quite different. Honesty forces him to admit the lies. Then in typical fashion, he retreats from whatever underlying truth provoked the lies and minimizes their significance. Even so, he spends a great deal of time trying to rationalize why he would lie. Ultimately, he denies his denial, and claims the "white lies" he tells about his service to Lord Darlington are simply to avoid the necessity of correcting the ignorance of others. It is a neat explanation allowing Stevens to dodge the unpleasant realities about his lordship that will later emerge. Stevens also spends time pondering how the greatness of a butler comes from his service to a distinguished household. He looks to the Hayes Society for guidance. Earlier, he dismissed the organization as snobbish and outmoded, with too much power and influence over his profession during the interwar years. Nevertheless, he now refers to their criteria for membership to guide his thoughts. In fact he has memorized the exact wording. He claims the difference between his generation and the generation of butlers like his father, as described by the society, is its choice of household to serve. He believes—as do others of his generation—a great butler should serve a great gentleman and, in this way, serve mankind. This discussion sets the stage for Stevens's ultimate disillusionment and sense of failure. He has embraced the idea that service has a moral dimension, and this plays an important role in his professional development, blind loyalty to Lord Darlington, and eventual regrets. Stevens's self-worth as a contributing member of society is dependent on the worth of Lord Darlington's contributions. Stevens's moments of triumph are bound to his employer's achievements, but equally bound to his failures. Stevens strives to be the perfect servant under the delusion he is serving greatness. When this proves false, his sense of dignity and worth—of a life well spent—crumbles. Stevens uses a ladder and wheel to describe the shifting perspective on the role of a butler from one generation to the next. The butlers of his father's generation imagined society as a ladder, with each class assigned a rung. His own generation envisioned society as a wheel, with the great houses and aristocracy at the center, or hub, of world affairs. This latter description supports Stevens's views on how a butler may serve greatness. In serving Lord Darlington, Stevens is as close to the hub as a servant can get. As such, he can share in his lordship's victories for humanity. However, like a double-edged sword, this cuts two ways, and there is the painful possibility Lord Darlington's motives may not have been noble. In serving him Stevens is forced to share his lordship's guilt. Stevens ends this journal entry with high praise for Lord Darlington and gratitude for having served him. But he is perhaps a little too insistent on this point. His "white lies" whisper something to the contrary—that he may have served a gentleman of questionable moral stature.

The Remains of the Day | Chapter 2 : Day Two, Morning: Salisbury | Summary

Summary Stevens awakens early and, while waiting for the landlady to arise, his thoughts turn to passages in Miss Kenton's letter. He notes, properly speaking, her name now is Mrs. Benn, and she has recently moved out of her husband's house to stay with a friend. Stevens observes, no doubt, she is experiencing regret for decisions made in the far-off past that now have left her alone. Once again he interprets the sad, nostalgic quality of her letter as her desire to return as housekeeper to Darlington Hall. Miss Kenton's letter mentions a few fond memories of life at the hall, and then brings up an incident leading Stevens down a long path of remembrance. It begins with the simultaneous arrival of Stevens's father and Miss Kenton hired to work at the hall in the spring of 1922. The previous housekeeper and under-butler had recently disrupted the order of the house in a most unprofessional way by eloping. This behavior, Stevens observes, is especially irritating and troublesome when it involves higher-ranking employees. The employment references of Miss Kenton and Stevens's father are outstanding. However, Steven's father is in his seventies and "much ravaged by arthritis and other ailments." It soon becomes apparent to Miss Kenton that, however great the elderly servant once was, his abilities are greatly diminished by age and illness. While the resulting mistakes are trivial at the moment, she feels it is just a matter of time before something serious occurs. She puts the matter before Stevens, telling him bluntly his father "is entrusted with far more than a man of his age can cope with." Stevens stiffly dismisses her concerns as foolish and refuses to take action. Her concerns are justified two months later. While carrying refreshments out to the summerhouse, Stevens's father falls on a walkway where Lord Darlington is entertaining two guests. Dr. Meredith is sent for and determines the elderly man is overworked. As a result, Lord Darlington suggests Stevens "reconsider" his father's duties—a difficult and awkward task for Stevens. Not only has his father since returned to his duties with renewed vigor, but silence has grown between them over the years. All communication is uncomfortable. The later interview between father and son is overly formal and guarded. The elderly man impassively receives instructions for his reduced duties, but firmly states his fall was due to the steps being crooked. One evening soon after, Miss Kenton and Stevens observe him outside, studying the steps on which he fell and then walking up and down, his eyes trained on the ground. As Miss Kenton recalls in her letter, it was "as though he hoped to find some precious jewel he had dropped there." The seeming bluntness with which he treats his aging father bothers Stevens. He hastens to explain he had no choice considering the critical nature of an international conference which was to be held at Darlington Hall in March 1923. Since the signing of the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I, Lord Darlington had become increasingly concerned with the harsh effects of that treaty on post-war Germany. The people were starving and desperate, and their country was plummeting into economic chaos. His close friendship with Herr Karl-Heinz Bremann, a gentleman and former officer in the German army, fuels his feelings that the terms of the treaty are an insult to decency and fair play. "It does us great discredit," he says, "to treat a defeated foe like this." The growing despair and ultimate suicide of his friend further strengthen Lord Darlington's resolve to find a way to revise the harshest demands of the treaty. The conference at Darlington Hall is informal. Many are attending "off the record." Attendees include a broad alliance of dignitaries who share his lordship's views, including diplomats, politicians, clergymen, writers, thinkers, and retired military gentlemen—all influential people in their respective countries. Lord Darlington hopes they will be convinced to exert their influence on leaders attending an official conference called for by British Prime Minister Lloyd George. It is to be held in Switzerland later that year. Tensions are high as the house prepares for the guests' arrival. It is imperative everything go smoothly and the needs of every guest be met. Yet, in the midst of preparations, Lord Darlington makes a memorable request of Stevens. His lordship's colleague Sir David Cardinal is bringing along his son Reginald to act as secretary. Reginald is due to be married soon, and try as he might, Sir David cannot bring himself to tell his son the facts of life. Could Stevens take on the task? Rising to the occasion, Stevens makes two muddled attempts before events of the conference intrude. The task is never accomplished. Present at the conference are two key figures in its outcome: a French gentleman, Monsieur Dupont, and an American senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Lewis. Knowing the vindictive attitude of the French toward the Germans, Lord Darlington is particularly interested in persuading M. Dupont to revise his views on the Treaty of Versailles. Mr. Lewis initially appears to have a similar goal. As the conference begins, Darlington Hall is filled with people of all nationalities. The atmosphere is tense. Stevens's father becomes ill and, knowing the pressures of the first day, Miss Kenton offers to stay with him while Stevens returns to his duties. That evening, Stevens overhears a conversation between Mr. Lewis and M. Dupont. Lewis states he is being manipulated by Lord Darlington and others at the conference. They view the French as barbarous and despicable. Discussions the next day reach new levels of intensity. Throughout the second day, Stevens makes trips up to the attic room where his father is resting, but he always finds him sleeping. That evening, the chambermaid wakes the elderly man, as he himself has instructed her to do. The old man asks Stevens if everything is in hand downstairs. Then, staring at his hands, he says, "I hope I've been a good father to you," and tells Stevens he is a good son and he is proud of him. Awkwardly, Stevens says "we're extremely busy now, but we can talk again in the morning," and leaves the room. That evening is the last night of the conference. Following Lord Darlington's after-dinner speech of thanks and a toast to "peace and justice in Europe," M. Dupont rises to say a word. Utter stillness falls over the banqueting hall. He thanks his host and expresses his intent to "bring what modest influence I have to encourage certain changes of emphasis in French policy." He then reveals the negative impact the American Mr. Lewis has tried to have on the proceedings, and ends by toasting Lord Darlington. In turn Mr. Lewis stands and accuses everyone present of being "a bunch of naïve dreamers": decent, honest, well-meaning amateurs. The world has changed, and gentlemen are no longer fit for running it. Europe needs professionals to run its affairs. Lord Darlington retorts that what Lewis describes as "amateurism" is what most present would prefer to call "honor." Furthermore, he wishes no part of the "professionalism" that serves greed and advantage over goodness and justice. Amidst the applause for his lordship's remarks, Miss Kenton sends for Stevens. His father is ill. As he heads up to see his father, Stevens learns from the cook, Mrs. Mortimer, it may be the result of a stroke. Though he is distressed, Stevens feels duty bound to return downstairs and care for the guests. As he makes his way among them, serving wine, Reginald Cardinal and Lord Darlington notice something is not quite right; Stevens seems to be crying. He assures them he is fine and apologizes; it is simply "the strains of a hard day." Moments later, Miss Kenton signals to Stevens through the open doorway. She tells him his father died about four minutes ago. Thanking her, Stevens says he will be up in a while. "You see, I know my father would have wished me to carry on just now." Dr. Meredith arrives a short time later and confirms that Stevens's father died of a stroke. As Stevens assesses his performance during the 1923 conference and on that last night in particular, he concludes he displayed a dignity worthy of an ideal butler—indeed, worthy of his father. He looks at it as a turning point in his professional development and "for all its sad associations," recalls that evening "with a large sense of triumph." Analysis In this chapter a picture begins to emerge of Stevens's professional and personal life during the glory days of Darlington Hall in the 1920s and 1930s. However, Stevens is an unreliable narrator, prone to self-delusion and denial, and he speaks from behind the mask he has worn for many years. Even as he tells his story, he avoids its core truths and often projects his private thoughts and motivations onto other people. Much information must be gathered from the reported words and actions of others. Most of Stevens's memories are organized around a series of political events. Lord Darlington has become increasingly concerned over the negative impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the German economy and people. The events in this chapter highlight his lordship's involvement in political matters and raise questions about his competence for doing so. Incidents related to the secret conference of 1923 become the central focus of attention in Stevens's narrative. Even the reduction in his father's duties hinges on the upcoming occasion. In this way Stevens's relationship with his father, his personal pursuit of greatness, and the political aspects of the story intersect. The drift of Stevens's recollections begins once more with Miss Kenton's letter—passages of which Stevens seems to have memorized. He characterizes her life as one dominated by a sense of waste. This he bases on lines such as "The rest of my life stretches out as an emptiness before me." Stevens is unwittingly projecting onto Miss Kenton's life the emptiness—as yet unacknowledged—that has plagued his own. He assumes she regrets "decisions made in the far-off past ... that have now left her ... alone and desolate." This foreshadows the realization he must face about his own life. As he ponders the return of Miss Kenton to Darlington Hall, Stevens again refers to "trivial errors" which he hopes to remedy or prevent. Though he takes responsibility by saying they are his errors, he also takes care to state, after careful diagnosis, they are really caused by the short staffing at the hall. Stevens does not permit himself to err; human error in a butler is not acceptable. Even so, while trivializing such problems, he is obsessed with examining and fixing them. This is more than a streak of perfectionism. The deeper cause is found in the memories of his father, evoked by Miss Kenton's letter. When his father joins the staff at Darlington Hall as an under-butler, Stevens is very protective of the elderly man's dignity. Later he fiercely defends his father's minor slip-ups and denies his father's former skills are failing. In recollecting his father's diminished abilities, Stevens continues to minimize the resulting errors, just as he did in 1923. To admit the truth would be disturbing. It would suggest age had robbed his father of the excellence and greatness he had achieved. Like his father, Stevens has worked hard to reach the level of professionalism he believes defines a great butler. Recently, he has been committing small errors of his own, and this could foreshadow the passing of his own abilities. The elder Stevens, like his son, rejects the truth of his growing frailty. There is pathos in the image of him pacing the flagstone path, studying the stones, and practicing so as not to repeat his humiliating fall. While he has asserted it was because the flagstones were uneven, he nevertheless is determined to regain his confidence by practicing the path. The "lost precious jewel" is his self-assurance and dignity. Another aspect of the relationship between father and son is revealed when Stevens must inform his father of his reduced duties. Stevens is still in awe of his father and sensitive to his disapproval, needing only a critical glance from the elderly man to make him lower the wick on his lamp. He also addresses his father in an oddly formal manner, as if "Father" is an impersonal title instead of an affectionate familial term. For his part the elderly man is intent on putting and keeping his son in his place. In response to Stevens's pleasant observation that he "might have known Father would be up and ready for the day," the elder Stevens coldly replies he has been up for three hours. Keenly aware of the reversal of power in their positions, Stevens's father speaks to his son like as if he is an underling, striving to retain the sense of dignity that is slipping away. Memories of his father are painful, and Stevens chides himself for becoming preoccupied with memories instead of enjoying the moment. However, he cannot help returning to the topic as it relates to the conference of March 1923—a turning point in his professional life. The illness and death of his father during the conference starkly illuminates Stevens's inability to step outside of his professional role of butler. He is locked in emotionally and unable to respond with any spontaneity or naturalness to his father's dying. Instead, he escapes back into his duties, determined to provide good service in spite of the circumstances. Only through the concerned observations of Reginald Cardinal and Lord Darlington is it clear that Stevens is deeply affected by his father's death and weeping as he serves drinks to the guests. In an effort to give meaning to the sad affair, Stevens counts the March conference as a professional triumph worthy of his father's approval. Woven into the chapter is the beginning of Stevens's relationship with Miss Kenton. She is a match for him in wit and skills. Her help and kindness as his father is dying demonstrates an empathy Stevens lacks. And she seems to not judge Stevens harshly, but with understanding and compassion. Stevens notes in his journal he continues to refer to Miss Kenton by her maiden name, instead of Mrs. Benn, citing their long years of association as the reason. It may also be denial of her married status, which stands between him and his hopes of her return to Darlington Hall. Even so, he repeats his interest in seeing her again is purely professional, safely buffering himself from possible disappointment.

The Remains of the Day | Chapter 6 : Day Four, Afternoon: Little Compton, Cornwall | Summary

Summary Stevens has recently finished lunch at the Rose Garden Hotel in Little Compton. The set time for his visit with Miss Kenton is 40 minutes away, at three o'clock. As he sits watching rain through the dining hall windows, he contemplates the morning drive to his car with Dr. Carlisle. On the way the doctor abruptly asks if Stevens is "a manservant of some sort." With some relief and an apology, Stevens admits he is indeed Darlington Hall's butler. Brushing the deception aside, the doctor inquires about the topics of the evening before his visit. Stevens explains Mr. Harry Smith spoke a good deal about the responsibility of good citizens to develop a strong political conscience. The doctor replies that, while people may feel they ought to have strong feelings on this and that, what they really want is a quiet life, without upheaval; they want to be left alone. Stevens notes a tone of disgust in the doctor's voice. Dr. Carlisle then reveals that, at one time, he had been a committed socialist, believing socialism would allow people to live with dignity. At last arriving at Stevens's car, the doctor fills up the tank, and Stevens is soon on his way again. Stevens's thoughts drift back to the moment when he failed to offer Miss Kenton his condolences when she first received news of her aunt's death. He had stood "transfixed by indecision" in the hall outside her door, certain that on the other side of it, she was crying. Unable to recall why he just stood there, Stevens begins to suspect that the memory actually belongs to a series of events that took place some months later. They began with the unexpected arrival of Mr. Reginald Cardinal—Lord Darlington's godson and son of Sir David Cardinal. Stevens goes down to Miss Kenton's parlor to ask her to prepare Mr. Cardinal's usual room for the night. Her mood seems brooding, and she reminds Stevens she has arranged for the night off. She then announces she is going to meet her acquaintance, who has asked her to marry him. Though she is still thinking the matter over, she thought Stevens should know. Wishing her a pleasant evening, Stevens excuses himself. Stevens's aloofness is not authentic. In a few minutes Miss Kenton finds him and demands to know if he wishes her to remain on duty for the evening. He has been "stamping back and forth" outside her parlor and creating quite a commotion. Stevens attributes the noise to some "slight excitement in the kitchen" and again wishes her a pleasant evening. That evening Mr. Cardinal and Lord Darlington dine together. The atmosphere is tense. His lordship is expecting guests later, and refuses to tell his inquisitive godson who they are. There are harsh words exchanged after dinner, and Mr. Cardinal sullenly withdraws to the library. At 8:30 p.m. two unnamed distinguished visitors arrive under the protection of police constables. Soon after, the German Ambassador Herr Ribbentrop also arrives. Lord Darlington ushers them all quickly into the drawing room. Stevens remains outside the door to ensure the men are not disturbed. About two hours later, Stevens goes downstairs to admit Miss Kenton when she returns to the house. She informs Stevens she has accepted the proposal of marriage spoken of earlier. He offers indifferent congratulations, which prompts Miss Kenton to ask if all her years of service have meant nothing. Stevens repeats his congratulations and explains that events of global importance require he return upstairs. Miss Kenton then tells Stevens she and her acquaintance often amuse themselves with anecdotes about him. Stevens replies, "Indeed," and excuses himself once again. Stevens returns to his post near the drawing room. Mr. Cardinal beckons from the library door and asks him to fetch more brandy. Stevens complies, and Mr. Cardinal takes the opportunity to speak to him frankly about the discussion in the other room. He knows Lord Darlington has arranged this secret meeting between the British Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, and the German Ambassador. He knows the purpose is to persuade the Prime Minister to visit Herr Hitler. While his lordship believes he is doing something good and honorable, Herr Hitler, through Herr Ribbentrop, is using Lord Darlington to establish links between Berlin and England's most powerful citizens. The Nazis are manipulating what is fine and noble in his lordship to their own evil ends. Despite Mr. Cardinal's appeals to reason, Stevens is unable to see beyond his sense of loyalty and duty to question the wisdom of his employer's actions. Soon after, Stevens is sent down to the cellar for a bottle of port. On the way he passes Miss Kenton's parlor just as the door opens. Miss Kenton stops him with an apology for her previous rude remarks, saying, "You mustn't take anything I said earlier to heart." Stevens assures her he has not taken anything she said to heart and that he is too busy to stop and exchange pleasantries. Returning from the cellar, Stevens passes her door once more and has the clear impression she is on the other side of it, crying. But duty calls, and he cannot linger to discover more. Upstairs "the most powerful gentlemen of Europe were conferring over the fate of our continent," and in his service to Lord Darlington, such events are a reflection of all he has come to achieve thus far in his life. Analysis This is a chapter of last chances in which Stevens might have acted differently and altered the future for himself, Miss Kenton, and Lord Darlington. As it opens, Stevens is waiting for the appointed time when Miss Kenton will arrive. It is telling that he does not invite Miss Kenton to lunch or to afternoon tea, but to a stretch of time in between. To do otherwise would cast the meeting in a more intimate and significant light. His highest hope is for Miss Kenton to return to Darlington Hall, but decades of emotional restraint make it impossible for him to express this openly in any way. While he waits, Stevens reflects back on his drive with Dr. Carlisle. Stevens discovers the doctor once embraced the ideals of socialism in which everyone is actively and intelligently involved in political and social affairs. The doctor has since become disillusioned, realizing most people wish to live quiet lives, safely sheltered from the great affairs of the nation. Dr. Carlisle is not unlike Lord Darlington, Mr. Spencer, and even Stevens in their views of "this universal suffrage nonsense," and believes the great decisions should be left to strong leadership and not the meddling masses. He admits socialism has not brought dignity—in this context, meaning equality and freedom—to the common person, as promised. Stevens, of course, defines dignity quite differently, as something to be achieved through discipline, self-control, professionalism, and loyalty to one's employer. His loyalty—though terribly misplaced—plays a central role in events on the night Mr. Cardinal turns up at the hall unexpectedly. It not only blinds him to the consequences of Lord Darlington's actions, but draws him away from his last chance at love. The year is 1938 (the year Miss Kenton leaves) and, by this time, Lord Darlington has become a puppet of the Nazi regime. However, Stevens cannot or will not see how his lordship is being manipulated. Mr. Cardinal, who fears for his godfather's well-being, tries to enlist Stevens's help on the evening his lordship secretly brings together British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax, and the German Ambassador. Herr Ribbentrop's mission is to arrange a meeting between Adolph Hitler and Chamberlain. These are dangerous political waters for an amateur like his lordship, no matter how noble his intentions. Mr. Cardinal points out "no one with good judgement could persist in believing anything Herr Hitler says after the Rhineland." He is referring to Hitler's 1934 reoccupation of the Rhineland in western Germany, a demilitarized zone along the Rhine River. The area mainly bordered France, as well as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland, and thus had strategic value as Germany built up for war. Hitler's action was in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles and a test to see what other world powers would do. As it turned out, they did nothing and hoped to negotiate peace through appeasement—in other words, by letting Hitler have his way. Like many in Britain, Mr. Cardinal sees the growing danger and tries to make Stevens see it, too. He asks Stevens to set aside his role as butler and listen as a person who cares what happens to his lordship and his country. Stevens is incapable of doing so. He stubbornly maintains Lord Darlington is only doing "that which is highest and noblest." Even as Mr. Cardinal exposes the hazardous and possibly treasonous nature of Lord Darlington's actions, Stevens will not allow himself to see it or denounce the consequences of those actions. Too much of his own feeling of self-worth is invested in the belief that his lordship is doing the right thing. Even as he recalls these events in the privacy of his journal, Stevens's sense of loyalty and propriety prevent him from criticizing Lord Darlington or his decisions. Threading through this narrative are the final chances Stevens has to express his feelings for Miss Kenton before she leaves Darlington Hall. Once again, the accuracy of Stevens's memories comes into question. He has confused when exactly he stood outside her door as she is crying. Instead of this happening on the day her aunt died, it apparently occurs on the night of this secret meeting. Early that evening, Miss Kenton tells Stevens her acquaintance has asked her to marry him, and then twice repeats she is still considering it. Plainly she is offering Stevens a chance to say something to stop her from accepting. Stevens writes that he received the news calmly. He then contradicts himself by recalling that Miss Kenton soon steps from her room to ask, "Mr. Stevens, do I understand that you are wishing me to remain on duty this evening?" He had been creating a commotion in the kitchen and in the hall outside her room. Even so, Stevens skips this second chance to tell Miss Kenton what she hopes to hear. Later, he receives Miss Kenton's news of her engagement coolly, and offers dignified congratulations. Evidently looking for some sign Stevens does not wish her to marry or to leave, Miss Kenton demands to know if this is all he has to say to her. Again incapable of responding honestly, Stevens pleads that he must return to his duties, "there are matters of global significance taking place upstairs." In frustration Miss Kenton lashes out, mocking him cruelly. In the library five minutes later, Mr. Cardinal asks, "I say, Stevens, are you all right there?" This is the only clue that Miss Kenton's words have hurt Stevens deeply. Later, when she apologizes, he denies even remembering what she said. This is the prelude to the moment he stands in the hall outside her door, certain that "were I to knock and enter, I would discover her in tears." It is his last chance for love, and he lets it slip through his fingers. While in his heart he shares her feelings, he is unable to show it. He does the only thing he knows how to do—he returns to his duty. As he reviews the evening's events, Stevens takes pride in having acted with dignity throughout, while serving as close to the great hub of things as he could ever have wished. He states that it appears to be "a sort of summary of all that I had come to achieve thus far in my life." However, all that Stevens really has achieved is devotion to a foolish, misguided man, the loss of the woman he (Stevens) loves, and the promise of a bleak future haunted by regret.

The Remains of the Day | Chapter 5 : Day Three, Evening: Moscombe, near Tavistock, Devon | Summary

Summary Stevens returns to an instance of anti-Semitism at Darlington Hall that cannot be ignored. For much of the summer of 1932, Mrs. Carolyn Barnet was a frequent visitor to the hall and "came to wield an unusual influence over his lordship." She was a member of Sir Oswald Mosley's "blackshirts" fascist organization and, as such, an anti-Semite. It is during this time that Lord Darlington concludes, "in the interests of the guests" staying there, the two Jewish maids must be laid off. The maids—Ruth and Sarah—are part of Miss Kenton's housekeeping staff, so Stevens uses a nightly end-of-day talk over cocoa with her to explain he must fire them. Though he personally opposes the idea, his sense of duty will not allow him to argue against his lordship's decision. Miss Kenton, however, threatens to resign her post if her girls are dismissed. They have served the house excellently, and she believes their dismissal because they are Jewish "will be wrong, a sin as any sin ever was one." Stevens is unable to respond as he might wish, even in private conversation. His duty is to fulfill Lord Darlington's directive without question or sentiment. He insists the girls be sent to him the following morning. For some time thereafter, Miss Kenton treats Stevens coldly, at times rudely, yet never submits her notice. One afternoon about a year later, Stevens finds her alone in the summerhouse and brings up the subject of her resignation. With deep shame Miss Kenton admits she was afraid to actually quit. She has no family and no certainty of another job. "I just saw myself going out there," she explains, "and finding nobody who knew or cared about me." She is dumbfounded when Stevens says he was as upset as she by the dismissal of the maids. She demands to know why he said nothing. She asks, "Do you realize, Mr. Stevens, how much it would have meant to me if you had thought to share your feelings last year? ... Why, Mr. Stevens, why, why, why do you always have to pretend?" Unable to answer, Stevens laughs uncomfortably, finishes his work, and leaves. To replace the fired maids, a housemaid named Lisa is hired. She is young and very pretty, and Stevens is skeptical about her ability to meet the standards of the household. However, Miss Kenton sees something worthwhile in the girl. Under her guidance, Lisa steadily improves, and Stevens at last admits the housekeeper has had "modest success" with her. Miss Kenton notes that he offers this with a guilty smile—one that always seems to appear when she mentions Lisa. Teasingly, she suggests this may be a clue to his aversion for hiring pretty girls—that "our Mr. Stevens is flesh and blood after all and cannot fully trust himself." Stevens allows the playful exchange, but firmly denies there is any truth in it. Eight or nine months later, Lisa vanishes, along with the second footman. She leaves a note for Stevens explaining the two are in love and are going to be married. In a note to Miss Kenton, she writes of the depth of their love. Miss Kenton is distraught and tells Stevens he was right about the girl all along. Stevens tries to comfort her, saying she had done wonders with Lisa; the situation could not be helped. Still, Miss Kenton states repeatedly how foolish the girl has been; that she is bound to be let down. In his account Stevens comes back to the present, explaining he is now in the attic of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor's cottage. It is a private residence, and he was fortunate to find it. In his attempt to find a roadside inn in which to spend the night, he carelessly ran out of gas along a desolate road. On his way to a village about a half-hour walk across the fields, he met Mr. Taylor, who explained the only inn is closed for roof repairs. He then offered Stevens a room and a bed for the night. Stevens muses that after the ensuing events of the evening, it is a relief to retire to his room and return to his memories of Darlington Hall. The meeting with Miss Kenton is on his mind, and he ponders why their relationship changed around 1935 or 1936. Over the years they had "achieved a fine professional understanding." However, by the time she left the hall, even their ritual cup of evening cocoa had been abandoned. He muses that a turning point may have occurred on the evening Miss Kenton came into the butler's pantry without knocking and found him reading a book. She asks what book it is, and Stevens clutches it to his chest and refuses to say. Her interest is peaked, and she mischievously approaches and pries the book out of his hands. To her surprise it is simply, as she notes, "a sentimental love story." Ever dignified, Stevens refuses to discuss the matter further and ushers her out of the room. Stevens asserts the book and others like it in the library are well written. Reading them is "an extremely efficient way to maintain and develop one's command of the English language." Whatever romantic aspects they may have, while somewhat enjoyable, is unimportant. He further explains Miss Kenton had no right to march into his pantry, as he was off duty and entitled to his privacy. As a butler of quality, he must not be seen in anything less than his full and proper role. Stevens resolves to re-establish their professional relationship on a more appropriate basis. His thoughts turn to the fact that, about a month earlier, Miss Kenton had begun taking full advantage of her allowed time off—a sudden change in her past pattern. When he begins to suspect she is meeting a suitor, he finds the idea disturbing—from a purely professional standpoint, of course. One evening, over cocoa in Miss Kenton's parlor, Stevens learns Miss Kenton has been renewing her acquaintance with the former butler of Granchester Lodge, where they both once worked. The man has since left service. As the conversation progresses, Miss Kenton pointedly observes that Stevens, being at the top of his profession, must have all he wishes for in life. Following an awkward silence, Stevens confirms that, yes, he is a well-contented man. Not long after, Stevens puts an end to the meetings over cocoa. Miss Kenton is distracted as he attempts to discuss an upcoming event. He chides her and is met with a sudden outburst in which Miss Kenton states she is very, very tired, can he not appreciate that? He takes offense and states that no further meetings will be necessary, as they seem to have become a burden. As the weeks pass, he refuses all Miss Kenton's suggestions to resume the sessions. Defining this event as a "small decision of mine," Stevens wonders if perhaps it and the episode in the pantry were turning points that changed what might have been. He recalls another turning point occurred on the day Miss Kenton received news her aunt—her only living relative—had died. Stevens leaves her to her grief without offering condolences. Wishing to make amends for this, he can only think to approach it from a professional standpoint. Encountering Miss Kenton later in the dining room, he asks if everything is in order and is there anything she wishes to discuss. Then he points out a few mistakes her new maids have made. Wearily assuring him she will check the maids' work, Miss Kenton excuses herself and leaves the room. Even as he mulls over these turning points in his relationship with Miss Kenton, Stevens defends his behavior. Hindsight has shown the moments to be important, but "at the time, this was not the impression one had ... There was surely nothing to indicate at the time that such evidently small incidents would render whole dreams forever irredeemable." Returning to the present, Stevens relates the events of his evening in the home of the Taylors. Several neighbors drop in to meet Stevens, taking him to be a "real gentleman." Instead of correcting the misunderstanding, Stevens enjoys a chance to air his views on dignity as the mark of a gentleman. One guest, Mr. Harry Smith, politely disagrees with Stevens's notions. He asserts every man and woman in the country can strive for and achieve dignity if they develop strong opinions about political affairs and make it their duty to vote. Stevens's polite acceptance of the statement leads to a discussion of politics and Stevens's involvement (as a supposed gentleman) in international affairs before the war. He drops the names of famous people he has met, such as Winston Churchill and Lord Halifax. A final guest, Dr. Carlisle, causes Stevens some moments of discomfort. The doctor scrutinizes him closely as others report on the impressive people Stevens claims to know. As soon as possible, Stevens excuses himself to return to his room, but not before Dr. Carlisle offers him a ride back to his car in the morning. Stevens reluctantly accepts. He mulls over the evening's "unfortunate misunderstanding" and Mr. Harry Smith's comments regarding dignity. It strikes him as absurd that ordinary people should have staunch opinions about most things or that this should be used as a benchmark for dignity. He recalls an episode before the war in which he was publicly tested on three complex topics in international political affairs. The interviewer was Mr. Spencer, a distinguished guest at Darlington Hall. Stevens is unable to answer Mr. Spencer's questions, just as the gentleman intended. His humiliation of Stevens was meant to prove a point that political affairs are best left to the educated and informed elite. Democracy does not work. Stevens preserves his dignity with the conviction that "a butler's duty is to provide good service. It is not to meddle in the great affairs of the nation." This episode reminds Stevens of the misguided idealism of his generation that encouraged a butler "to be forever reappraising his employer"—questioning his motives and analyzing his political views. To his thinking, loyalty demands a butler put his trust in an employer whom he has intelligently judged to be wise and honorable. Thereafter, his job is to simply serve, without challenging his employer. It is how he himself served Lord Darlington. And though "his lordship's life and work have turned out today to look, at best, a sad waste," Stevens concludes it is illogical to feel any personal regret or shame. Analysis This chapter primarily deals with Stevens's relationship with Miss Kenton during her time at Darlington Hall. While attempting to honestly relate events as he recalls them, he simultaneously tries to minimize their significance. Yet he fails in the end, admitting that these "small incidents" rendered whole dreams forever irredeemable. As this aspect of the narrative unfolds, more also comes to light regarding the extent to which Lord Darlington was influenced by the British Union of Fascists. Stevens is driven to defend Lord Darlington against accusations of anti-Semitism. He insists his employer's association with the Nazi-sympathizer Mrs. Barnet was brief, and that the incident involving the Jewish maids was "entirely untypical"—a "flimsy basis" for allegations. Nevertheless, he is too honest to withhold the details that, in fact, incriminate Lord Darlington. During Mrs. Barnet's visits to the hall, his lordship spends hours in conversation with her and on tours of poverty-stricken London's East End. This area was home to great numbers of Jewish immigrants. As a worldwide economic depression grew in the 1930s, Jewish immigrants were blamed for taking jobs and housing from the British East End poor. Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists—to which Mrs. Barnet belonged—frequently held demonstrations in that section of London and distributed anti-Semitic propaganda. Sir Mosley was also a visitor to Darlington Hall. Mrs. Barnet most likely took Lord Darlington for a tour of the East End to point out the poverty and deprivation resulting from the Jewish "invasion" of Britain. As a result of Mrs. Barnet and Sir Mosley's influence, Lord Darlington's attitude toward Jews turns ugly. Stevens overhears him denouncing a newspaper and a local charity for being run by Jews. Stevens labels these incidents as "extremely minor," but they stand out in his memory. By minimizing their importance, he attempts to save himself from shared guilt. Stevens prides himself on serving a man of high moral worth. For his employer to demonstrate anything less reflects poorly on him. This is the pattern of admission and denial that occurs throughout Stevens's journal. In the matter of the dismissed Jewish maids, Miss Kenton demonstrates a stronger sense of morality than does Stevens. She fights against the unfairness and wickedness of the dismissal, instead of dutifully accepting it. She is very hard on herself when, in the end, she has not the courage to resign as she had threatened. The new maid Lisa's elopement sparks reactions in Stevens and Miss Kenton that are quite revealing. Stevens remembers word for word the part of Lisa's note to Miss Kenton dealing with love. This and a later incident involving a romance novel reveal a repressed romantic streak in Stevens's character. In the ensuing discussion of Lisa, Miss Kenton repeatedly states how foolish the girl has been. She seems intent on convincing herself as well as nudging Stevens to tell her she is wrong; that love is not foolish. Her annoyed glance at Lisa's passionate letter suggests she fears her future may hold no similar chance for love. This may be the seed of her decision to leave the hall and get married. As Stevens's colleague Mr. Graham points out later, Miss Kenton has "missed out on the best of her mothering years, but it is not too late yet." Stevens's musing shifts to the present and the attic room of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor's small cottage. He writes it is a relief to retreat into memories after his trying evening. As it turns out, he has been masquerading as a gentleman instead of a butler. His charade is a reflection of his intense desire for greatness. It is an innocent bit of playacting, not meant to harm, and he finds it gratifying to be perceived of as a gentleman, not a butler. His masquerade was also a means of coping with the situation. Stevens cannot be his natural self in public and must always wear a mask. This is especially true when he is being pushed to reveal his innermost thoughts and feelings. The mask of a butler was less fitting for the moment, so he donned the mask of the gentleman he knows best—Lord Darlington. At all other times, Stevens habitually conceals himself behind his role as butler. Here he is in control. He knows who he is, what is expected of him, and all the rules. His sense of dignity relies on his role's unbreakable walls of restraint, behind which emotions are safely held in check. However, over the years, his desire to control his emotions has turned into an incapacity to express them under any circumstances. This problem is evident in Stevens's encounter with Miss Kenton in the butler's pantry—the first of several turning points in their relationship. He cannot be "off duty" in her presence, and so cannot relate to her as a woman. This bars him completely from any hope of intimacy of a shared life; of the romance he reads about and secretly enjoys. Yet, Miss Kenton comes very close to breaching that wall of restraint. The moments between them take on the tones of a romance novel similar to the one Stevens has been reading. Unsettled, he pushes Miss Kenton away on the grounds their relationship has reached "an inappropriate footing." Though he refers to the episode as "small" or "insignificant," this is a familiar pattern: the larger an issue looms in his memory, the more apt he is to minimize it. Tensions build when Miss Kenton begins to pull back emotionally and spend her free days with an acquaintance away from the hall. Stevens is jealous of her interest in another man. He tries to couch this in terms of a professional need to know if she intends to leave service, but there is much more to it. His bottled up feelings drive him to cancel all future cocoa sessions when one evening Miss Kenton says she is tired. He lashes out by being coolly professional to the point of cruelty and refuses to relent when she suggests they resume the sessions. By punishing her, he is driving her away, though he does not understand why. Stevens recalls the death of Miss Kenton's aunt, when he might have reached out to comfort her. Once again, an authentic expression of emotion is impossible. He can only approach her on a professional basis. While shining a light on the event as another turning point, Stevens is quick to excuse his failure to act. He comes close to a critical analysis of his decisions, and then dodges away, saying "when ... one begins to search one's past for such 'turning points,' one is apt to start seeing them everywhere." He cannot admit his impossible standards have worked against him. Even so, he ends these reminiscences with the painful observation that these small incidents have rendered "whole dreams forever irredeemable." When Stevens's thoughts turn to the evening conversation with Mr. Harry Smith, he defensively dismisses the man's views on dignity and the common man. If a common man can achieve dignity and dignity is a required ingredient of greatness, then any common man could be great. This does not fit with Stevens's view of the world, himself, his profession, or the aristocracy he admires. Smith's viewpoint would also require that Stevens take responsibility for his own actions, that he think for himself and make his own decisions, when Stevens has defined morality and dignity by whom he chooses to follow, namely Lord Darlington. If Stevens has to take moral responsibility for his own actions, he must judge himself to have failed in numerous respects. So he chooses to reject Smith's definition of dignity and cling to his own. Mr. Smith's opinions about a person's duty to think and form opinions cannot, in Stevens's view, be right because Stevens—who thinks highly of himself—has never done so. He has lived and thought vicariously, through his employer, and never bothered to investigate, learn, or think for himself. He recalls his humiliation at the whim of Lord Darlington's guest Mr. Spencer. Even this did not spur him to become better educated. Though he recalls the event in painful detail, he then minimizes it, saying "It was clearly expected that I be baffled by the question," and classifies it as "a slightly uncomfortable situation." All this ends with another attempt by Stevens to defend Lord Darlington's ideas and actions. However, he contradicts his much earlier statements concerning an employer's moral worth. He now says it is foolish for a butler to drift from employer to employer, seeking one who embodies all that a butler finds noble and admirable. Earlier, Stevens wrote he admires the idealism of his generation which sought to serve a gentleman who in turn served humanity; that he himself moved around a lot until he found Lord Darlington. He goes on to state it reflected well on him to serve such a fine gentleman. Now Stevens adds a nuance that cleverly separates him from the mess Lord Darlington made of his affairs. He claims this idea of reappraising an employer's affairs is a threat to the quality of loyalty essential to being a great butler. Loyalty that presumably has been intelligently bestowed does not question, but simply serves and serves well. How then can a butler feel shame or regret for the failings of his employer? Stevens is providing a loophole through which he hopes to escape any responsibility or feelings of guilt for Lord Darlington's entanglement with Nazi Germany.

The Remains of the Day | Chapter 4 : Day Three, Morning: Taunton, Somerset | Summary

Summary Stevens spends the previous night at the Coach and Horses, a small inn outside the town of Taunton, Somerset. Before retiring to bed, he visits the bar downstairs, where five or six local people are gathered. They try to engage Stevens in conversation with a joke about the proprietor and his wife, telling him that between the general noise of the bar and the couple's frequent arguments, Stevens will not get much sleep. In response Stevens attempts a witticism that falls flat, much to his disappointment. Recently he's been listening to a comedy show on the radio, attempting to improve his skills in this area. As this incident illustrates "the hazards of uttering witticisms," he decides it is best to avoid them all together for now. Setting off in the morning to explore Taunton, Stevens stops in the center of the market town for a cup of tea. From the window he sees a signpost pointing toward the village of Mursden and fondly recalls the firm of Giffen and Co. was once located there. The maker of the finest silver polish available prior to World War II, Giffen and Co. appeared in the early 1920s. Its product played a key role in making brightly polished silver a central feature of all aristocratic households—especially the silver used during a meal. This silver in particular served as a public indicator of the household's standards, and the polish used by all discerning butlers was Giffen's. The trend began with Mr. Marshall, a butler considered "great" among his contemporaries, who set the highest standards for the polishing of silver. Soon butlers up and down the country were being pressured by their employers to equal or surpass him. Stevens's thoughts drift to the distinguished visitors to Darlington Hall who have complimented the silver. They include Lady Astor and renowned playwright George Bernard Shaw. The most memorable, perhaps, is Lord Halifax on the night he dined at the hall with his lordship and German Ambassador Herr Ribbentrop. A few days later, Lord Darlington extends Lord Halifax's compliments on the silver to Stevens. He had been anxious about meeting with Herr Ribbentrop and had found diversion in admiring the beautifully polished silver, which put him in a better mood for the evening. Stevens's thoughts turn to Herr Ribbentrop, who in post-World War II Britain is regarded as a trickster. However, around 1936 or 1937, the German Ambassador was a welcomed and honored guest in many of the finest houses in England. Untold numbers of distinguished British ladies and gentlemen were, in turn, guests at German banquets hosted by Nazis before fully realizing the true nature of the regime. He finds it "irksome" that these same people now speak of those times as if they had no such connections with the ambassador or the Nazis, and they cast Lord Darlington's association in a traitorous light. Stevens goes on to insist that claims of Lord Darlington's anti-Semitism and his involvement with the British Union of Fascists are untrue. Admittedly, there was a minor incident in the 1930s involving Jewish staff, and Sir Oswald Mosley—leader of the British Union of Fascists and the "blackshirts"—was invited three times to Darlington Hall. However, this was before the ugliness of the blackshirt movement became apparent to his lordship. Stevens returns to the subject of the silver and his satisfaction that it had made such a good impression on Lord Halifax. He is proud his efforts, however modest, contributed to an important moment in history. Such incidents are reminders that "one has had the privilege of practicing one's profession at the very fulcrum of great affairs." However, he notes, looking back on the past so much may not be good, as he has many more years of service before him. For this reason it is essential he keep focused on the present. Otherwise, small errors may surface, like that which occurred last April. One evening at dinner, Stevens noticed Mr. Farraday examining the prongs of a silver fork. Moving quickly, he removed "the offending item" and replaced it. While insisting there is nothing sinister in the error, Stevens is sure that with Miss Kenton's help, similar mistakes will no longer occur. He cautiously notes, however, her return is not certain. In rereading her letter, he may have, "through wishful thinking of a professional kind," exaggerated her desire to return. Analysis In this chapter unpleasant realities about Lord Darlington emerge. However, Stevens's first journal entry for the day returns to the topic of bantering and witticism. To his disappointment his effort to join the local people at the Coach and Horses in a witty exchange fails. He then reveals he has been studying to improve his skills. However, bantering is completely contrary to any form of communication Stevens is accustomed to. So his efforts to learn do not stem from a friendly desire to reach out as one human to another, but from a dispassionate sense of duty to Mr. Farraday. Stevens is bound so tightly by his ideas of dignity and what is proper for a man in his position, he has forgotten how to relax and have fun—a prerequisite to friendly banter. Stevens also has an exaggerated view of how his actions affect others. He writes he is "tormented" by the idea that his failed witticism came off as an insult. Throughout decades in service, he has shouldered responsibility, aimed for perfection, and taken to heart any failure. He cannot believe his recent misstep will have no impact and be overlooked. Stevens's next journal entry leads step by step into revelations about Lord Darlington. It begins with the butler's memories of Giffen and Co., supplier of the best silver polish available. He writes with nostalgia of the days when such things as superbly polished silver setting meant something; when the finest houses displayed silver "polished to previously unimagined standards." The closing of Giffen and Co. signaled the end of that era and the high standards set by Stevens's generation of butlers. Stevens's thoughts then turn to past guests who admired the silver settings at Darlington Hall. Among them are prominent historical figures like American-born socialite Lady Astor and playwright George Bernard Shaw. Both were well-known for their involvement in politics. Lady Astor is representative of the many other elites of Britain sympathetic to Germany and believed the harshest terms of the Treaty of Versailles should be eased. However, unlike her contemporaries, Lady Astor mistrusted Hitler and was not a Nazi-sympathizer. These British elite turned a blind eye to Hitler's dictatorial rule and fanatical anti-Semitism. They admired the positive changes he had brought to post-World War I Germany. As Stevens asserts, those among British high society who once supported Hitler and his fascist Nazi movement conveniently forgot this when war was declared. They felt shame and deep regret for their flirtation with Hitler—even more so when the appalling murder and genocide of his regime became clear. In light of this, Stevens is justified in feeling it is unfair Lord Darlington has been singled out for his association with Nazis like Herr Ribbentrop, and accused of being an anti-Semite and treasonous pro-Nazi. Another prominent admirer of Darlington Hall's silver is Lord Halifax. His visit to the hall illustrates the high-level game of politics Lord Darlington is playing. Lord Halifax was foreign secretary in Neville Chamberlain's government. As Prime Minister, Chamberlain was responsible for the policy of appeasement which allowed Germany to rebuild its military strength and attack Poland in 1940. Lord Halifax's position as foreign secretary allowed him to influence Chamberlain's political decisions. It was logical for Lord Darlington to try to enlist his support for improving conditions in Germany. For this he arranged the meeting between Lord Halifax and Herr Ribbentrop. Herr Ribbentrop is another historic figure who played a key role in global politics leading up to World War II. Herr Ribbentrop was German Ambassador to Great Britain from 1936 to 1938 and, as alluded to in Stevens's narrative, a welcomed guest of the elites. He joined the Nazi party in 1932. Over the next seven years, on behalf of Hitler, he negotiated various treaties on behalf of Germany with Britain, Russia, Japan, and Italy. Each treaty helped to set the stage for war and cleared the way for German aggression. After the war Ribbentrop was tried at Nuremburg, found guilty of war crimes, and hanged. Sir Oswald Mosley, the British Union of Fascists, and the "blackshirts" are further historical references made in this chapter. Mosley was an English politician who embraced the same fascist, anti-Semitic views as the Nazi party. He was leader of the British Union of Fascists from 1932 to 1940. His followers, called "blackshirts" for the uniform they wore, were known for circulating anti-Semitic propaganda and holding hostile protests in London's Jewish neighborhoods. Mosley was interned for three years following the outbreak of World War II. His presence at Darlington Hall on three occasions is sufficient to cast a cloud of suspicion over Lord Darlington's political activities. Even as Stevens's recollections expose Lord Darlington's questionable association, he remains intensely loyal to his lordship. He considers him a noble gentleman and claims it was a privilege to serve him—to practice his profession "at the very fulcrum of great affairs." In his pattern of admission and denial, Stevens admits his lordship's association with fascists and anti-Semites, and then denies its implications. He dismisses negative interpretations of his lordship's actions as "salacious nonsense." Stevens returns once again to the topic of greatness and serving greatness. It is becoming obvious he desperately wants to matter; to feel he has made some meaningful contribution to humanity. Though he humbly downplays his role and its effect, he expresses great pride in it. Nevertheless, it somehow seems a hollow pride. By dwelling on the subject, Stevens seems to be trying to convince himself as well as the reader that what he did was both honorable and significant. Stevens also returns to the "small errors" that plague him. The incident with the silver fork seems disturbing for two reasons: it represents an error and is reminiscent of his father's failing abilities when, as under-butler, polishing the silver was his job. It stirs Stevens's fears of becoming like his father. Without his work, what is he? He has no other life. He assigns himself a new burden: to show Mr. Farraday all that is best about service in England. Not surprisingly, Stevens's thoughts turn once more to Miss Kenton. She is a reminder of a time when things seemed more clear and simple, and her return to the hall may bring back a sense of those fondly remembered days. However, he is beginning to question his initial reading of her letter. On this journey he has been thinking deeply about the past and has been unsettled by memories that do not bear close scrutiny. Now, he begins to doubt Miss Kenton's wish to return—indicating, perhaps, that he realizes his perceptions of reality may be unreliable. Stevens's unreliability as a narrator is, in fact, becoming more apparent. His memories are filled with conflict between delusion and truth; between what he believed at the time (or deceived himself into believing) and what was really going on. For example, Stevens labels as ridiculous the rumors of Lord Darlington's anti-Semitism and his link to the British Union of Fascists. He then contradicts himself by alluding to an unfortunate incident at the hall involving Jewish staff members as well as three visits by BUF leader Sir Oswald Mosley. Another layer of self-deception is added when he stresses the irrelevance of Mosley and his organization to the heart of British political life, knowing full well their influence among the elites of the time.

The Remains of the Day | Chapter 7 : Day Six, Evening: Weymouth | Summary

Summary Stevens's final journal entries are made while in a seaside town in Weymouth. It has been two days since his meeting with Miss Kenton in Little Compton. As Stevens sits on a pier waiting for the nightly display of colored lights to come on, he recounts the reunion. Miss Kenton surprises him by showing up at the Rose Garden Hotel, where he is staying. They spend the next two hours or so in conversation in the tea lounge. Stevens at first notes Miss Kenton has aged, but gracefully, yet soon it seems the Miss Kenton he remembers sits before him. He is extremely glad to see her. Nevertheless, subtle changes in her behavior suggest she is weary with life, and in repose, he glimpses sadness in her expression. The two spend some time reminiscing and soon fall into the same rhythm and habits of their long ago conversations. Stevens notes the smiles and gestures he remembers. Talk turns to the course their lives have taken over the last 20 years. Stevens learns that, shortly after writing her letter, Miss Kenton returned home to her husband, Mr. Benn. Furthermore, her daughter, Catherine, is expecting a child in autumn. Stevens is flattered when Miss Kenton presses him to visit her daughter on his return trip. Stevens describes current conditions at Darlington Hall, his genial employer Mr. Farraday, the present staffing arrangements, and so on. Some recollection touches on Mr. Cardinal, and Stevens must inform Miss Kenton of his death in Belgium during World War II. This leads to the topic of Lord Darlington and his failed lawsuit against a newspaper that endlessly accused him of pro-Nazi activities before the war. When his lordship lost the case for libel, his reputation was destroyed and his health ruined. He was an invalid until he died. The two hours pass quickly. When Miss Kenton says she must be returning home, Stevens offers to drive her to the bus stop, which is outside the village. They drive awhile in silence, and then Miss Kenton asks why Stevens is smiling to himself. He confesses he was thinking of a line in her letter that read "the rest of my life stretches out like an emptiness before me." Miss Kenton plays this down as the result of a fleeting mood. She then asks Stevens what the future holds for him back a Darlington Hall. He laughs and replies, "work, work and more work." At the bus stop Stevens waits with Miss Kenton. Feeling the pressure of their approaching farewell, he finally brings himself to ask if she has been ill-treated over the years. He knows she has left Mr. Benn three times. If he does not mistreat her, then what is the cause of the unhappiness Stevens senses in her letters? Miss Kenton rightly assumes he is asking really whether she loves Mr. Benn. She explains that, for a long time, she did not. She had married him as "simply another ruse, Mr. Stevens, to annoy you." But with their shared passage of time, the war, and a daughter, she has grown to love him. Even so, there have been times when thoughts of what might have been—for instance, the better life she might have had with Stevens—made her miserable. Feeling she had made a great mistake, she would leave Mr. Benn. However, she has come to realize "there's no turning back the clock"; it is best to appreciate what one has. The full meaning of her words is unmistakable, and Stevens struggles to respond. Sorrow wells up within him and he writes, "At that moment, my heart was breaking." However, he manages to turn to her and smile, saying "You're very correct, Mrs. Benn. As you say, it is too late to turn back the clock." He then assures her she has some extremely happy years before her and must not let "foolish ideas" spoil the happiness she deserves. Seeing Miss Kenton's eyes fill with tears, Stevens kindly tells her she must take good care of herself and enjoy the years to come. The lights at the pier are switched on, and the crowd which has gathered to watch cheers. Stevens notes they all appear to be willing night to fall. This seems to confirm something recently said to him—that "for a great many people, the evening is the most enjoyable part of the day," the part they look most forward to. The speaker was a heavily built man in his late sixties who joins Stevens on his bench on the pier. Striking up a casual conversation, he tells Stevens he was once a butler of a small house nearby. In turn Stevens reveals he is the butler at Darlington Hall. The man is suitably impressed, and Stevens goes on to share some stories of life in a big house before the war. Now, he explains, things are quite different and his employer is an American gentleman. A comfortable silence follows, and then Stevens confides that, while he tries hard to please his new employer, he feels he falls short of the standards he once set for himself. Errors are occurring, and he knows what they signify. Try as he might, it is no use. He gave all he had to give to Lord Darlington. The man offers Stevens a handkerchief, for he is clearly crying. Stevens apologizes and attributes the break in poise to being tired from traveling. However, he cannot help but go on to a most important admission: Lord Darlington, while a courageous man, made mistakes. But the path he took was his own choice, and in the end, he had the privilege of saying he had made his own mistakes. Stevens cannot say the same. His trust was misplaced, and the mistakes that have tainted his life were not his own. There is no dignity in that. The man tells Stevens his attitude is all wrong; he's spending too much time looking back. It is bound to be depressing. He then says "the evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it." Stevens understands he is speaking in a larger sense about life and decides it is good advice. Soon after, taking an interest in the people on the pier, Stevens notices how bantering among a small group of strangers has swiftly built friendliness among them. He concludes that bantering may not be foolish after all; in fact it may hold the key to human warmth. He determines to work on this skill with the hopes of pleasantly surprising Mr. Farraday when he returns. Analysis A sense of sad finality and quiet, desperate hope shades this final chapter in Stevens's story. Miss Kenton is lost to him forever, and he must let go of his false impressions of Lord Darlington and his own highly prized dignity. Nevertheless, he takes advice from a stranger, turns his attention to the future, and determines to permit human warmth into his life—insofar as he is able—through the art of bantering. In a sense the goal of Stevens's journey has been to rescue Miss Kenton—or so he hopes. He believes she has come to realize she made a terrible mistake to leave him and Darlington Hall. Her life is empty and in ruins. Like a hero in the romance novels he enjoys, Stevens now may gallantly ride in to save her, while preserving his dignity. In her gratitude she will not require him to show overt emotion. It is safe to show up. Even so, he tries to protect himself from possible disappointment by repeating his interest in seeing her is purely professional, "that is to say, in respect to the present staffing problems at Darlington Hall." The setting as described for their meeting is significant. Inside the tea lounge they sit in a "pool of grey light while the rain continue[s] to fall steadily on the square" beyond the window. The two are framed by the light; it defines their space and reflects the tone of their meeting. The rain suggests tears, and it never lets up. Stevens's love for Miss Kenton is unmistakable as he records his first impressions of their meeting. Though she has aged, he soon sees "the person who had inhabited my memory over these years." He is sad to detect the weariness that has robbed her of the lively spark he fondly recalls, and then happily notes her "little smiles," "small ironic inflexions," and "certain gestures with her shoulders or her hands" which echo those imprinted in his memory. All of these have been gathered and carefully stored away, like treasured mementos. Even the "rhythms and habits" of their past conversations has been committed to memory. As is Stevens's habit, he never directly asks Miss Kenton the question foremost on his mind. Here, as throughout the novel, he indirectly tries to ascertain what he wants to know. His ever-cautious approach to things of importance is a safeguard against the mistakes, misunderstandings, and disappointments he fears. The fate of Lord Darlington becomes clear as Stevens shares news of Darlington Hall. Though the full extent of his lordship's disgraceful collaboration with the Nazis was publicly exposed and denounced, Stevens is still protective of his former employer's reputation. His personal moments of triumph have been deeply entangled with Lord Darlington's endeavors. He tells Miss Kenton his lordship was judged unfairly and deserves to be remembered as he was in the hall's finest days. Yet later he reveals conflicted feelings to the stranger on the pier, lamenting the trust he had placed in Lord Darlington. Stevens has lived by the code that says, to be great, a butler must serve a noble man working for the good of humanity. That code and the trust it implies were betrayed. Nevertheless, Stevens remains unable to recognize his own part in events—the willful self-deception that blinded him to the reality in plain sight. At the bus stop Stevens is reluctant to part with Miss Kenton. He does not yet know if there is a chance she will return to the hall. Yet, he is pulling away even as he delays his departure. Much like Lord Darlington, who perused books when broaching a sensitive subject in conversation, Stevens stands watching for the bus, his back to Miss Kenton. When at last she makes it clear her future is with her husband, Stevens feels his heart breaking. Even so, he does not let it show. For the first time his emotional restraint achieves something truly noble. When he might have complicated things for Miss Kenton by opening up—even slightly—he refrains, not wishing "foolish ideas" to come between her and the happiness she deserves. In a selfless and loving gesture, he lets her go. The remains of Stevens's days stretch out before him. Along his journey he has been forced to let go of everything he cherished. The sense of having wasted his life is overwhelming. With quiet desperation he grasps the advice of a stranger to stop looking back; to make the best of things and enjoy what is left of life. There is a flicker of hope for Stevens in his new perspective on bantering. The human warmth imprisoned by his rigid code of ethics and behavior may find release in this friendly pastime. At last he may allow himself to emotionally give and receive, at least a little.

The Remains of the Day | Plot Summary

Summary The Remains of the Day tells of a man's journey into the past during a motoring trip through the English countryside. Told from a first-person perspective, the story is narrated in the form of a diary by an English butler named Stevens. It begins in July 1956 at Darlington Hall, where Stevens has worked for 34 years. The hall now is owned by Mr. Farraday, an outgoing American businessman. Farraday purchased the estate following the death of its previous owner, Lord Darlington. Always conscious of himself as a butler, Stevens has difficulty relating to his new employer. Though he likes Mr. Farraday, he is unaccustomed to the gentleman's relaxed, more familiar manner. In particular he struggles with Mr. Farraday's fondness for joking, which Stevens terms "bantering." He feels he is expected to join in, but decades of dignified restraint make it difficult. However, throughout the novel Stevens repeats his desire to please his employer by improving his bantering skills. One afternoon Farraday invites Stevens to take a driving holiday. He offers Stevens the use of his Ford. Stevens accepts after he receives a letter from the hall's former housekeeper, Miss Kenton, who left service 20 years earlier to marry. Her letter's nostalgic tone suggests she wishes to return to Darlington Hall, and Stevens decides to use the trip to visit her and assess whether this is so. Currently, the house staff is limited to four people and several "small errors" have occurred. He reasons "with her great affection for this house, with her exemplary professionalism," Miss Kenton is just what he needs to eliminate the problems. There are hints the butler's intentions also may be personal. He seems especially attentive to indications in her letter that her marriage is falling apart. Armed with a road atlas titled The Wonder of England, Stevens sets off from Darlington Hall. Over the next six days, he records his thoughts in his diary, interweaving the events of the trip with recollections of the past when Darlington Hall was at the hub of great international affairs. Throughout the hall's glory days in the 1920s and 1930s, Stevens served Lord Darlington, whom he describes as a man with "a deep sense of moral duty." As he recalls the course of events between World War I and World War II, Stevens repeatedly reassures himself that, by serving this good and noble gentleman, he was serving humanity. Stevens's recorded stories sketch out his relationship with Lord Darlington and the evolution of his lordship's involvement in political affairs. Gradually, a picture emerges of elaborate dinners, secret meetings, and political intrigue; of frequent "off the record" visits by powerful, influential people; and of Lord Darlington's ruinous entanglements in foreign policy. It becomes clear his lordship sympathized with the Nazis and was Hitler's pawn in a diplomatic game to influence the British government. Even so, Stevens loyally maintains "Lord Darlington wasn't a bad man. He wasn't a bad man at all," though the bond of trust between them was broken, leaving Stevens engulfed by the sense his life has been wasted. Entwined with these memories are others involving Stevens's father, William, who works at Darlington Hall in his declining years. Once a head butler, he now is in his 70s, and the best position he can acquire is under-butler at the hall. Stevens reveres his father and believes he epitomizes greatness in a butler. However, the two men rarely converse, and familial love is never expressed until the elder Stevens is dying, and even then only in the most reserved terms possible. Both men seem afflicted with the inability to communicate emotion. However, Stevens carefully protects his father's sense of dignity when the elderly man's workload proves to be too much and he suffers a humiliating fall. He also stubbornly denies his father's failing ability to serve. When his father is dying, Stevens is not present, choosing to perform his duties as butler rather than stay at his father's side—as he believes his father would have wished. Stevens's most guarded, yet intimate relationship involves the housekeeper, Miss Kenton, who comes to Darlington Hall in 1922—the same year as his father. Though never explicitly stated, Stevens's feelings for Miss Kenton deepen over the course of her 14-year service. He recalls entire conversations and moments of dreadful indecision when his desire to reach out emotionally battles against his self-protective reserve. He struggles to keep their relationship on a professional footing, while Miss Kenton gently tries to break past the walls of his restraint. His efforts to push her away become more forceful as his buried feelings grow. Eventually, Miss Kenton leaves to marry another man, causing Stevens deep but unacknowledged regret. The culmination of Stevens's journey is bittersweet. He meets with Miss Kenton—now Mrs. Benn—and learns that, while she has often wondered what life would have been like with Stevens, she has grown to love her husband and their daughter is expecting a child. She no longer dwells on what might have been and will not return to Darlington Hall. Stevens is devastated. Fully realizing how much he had been hoping she would return, he admits, "At that moment, my heart was breaking." He does not tell her, but he confirms she is correct: "it is too late to turn back the clock." The two say goodbye, and Stevens heads back to Darlington Hall. He decides it is time to give up living in the past, to enjoy his remaining days, and to perfect his bantering skills. The art of bantering, he concludes, may not be such a foolish pastime after all, especially if it holds the key to the intimacy and compassion—the human warmth—missing from his life.

The Remains of the Day | Chapter 1 : Day One, Evening: Salisbury | Summary

Summary The first day of Steven's trip has ended at a guest house in the city of Salisbury, where he will spend the night. Looking back over the day, Stevens notes it was difficult to leave Darlington Hall closed up and empty for perhaps the first time since it was built. Once on his way, he experiences a mix of unease and exhilaration when he realizes he has truly left the hall behind. Stopping the car, he gets out to stretch his legs and assess the situation. Down the road a ways, he encounters a thin, white-haired man sitting on a large stone and smoking a pipe. The man advises Stevens to take a nearby footpath up the hill for the best view in all of England. "I'm telling you, sir," says the man, "you'll be sorry if you don't take a walk up there. And you never know. A couple more years and it might be too late." Stevens takes his advice and is rewarded with a stirring view of the rolling English countryside. For the first time, Stevens experiences "a healthy flush of anticipation" for the adventures ahead. That afternoon in Salisbury, he has tea at the guest house and then goes out to explore the town. Following the advice of Mrs. Symons's guidebook, he visits the fine cathedral and is generally charmed by the sights of the city. However, what he recalls most vividly is the morning's hilltop panorama of the English countryside. Its serene beauty and self-assured lack of drama may be summed up—as Stevens sees it—in the word "greatness." It is a quality which lacks vulgar spectacle and stems from confidence in its own beauty; a quality the landscapes of other countries, no matter how impressive, fail to possess. These thoughts lead Stevens to share his ideas on "greatness" as a quality to be admired in a butler. He fondly recalls hours of discussion in the servants' hall on the topic of just what this quality is. In the 1920s and 1930s a society of butlers called the Hayes Society attempted to define the term. Membership in the society required a butler "be possessed of a dignity in keeping with his position." While not a fan of the Hayes Society, Stevens agrees "dignity" most closely captures the factor that distinguished a great butler from those who are merely very competent. To convey his idea of what the term means, he looks to memories of his father, who was a butler himself. His father often told a story about a butler who worked in India. One afternoon, the butler found a tiger lying beneath the dining table while his employer was busy entertaining guests in another room. After a quiet word with his employer, the butler calmly goes off to shoot the tiger. Returning some time later to refresh the teapots, he assures his employer all is well. "Dinner will be served at the usual time and I am pleased to say there will be no discernible traces left of the recent occurrence by that time." Whether true or not, Stevens says, the story reveals his father's ideals and the kind of butler he endeavored to be. The next story concerns Stevens's father and two drunken guests at the estate of Mr. John Silvers, where his father served. The two men enlisted his father to take them for an afternoon drive. Though they behaved like coarse, ill-mannered schoolboys, Stevens's father treated them with his usual politeness until he heard them make offensive remarks about his employer. Abruptly, he stopped the car, got out, and opened the back door. He was a forbidding figure as he stood silently and waited for the men to realize they had been insufferably rude. Following their muttered apologies, he resumed his role as driver, and the outing was completed in near silence. The final story Stevens shares involves Stevens's father and an army general responsible for the needless death of Stevens's older brother Leonard among many others during the Southern African War. Despite the irresponsible leadership that led to the bloody tragedy, the general escaped court martial and went on to a prosperous post-war life. He once was a guest at Mr. Silver's house. Stevens's father served as the man's valet for four days, in spite of the personal pain it caused him. He performed his duties so flawlessly the general never guessed what he was thinking and left him a tip. Without hesitation Stevens's father asked his employer to donate the money to charity. Stevens concludes his father comes close to personifying the Hayes Society's standard of "dignity in keeping with his position." Dignity and greatness are inseparable. The great butlers, he says, "are great by virtue of their ability to inhabit their professional role ... to the utmost," unshaken by external events. Dignity is a quality a butler must achieve. Analysis This next entry in Stevens's journal provides deeper insight into the beliefs and values that have shaped his life. It also reveals the confined nature of the world in which he has existed, physically and emotionally, for more than three decades. These are keys to understanding how Stevens's greatest achievements lead to regret and an emotionally barren life. Stevens says a surge of concern makes it difficult for him to leave Darlington Hall. The hall will stand empty for perhaps the first time since its construction. However, it is just as likely he is uneasy because he has never left it behind like this. For the first time in his career, he will be unnecessary as a butler, which strikes at the heart of his identity and sense of purpose. His anxiety increases once he departs and the country surroundings grow unfamiliar. He feels a mix of unease and exhilaration that turns to alarm. His alarm is eased by the view of the English countryside. The calm, restrained beauty of the landscape reassures him. In it he sees reflected the greatness of Britain. It is dignified, which Stevens describes as the essence of greatness, just as dignity is the essence of a great butler. It is also the essence of Englishness. In other words, the greatness of the English countryside and the greatness of the English butler are a reflection of the nature of Englishness and its values. While this is an old-world view of what it is to be English, for Stevens, it is comforting. It relates to a time of empire, when Great Britain ruled and the world seemed calm, safe, and unchanging. Now, he can feel the "flush of anticipation" for the journey ahead. It is interesting to note that, as Stevens records his impressions of the day's events, he writes, "I find that what really remains with me from this first day's travel." The choice of words casts the meaning of the novel's title in a slightly different light. Considered in this sense, the phrase "the remains of the day" refers to what is left at the end of a day, a life, or an era; what remains in memory. Stevens's thoughts on the nature of greatness inevitably drift away from the landscape to his profession. This is his point of reference for everything. The greatness Stevens strives for is embodied in other butlers of the day, renowned for the high standards they have set and maintained. High among those whom Stevens reveres is his father. Even his childhood memories are related to the elder Stevens's career as a butler, such as the recalled story of the butler and tiger. Descriptive words for his father include "impressive," "dignified," and a "dark, severe presence"—words expressing awe, but little warmth. As he reminisces about his father, Stevens tells about his older brother's death during the South African War (1899 to 1902). Also called the Boer War, it was between the British Empire and the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of southern Africa, called Boers. Stevens provides a detached, unemotional description of his brother's death. The incident appears to be important only because it relates to his father's demonstration of greatness. Stevens notes he began as a footman under his father's supervision. This foreshadows the difficulties that develop when his father comes to work as an under-butler at Darlington Hall. A footman is a uniformed male servant whose job includes opening doors and serving food. Stevens's musings about the nature of dignity and greatness is summed up in his statement that "dignity has to do crucially with a butler's ability not to abandon the professional being he inhabits." This is the core of Stevens's professional achievement as well as his empty and failed personal life. In his quest to be a "great" butler, he dons his professional habit and never takes it off while on duty. He will not allow himself to do so, even in the most extreme circumstances. In time he no longer controls it and cannot take it off. This is not a decision he can make and would be like stripping the flesh from his body. He is not a human being who is a butler; he is a butler who happens to be a human being. The first dominates the second. He looks down on other butlers who act the part, never realizing he is imprisoned by the role, unable to discern where it ends and where his natural self begins. He becomes what he wished to be and loses himself in the process. Stevens objects when his colleague Mr. Graham compares dignity with beauty, and implies a butler will have it by nature or not at all. This undermines Stevens's principles and his life's work to achieve it. He is admirable in his desire to strive—to "think deeply about these things" and to take steps for self-improvement. Nevertheless, he takes it to an extreme, which is ultimately self-destructive.

The Remains of the Day | Prologue : July 1956: Darlington Hall | Summary

Summary The period is July 1956. A genial American, Mr. Farraday, has recently purchased Darlington Hall. Situated near Oxford, England, the great house was the residence of the Darlington family for 200 years. James Stevens, a butler well past his prime, has stayed on to serve the new owner. Now Stevens ponders a journey he is about to take. Recently, Mr. Farraday has suggested Stevens take a few days to get out and see the country. Mr. Farraday will be returning to America for five or six weeks, and he does not expect Stevens to stay "locked up" in the house all the time he is away. He invites Stevens to use his car and even offers to "foot the bill for the gas." Stevens dismisses the idea until a letter arrives from a former employee, Miss Kenton, who once served as housekeeper at Darlington Hall. After several careful readings of her letter, Stevens believes it hints at her desire to return to service at the hall. Her presence would be a boon. In the past the spacious hall had been staffed with as many as 28 servants. Stevens has been struggling to run things with a staff of four: himself, Mrs. Clements, and two hired girls, Rosemary and Agnes. Several errors have occurred—small ones, but nonetheless troubling. Stevens resolves to take a driving trip to Cornwall, in the West Country, where Miss Kenton has been living since she left Darlington Hall. A casual visit will allow him to discover if she is truly interested in returning to employment at the hall. Carefully, he plans what he will wear, ever mindful he is a representative of Darlington Hall. He examines a road atlas and consults Volume III of The Wonder of England, a series of travel books written by Mrs. Jane Symons. He last studied this particular volume 20 years ago to learn more about the region where Miss Kenton had gone to live with her husband. At last there is nothing left to do but obtain Mr. Farraday's final permission for the journey. Tactfully timing the moment for broaching the subject, Stevens brings it up while serving his employer afternoon tea. As he is explaining that the former housekeeper lives in the West Country region—where he is proposing to go—Stevens realizes he has not discussed the idea of adding to the staff. He pauses awkwardly, and Mr. Farraday takes it that Stevens has "a lady friend" whom he wishes to visit. His light teasing embarrasses Stevens. However, the butler maintains his professional cool, and soon his employer consents to the trip, renewing his offer to "foot the bill for the gas." Stevens then reflects on his new employer's fondness for "bantering," which the butler assumes is because he is an American. He muses that it is, no doubt "a sign of a good, friendly understanding between employer and employee, indulged in as a kind of affectionate sport" enjoyed in that country. Even so, Stevens worries his failure to join in will be seen as a form of negligence. His job may now require him to provide entertaining banter. With some nostalgia he recalls the day when he might have discussed this with colleagues. In times past, when Darlington Hall hosted frequent gatherings of the elites, other butlers would accompany their employers. During off-duty times, they would exchange ideas on various work dilemmas. He would have liked to hear other views on the issue of "bantering." However, with so few great butlers remaining in service and the quiet that has descended on Darlington Hall, no such opportunity was likely to come his way soon. Analysis The novel opens in July 1956, the beginning of the historic Suez Crisis. By the end of the conflict, Great Britain and France will lose control of the vital Suez Canal, a sea-level artificial waterway in Egypt. As a result, Britain's military and political power in the Middle East will be greatly weakened. The era of Great Britain's world dominance is waning, as is the era of its great houses and politically powerful aristocrats. While never directly alluded to in the novel, these dramatic shifts in power and influence, both global and social, are evident in the changed conditions at Darlington Hall and the mindset of various people encountered in the novel. The prologue introduces Stevens, who is both the narrator and central figure in the story, and provides important insights into his character. It also introduces Darlington Hall, which will be the setting for Stevens's memories as he travels to Cornwall. Miss Kenton's letter serves as the motivation for his physical journey as well as a portal to the past and his emotional journey. One of the first clues to Stevens's character is his formal manner of speaking. At all times Stevens strives to be clear and precise, mimicking the language of the aristocracy whom he serves. It is all part of his role as a gentleman's gentleman and is especially evident in stiff phrases such as "On seeing my person" or use of the word "one" instead of "I." The rigid formality of his speech—which never wavers—also indicates the determined, poker-faced reserve with which Stevens faces the world. This section also sets up Stevens's habit of revealing information and then minimizing its significance with descriptive labels such as "small," "minor," and "trivial." For example, he refers to "a series of small errors in the carrying out of my duties ... quite trivial in themselves." Yet, the errors trouble him enough to consider "all sorts of alarmist theories" (the origin of these fears, which relate to his father, becomes clear later on). Revelations that Stevens feels most deeply about are often treated with this pattern of admission and denial. Stevens's inability to respond to Mr. Farraday's friendly suggestion that he take a holiday is telling. It takes him two weeks to accept the invitation, prompted by Miss Kenton's letter. Stevens is unaccustomed to an employer either noticing or caring about him as a human being—a fellow creature. He is the product of an era where servants were simply part of the silent machinery in a smoothly running household. In contrast, as an American, Mr. Farraday views people on a more equal footing. Stevens cannot help but see Mr. Farraday's suggestion as "just another instance of an American gentleman's unfamiliarity with what was and what was not commonly done in England." Stevens's recollections of exactly where he was or what he is doing at certain points in the chapter provide a sense of the environment in which he works. For example, he describes dusting the portrait of Viscount Wetherby when Mr. Farraday first proposes he (Stevens) take a road trip. The portrait suggests the bygone days of aristocracy associated with Darlington Hall. "The strangely bare study of Darlington Hall," where Stevens first meets Mr. Farraday and the "dust-sheeted" guest rooms illustrate the absence of luxury and hospitality that once distinguished the great hall. The reduced staff number Stevens is forced to work with (from 28 down to four) is another indication Darlington Hall is not the great house it used to be. Mr. Farraday will not be holding large social occasions like those held in the past. Miss Kenton's letter reminds Stevens of those glory days, and he imagines her return will restore the air of order and professionalism that once characterized the hall. A feeling of loneliness and nostalgia for the old days emerges as he contemplates the "old ways" and how things have changed. As Stevens admits, his careful staffing plan has fallen short, although this escaped his attention until "prompted quite accidentally" by an external event. The event is receiving Miss Kenton's letter. As the novel progresses, this pattern repeats. External events jog Stevens's memory, forcing him to confront important issues past and present. Miss Kenton's letter prompts Stevens to take the suggested road trip, and he continues to refer to it throughout the journey. In this way the letter serves as a gateway to the past. He takes great care in reading it, so as not to misinterpret Miss Kenton's understated wish to return to Darlington Hall. With this same level of care, he prepares for the trip, weighing what he should wear so as not to make a mistake. He cannot forget he is traveling as a representative of the hall and cannot risk being an embarrassment. Even on a holiday, he will not set aside his role as a butler, and frames his excursion as a professional duty—to improve the staff plan. It is interesting to note much of his clothing is not his own, but consists of cast-offs from well-meaning gentlemen. It seems Stevens does not possess enough personal identity outside of his role of butler to express himself as an individual through his clothing. As part of his planning, Stevens refers to the travel guide The Wonder of England by Mrs. Jane Symons. He mentions spending a good deal of time 20 years ago perusing the volume which includes the area where Miss Kenton went to live her married life. He chalks this up to curiosity; however, it is a subtle indication of his unacknowledged feelings for the former housekeeper. Countryside books like The Wonder of England were popular during the interwar years. These books sought to highlight the rural beauty of the English landscape and to capture the essence of traditional Englishness that it symbolized. It is appropriate Stevens would use a pre-war reference as his guide. Like Stevens, the book reflects the values and standards of an era that has past. Stevens's concerns over the issue of bantering reflect another aspect of his character. He wants to please Mr. Farraday by acquiring the skill, but his heart is not in it. He views it as an "affectionate sport" practiced only by Americans, but does not want to appear negligent in his duties by not participating. Stevens's attitude serves as a benchmark against which his personal growth can be measured during the course of the novel.

The Remains of the Day | Symbols

Symbols

Perspective and Narrator

The Remains of the Day is a first-person narrative, with the narrator acting as both observer and protagonist. As such, he is unreliable, and his story is a mix of disclosure and denial.

Tense

The Remains of the Day is written in the past tense.

Memory and Perspective

The Remains of the Day weaves together strands of memory from Stevens's life in service at Darlington Hall. Presented from the viewpoint of Stevens, the principal strands concern his employer, his father, and the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. Stevens recounts his memories in fragments, as they are sparked by some present event, such as Miss Kenton's letter. Each describes the past as Stevens remembers it, but from a subjective, often faulty perspective. In this way, as the narrator of the story, Stevens proves himself to be unreliable. His journal drifts from one strand to another, and each recollection is subject to his memory's whims and inconsistencies. This in turn produces likely inaccuracies and contradictions in the information being supplied. In addition he introduces highly significant episodes into the narrative while simultaneously downplaying their full importance. For example, he recalls but glosses over the political misdeeds of his employer, Lord Darlington, though their historical significance is disturbing and the outcome destroys his lordship's reputation. On occasion Stevens acknowledges that a recollection may be confused. For example, he attributes a blunt observation concerning his father's failing abilities to Miss Kenton, then admits it may well have been made by Lord Darlington. Self-deception and denial are at the core of Stevens's unreliable memory and point of view. He clings to the principles and illusions that have sustained him in life and in his role as butler in service to a great man. However, as the story unfolds and the nature of Stevens's character becomes clear, it is possible to see past his protective façade to the truth he himself must eventually face.

Bantering

The art of bantering and Stevens's enthusiasm for it trace a critical transformation in Stevens. The butler's new employer, Mr. Farraday, enjoys a bit of lighthearted bantering now and then, which Stevens finds disconcerting. He is unaccustomed to what he describes as this "affectionate sport" which in the United States is meant to show "a good, friendly understanding between employer and employee." Not only is Stevens unsure how to respond but, on occasion, is quite astonished by things his employer says. Nevertheless, he is determined to please Mr. Farraday and somehow learn the art of bantering. Stevens's initial efforts stem from of a stiff sense of duty, and not a true desire to relate to his new employer in a friendlier manner. He approaches the issue carefully and methodically, with uncomfortable results. However, by the end of his physical and emotional journey, Stevens at last embraces the art of a friendly exchange as the possible key to human warmth, which is something he longs for. He renews his resolve to improve his skills and surprise his employer.

The Remains of the Day | Context

The backdrop of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel The Remains of the Day is Britain in the last days of the empire. Events that had reshaped the empire also reshaped the fortunes of the setting at Darlington Hall.

Year Published

1989

The English Butler - Context

An important influence in the creation of the butler Stevens in The Remains of the Day was another literary manservant named Reginald Jeeves, created by English author P.G. Wodehouse. The English butler has been described as "the shadow that speaks." His presence never intrudes, yet he is always at hand and absolutely necessary. In the literary world Jeeves is the gentleman's gentleman par excellence. In many of Wodehouse's humorous short stories and novels, the dignified, highly competent, and coolly wise Jeeves often saves his young, aristocratic employer, Bertie Wooster, from certain doom. Jeeves's character was an important influence as Ishiguro developed his notion of the qualities and virtues embodied by Stevens. Surprisingly, Ishiguro's butler is as complete a fiction as Jeeves. In his research for The Remains of the Day, Ishiguro was amazed to find so few firsthand accounts of a servant's life. A sizable portion of the British population was employed in service up until World War II, yet few of those employed seemed to feel their lives worth recording. Thus Ishiguro made up most of the novel's details about the rituals of being a servant. In the novel Stevens strives for greatness in his role as Lord Darlington's butler. Ishiguro drew inspiration for this trait from a film character in a 1974 thriller called The Conversation. The protagonist is a freelance surveillance expert who does everything he can to be the best in his field. A personal crisis arises when he realizes his obsession may have led to the murder of the young couple he was hired to spy on. Like Stevens, he pays a price for his single-minded ideal of professional greatness and his obsessive desire to achieve it.

English Countryside

As Stevens begins his journey, he is struck by the calm, restrained beauty of the English countryside. He declares it is "the most deeply satisfying in the world" because of its "very lack of obvious drama or spectacle." In his view the landscape symbolizes a very English style of greatness that defines the British Empire and reflects his own personal ideals concerning his profession. Stevens is preoccupied with the notion of what makes a great butler. As models of greatness, he dismisses the likes of Mr. Jack Neighbours—a butler known for managing large events with a technical flourish. The showiness of his service reflects high competence, but not greatness. Greatness, Stevens claims, is a deeper quality that comes with the butler's ability to inhabit his role so completely that he "will not be shaken out by external events, however surprising, alarming, or vexing." A great butler is self-possessed, emotionally restrained, and retains his dignity under all circumstances. Stevens's idea of greatness is exemplified by the English landscape. It reflects the very qualities he strives for—to perform his duties without drama or spectacle; to always be calm and in control.

Social Constraints

As butler of Darlington Hall, Stevens's profession demands subservience to Lord Darlington and devotion to duty. His role as a servant is fixed within the hierarchy of social classes left over from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. His father was a butler and so, in keeping with a tradition of service within families, Stevens follows in his father's footsteps. His position and duties as a butler are defined by the rules and customs that bind the servant class. Deference to superiors and obedience are expected. Devotion to duty is required. As Stevens explains, all attention must go "to providing the best possible service to those great gentlemen in whose hands the destiny of civilization truly lies." Nothing less is acceptable. And within the distinguished houses there is no room for romantic liaisons among the servant class. Married life interferes with dedication to service, and those wishing to marry must leave the staff. These are the class conditions under which Stevens serves and the standards he strives to meet. Always immersed in his professional role, masking his feelings as expected, and accepting the restraints on his emotional life, he eventually finds it impossible "to abandon the professional being he inhabits." He is locked in. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear this has cost him the one chance he had of finding romantic love. Furthermore, his devotion to Lord Darlington—whose life is wrecked by a misguided personal code of ethics—has ended in disillusionment and the sense his life in service has been wasted.

World War I and the Treaty of Versailles - Context

At the beginning of World War I, the British Empire was the foremost global power. Described as "the empire on which the sun never sets," it was the most extensive empire in world history. At the heart of the novel is Lord Darlington's association with fascism and the Nazi Party, which rose to power following World War I. His misplaced sympathy for the German people suffering under the Treaty of Versailles leads to his ultimate disgrace. World War I began with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, archduke of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. While visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914, the archduke and his wife, Sophie, were shot to death by a Serbian nationalist. The assassination set off a rapid chain of events resulting in Austria-Hungary's declaring war on Serbia one month later, on July 28. Serbia was backed by Russia, Belgium, France, and Great Britain. Other countries would join these early Allies. Austria-Hungary was backed by Germany—the driving force behind the decision to go to war. On July 5, 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm II had pledged his country's complete support to Austria-Hungary and whatever direction the country chose to take in the conflict. The war lasted more than four years, ending November 11, 1918. On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany and the Allies at the Palace of Versailles near Paris. Many involved in negotiating the treaty wanted to see Germany crushed. They blamed the devastating war on the Kaiser's pledge to support Austria-Hungary. It had cost the lives of 8.5 million men. Vast areas of northwestern Europe had been wiped clean of villages and towns. A postwar thirst for revenge wanted Germany brought to its knees. The Treaty of Versailles was harsh. It stripped Germany of all its colonies and border territories. With them went large portions of mineral wealth in iron and coal. It drastically cut its military power and forbid air force and submarines. The Germans were to officially admit guilt for the war and pay reparations. The German people were outraged. Their country had suffered a loss of two million men, as well as hunger and other scarcities due to war. The reparations were financially crippling. Their anger was fertile ground for the seeds of nationalism and the Nazi Party. Among the British aristocracy were people like the fictional Lord Darlington who felt the terms of the treaty were too severe and sympathized with Germany's plight. Misunderstanding Adolph Hitler's intentions as leader of the Nazi Party, they were admirers for a time, until his invasion of Czechoslovakia sparked World War II in 1939.

Decline of the Manor House - Context

At the time, the world of the British manor house was at its height. Manor houses, also called halls, were a product of an era prior to the Industrial Revolution when wealth came from the land. In that predominantly rural society, farms and villages grew up around the twin establishments of a manor house and church. Owned by wealthy aristocrats, the great houses were surrounded by gardens, parklands, farms, and woods. However, time and industrialization brought changes foreshadowing the end of aristocratic wealth. The institution of the English estate was delivered a devastating blow by World War I, also called The Great War. England struggled to cope with the cost of the war and raised revenue through higher taxes. The burden on estate owners rose from 9 to 30 percent of their income, and many owners were forced to sell off part or all of their estates. Fictional Darlington Hall survives the destructive forces of two world wars, dramatic political and economic shifts, and the owner's personal loss of fortune and reputation. For many of Britain's landed gentry, the cost of war, skyrocketing taxes, and declining farm rentals put an end to the life of rights, duties, and privileges enjoyed for generations. Maintaining their stately homes became more and more difficult. Estates of historical and cultural significance fell into ruin or were demolished by the hundreds.

Catherine

Catherine is the married daughter of Miss Kenton (now Mrs. Benn) and is expecting a child.

Dr. Richard Carlisle

Dr. Richard Carlisle is the local doctor in Moscombe who guesses Stevens is a manservant rather than a gentleman, as the villagers suppose.

Author

Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro | Biography

Kazuo Ishiguro is a British novelist of Japanese descent. Born on November 8, 1954, in Nagasaki, Japan, Ishiguro and his family emigrated to Britain in 1960 when his father took a research position at the National Institute of Oceanography. Ishiguro grew up in Guildford—a large town in southeast England—and attended a grammar school for boys in Surrey. Leaving school in 1973, he took a year off to hitchhike around the United States and then became a grouse beater—someone who searches for game birds such as grouse and tries to drive them toward hunters using sticks, flags, and other devices—for the Queen Mother at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Beginning in 1974 he attended the University of Kent to study English and Philosophy, though also taking time to be a community worker in Glasgow in 1976. After graduating, he was employed for a time in London as a social worker. Ishiguro went on to study creative writing at the University of East Anglia. He began writing full time following the success of his first novel, A Pale View of Hills, published in 1982. A Pale View of Hills is a first-person narrative of a Japanese widow living in England. As she dwells on the recent suicide of her daughter, the past and present merge and she finds herself reliving her life in post-World War II Nagasaki. Within the story, a subplot focuses on an old teacher forced to rethink the values on which he has built his life. This became the seed for the character of Stevens, the butler in The Remains of the Day. Ishiguro's next novel, An Artist of the Floating World (1986), explored the theme of a wasted life in terms of a career. Seeking to extend this exploration into the personal arena, Ishiguro developed and wrote The Remains of the Day (1989). The novel tells of an aging butler who confronts disillusionment as he recalls his life spent in service, but who also struggles with more personal regret for the lost chance at love. Ishiguro's first two novels reflected on life and culture in post-World War II Japan. However, for The Remains of the Day, he wanted to write for an international audience. To this purpose he chose an iconic British character known throughout the world: the English butler. The theme of guilt and regret plays out in the butler Stevens's lost chance for love in The Remains of the Day. Ishiguro's artistic decision to allow the butler's rigid denial of heartfelt emotion to eventually crack with regret came from a ballad called "Ruby's Arms," sung by Tom Waits. In the song a soldier fighting his emotions leaves his lover sleeping in the early hours of the morning. He nearly makes it to the train that will carry him away before overwhelming sadness breaks through his tough-guy defenses. Guided by this song, Ishiguro allows the butler Stevens, so long in denial of his feelings for Miss Kenton, to break down at the end and weep for what might have been. The Remains of the Day won the Booker Prize for Fiction (1989), a yearly prize dedicated to the best novel published in the United Kingdom and written in English. The novel was adapted to film in 1993 starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson and was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

Lady Astor

Lady Astor is an American-born English socialite and historical figure who visits Darlington Hall and remarks that the silver is quite likely unrivaled.

Leonard

Leonard is Steven's older brother who died during the Southern African War in a controversial attack on civilian Boer settlements.

Lord Darlington

Lord Darlington is the former owner of Darlington Hall. He is an aristocratic gentleman with deeply held principles of fairness and decency. As an Englishman, he is ashamed of the hardships heaped upon the German people by the Treaty of Versailles. According to his personal code of ethics, it is dishonorable to kick an enemy when he is down. This drives his lordship toward involvement in international politics, with the goal of modifying some of the harshest terms of the treaty. However, the interwar years have witnessed worldwide change—both political and social—that render Lord Darlington's morals and sense of fair play out-of-date and hopelessly naive. His high-minded ideals lead him into the perilous arena of high political affairs and an alliance with the growing Nazi regime. He is maneuvered like a pawn and finally disgraced as a Nazi collaborator and dupe.

Lord Halifax

Lord Halifax is an influential British politician who visited Darlington Hall.

M. Dupont

M. Dupont is a French gentleman whose presence at the 1923 conference at Darlington Hall is critical to its outcome.

Miss Agnes

Miss Agnes is one of the recently hired maids at Darlington Hall, now under ownership of Mr. Farraday.

Miss Kenton

Miss Kenton served as housekeeper at Darlington Hall from the spring of 1922 until 1936. When she arrives, she is young, but already very proficient in her job. She proves to be a good match for Stevens; she is his equal in intelligence and competence, and she is undaunted by his remoteness. Unlike the butler, she is able to express emotions and to communicate warmth and humanness. She is also self-aware and honest, as demonstrated after the affair of the dismissed Jewish maids. She is brutally candid when she admits she did not quit (as she had threatened to if her girls were fired) out of fear for her own future. Miss Kenton's growing affection for Stevens is evident in her attempts to introduce flowers into his living quarters, their end-of-day talks over cups of cocoa, and spirited verbal exchanges with him over household issues. Over the years she tries to understand him and break through his wall of reserve, to reach the man within. But the wall proves to be unbreachable, and eventually Miss Kenton leaves Darlington Hall to marry another man. Nevertheless, during the span of 20 years from her leaving until she meets Stevens one last time, she has wondered if she made a mistake and if life might have been better with him.

July 1956

Miss Kenton's letter prompts Stevens's road trip to request she return to Darlington Hall.

Motifs

Motifs

Mr. Benn

Mr. Benn is Miss Kenton's husband, and was formerly a butler and then a businessman.

Mr. David Charles

Mr. David Charles is a gentleman who once observed Stevens's father (a butler) silently shame two drunken guests who had insulted his employer.

Mr. Davidson

Mr. Davidson was in service at Easterly House and a respected colleague of Stevens.

Mr. Harry Graham

Mr. Harry Graham was valet-butler to Sir James Dickenson, and is a colleague admired and frequently referred to with nostalgia by Stevens.

Mr. Herman

Mr. Herman was valet to Mr. John Henry Peters and a respected colleague of Stevens.

Mr. James

Mr. James is one of two gentlemen who once were wordlessly shamed by Stevens's father, William, for insulting the man whom William served as butler.

Mr. John Donalds

Mr. John Donalds was valet to Mr. Sidney Dickenson and judged among the finest professionals in England.

Mr. Farraday

Mr. John Farraday is an American businessman who purchased Darlington Hall after Lord Darlington died. As part of the package, he wanted "a genuine old-fashioned English butler," and Stevens has stayed on to become Mr. Farraday's employee. As an American, Mr. Farraday has a different notion about employer/employee relationships. At times, he treats Stevens with friendly familiarity, engaging in playful teasing exchanges that Stevens calls "bantering." Mr. Farraday first suggests Stevens go off on a holiday and offers his car for the trip. It is his generosity that makes Stevens's journey possible.

Mr. Lane

Mr. Lane served as butler at Bridewood and, like Mr. Marshall, helped to set the standards for the profession among Stevens's generation of butlers.

Other Characters

Mr. Lewis Mr. Lewis is an American senator who attends the March 1923 conference at Darlington Hall and accuses Lord Darlington of being a naive amateur. Miss Lisa Miss Lisa is hired to replace the dismissed Jewish maids and becomes Miss Kenton's protégé until she (Lisa) runs off with the footman to be married. Mr. Marshall Mr. Marshall served as butler at Charleville House and, like Mr. Lane, helped set the standards for the profession among Stevens's generation of butlers. Dr. Meredith Dr. Meredith is the house doctor at Darlington Hall who attends Stevens's father as he is dying. Mr. Trevor Morgan Mr. Trevor Morgan lives in Moscombe and drops in on his neighbors, the Taylors, to meet the visiting gentleman, Mr. Stevens. Mrs. Mortimer Mrs. Mortimer is the cook at Darlington Hall and helps attend to Stevens's father as he is dying. Sir Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Mosley was a British politician—an historical figure—who formed the British Union of Fascists in 1932; a man with whom Lord Darlington had brief contact. Mr. Jack Neighbours Mr. Jack Neighbours was a butler known for his technical flourishes, but who lacked the true quality of greatness, in Stevens's opinion. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940 and the main guest at a secret meeting with Herr Ribbentrop at Darlington Hall. Herr Ribbentrop Herr Ribbentrop is the German Ambassador to Great Britain during the mid-1930s. Miss Rosemary Miss Rosemary is one of the recently hired maids at Darlington Hall, now under ownership of Mr. Farraday. Miss Ruth Miss Ruth is one of two maids dismissed by Lord Darlington for being Jewish. Miss Sarah Miss Sarah is one of two maids dismissed by Lord Darlington for being Jewish. George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw is a renowned playwright and historical figure who visits Darlington Hall during the 1930s. Mr. John Silvers Mr. John Silvers is an industrialist whom Stevens's father, William Stevens, served as butler for 15 years. Mr. Smith Mr. Smith is one of two gentlemen who once were wordlessly shamed by Stevens's father, William, for insulting the man whom William served as butler. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith are visitors the night Stevens takes shelter with the Taylors in Moscombe; Harry expresses strong views about dignity and the common man. Mr. Spencer Mr. Spencer is a guest of Lord Darlington's who uses Stevens's inability to answer complex political questions to prove ideas of democracy are outmoded. The stranger on the pier The stranger on the pier is a retired butler who spends a few quiet moments with Stevens on the seaside pier at Weymouth and offers him some sage and comforting advice. Mrs. Jane Symons Mrs. Jane Symons is author of the travel guide The Wonder of England, which Stevens uses to plan his journey. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are residents of Moscombe and offer Stevens shelter for the night when his car runs out of gas. Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield are an American couple living in England who visit Mr. Farraday at Darlington Hall.

Mr. Reginald Cardinal

Mr. Reginald Cardinal is Sir David Cardinal's son and Lord Darlington's godson who is killed during World War II.

Principles

Professional principles are the driving force in James Stevens's life. Over decades of service, he has immersed himself in his profession, dedicating his existence to the principles of dignity, duty, and loyalty. His ultimate goal is to be recognized as a "great" butler. However, "greatness" has a price. Stevens must censor all expressions of personal feelings while on duty in order to inhabit—as opposed to mimic or pantomime—his professional role. He does so, but to crippling effect. By the time he rises to his position of butler at Darlington Hall, he is unable to separate himself from the role and is always "on duty" in the presence of others. He is trapped by the principles he has so zealously embraced. Dignity is foremost among the principles which Stevens links to greatness in a butler. It requires placing service to his master above all else and binding his own destiny to his master's. Dignity requires restraint; to not "run about screaming" at the slightest hint of trouble. It demands he wear his professionalism "as a decent gentleman will wear his suit," taking it off only when he wishes to do so and in privacy, when he is entirely alone. However, once Stevens achieves this level of dignity, it leaves no room for intimacy and separates him from his humanity. All ability to bestow or receive human warmth is blocked. In the presence of others, he must always deny and displace his real feelings. Devotion to the principle of duty becomes the outward expression of Stevens's struggle for dignity and greatness. He works hard to please his employer and takes pride in his subservience. When he stoically carries out his duties during the great conference of 1923 while his father is upstairs dying, Stevens experiences "a large sense of triumph" at the end of it all. In the face of everything, he had displayed dignity worthy of a great butler. Similarly, he feels a sense of triumph on the evening he loses Miss Kenton forever because he has submissively served his lordship well, "in a manner even my father might have been proud of." Loyalty is linked to duty and, by Stevens's standards, is another aspect of greatness. Loyalty as an unquestioned principle does not permit Stevens to examine the actions of Lord Darlington as his lordship becomes deeply mired in international affairs. He stubbornly represses any feelings of curiosity or doubt, trusting in his lordship's good judgment. In his desire for greatness, Stevens dedicates his loyalty to a gentleman whom he perceives to have fine and noble intentions. This blind loyalty, which Stevens believes he has "intelligently bestowed," proves ruinous and casts doubt on the life path he has taken.

Day Three, morning

Recalled events highlight Lord Darlington's growing support of Herr Ribbentrop and the Nazi regime.

Day Six, evening

Returning to Darlington Hall alone, Stevens resolves to make the best of his remaining days.

1. I have been responsible for a series of small errors in the carrying out of my duties. James Stevens, Prologue

Stevens's new employer, Mr. Farraday, has suggested Stevens take a road trip while he himself is away in America. Here, Stevens is attempting to explain why—for professional reasons—a letter from Miss Kenton has led him to consider Mr. Farraday's suggestion. He reveals a great deal about himself in this short passage. He describes the errors of the past few months as "small." Elsewhere, he describes them as "trivial." However, they are serious enough to disturb him. As the story progresses, a pattern emerges of minimizing events with deeper personal significance. This allows Stevens to keep control; never to permit emotional reaction to events to overwhelm him. Stevens's statement also reveals the expectations of perfection he holds for himself. He is not accustomed to committing errors, even trivial ones. While a worthwhile quality, Stevens takes it to extremes that lead to great unhappiness. Finally, with the phrase "you will understand," he tries to draw the reader in to sympathetic agreement. This manner of addressing the reader as someone who surely understands is another pattern that emerges as the story unfolds.

Guilt and Regret

Stevens's recollections are focused on events between the two world wars in the 1920s and 1930s. Telltale episodes slowly build pictures of his relationships with his employer Lord Darlington, the housekeeper Miss Kenton, and his father, William Stevens. However, each picture on display is shadowed with guilt and regret. Lord Darlington is an aristocrat who aligns himself, perhaps unwittingly, with the Nazis during the buildup to World War II. Publicly accused of being a traitor, he eventually dies in disgrace. Stevens serves his lordship during those years with blind and stubborn devotion, refusing to see the signs that Lord Darlington may be less than a great man who has been drawn into an evil cause. Stevens recalls during the summer of 1932 Lord Darlington assigned him the task of firing two Jewish housemaids. His lordship asserted this was necessary for the safety and well-being of his guests. Stevens states "every instinct opposed the idea of their dismissal." Nevertheless, his personal principles of duty and loyalty do not permit him to question his master's decision or motives. His job is to carry out the task "with dignity," to satisfy his lordship and his lordship's anti-Semitic guests. By not questioning his lordship's motives or actions, Stevens shares his lordship's guilt when accusations are later made. In this way the greatness to which Stevens aspires is tainted, and this becomes a source of profound regret. While Lord Darlington had the privilege of making his own mistakes, there is no dignity in the misplaced trust that tied Stevens to his master's bad decisions. Guilt—in the sense of remorse—is very much a part of Stevens's recalled relationship with Miss Kenton, the housekeeper of Darlington Hall during the interwar years. Time and again, he remembers moments, possible "turning points" in their relationship, when a different choice might have sent them both down another path, together. On several occasions, he pushes her away and rejects her expressions of affection, as when he snubs her gift of flowers for his pantry. He misses the opportunity to console her upon the death of her aunt. And when she announces her intent to leave her position in order to marry, he lets slip his last chance to ask her to stay. His sense of remorse over these lost moments is largely denied until the end, when he learns Miss Kenton intends to stay in her marriage and not return with him to Darlington Hall. He can no longer ignore the whispers telling him those turning points were important—more so now that no chances remain for love or happiness with Miss Kenton. He acknowledges his heart is breaking, and his regret finds expression in tears. Stevens's relationship with his father is uncomfortable and complex. He reveres his father, yet finds it difficult to relate to him beyond the professional level. Many of the values Stevens holds and the standards by which he judges himself come from his father. At the time the elder Stevens arrives to work at Darlington Hall, Stevens refuses to admit his father's years of greatness as a butler are behind him. Furthermore, he protects his father's dignity by sternly insisting that the staff—especially Miss Kenton—address the elderly man by his full title "Mr. Stevens" instead of "William." Nevertheless, he deserts his father who is dying in order to carry out his duties to Lord Darlington. He is unable to deal with his father's deathbed confession of pride in him and escapes into his servant's role, where emotion is not permitted. The only way Stevens can deflect any feelings of guilt or regret is to assert he had done what his father would have expected.

The Colonel's batman

The batman, or military servant, serves a retired colonel, judges Stevens to be "one of them top-notch butlers," and directs him to the picturesque Mortimer's Pond.

Sir David Cardinal

Sir David Cardinal is Lord Darlington's closest ally during his involvement in international affairs during the interwar years.

Sir Leonard

Sir Leonard is a visitor to Darlington Hall who still believes government based on the will of the people is not outdated.

Sir Richard Fox

Sir Richard Fox is Lord Darlington's colleague from his lordship's Foreign Office days.

Day Three, evening

Stevens endures a trying evening and retreats into reflection on his relationship with Miss Kenton.

15. In bantering lies the key to human warmth. James Stevens, Chapter 7

Stevens has been trying to master the art of bantering in order to please his new employer, Mr. Farraday. It has been a conscientious effort stemming from a sense of duty, with no understanding of the pastime's purpose or worth. However, by the end of his journey, Stevens cannot ignore the emptiness in his life and the wasted years of emotional restraint. Imprisoned by his standards of greatness and burdened by propriety, he can neither give nor receive a spontaneous expression of emotion. He realizes, at least in part, what this has cost him and looks upon bantering with a new appreciation. Perhaps it will bring some much-needed human warmth into his life.

James Stevens

Stevens is the English butler of Darlington Hall who spent the prime of his life in service to Lord Darlington. In the novel he is both protagonist and narrator. Stevens's life has been devoted to the pursuit of greatness built upon ideals of personal dignity and loyalty, as well as the fierce resolve to never lose control. Painfully repressed and precise as a result, he is unable to express or cope with natural, spontaneous emotions, even in the most personally meaningful situations. He hides within his adopted role, safely shielded and contained. However, Stevens is ultimately destroyed by the ideals he has so fervently embraced. In his fanatical pursuit of greatness, he allows his one chance at love to slip away. Furthermore, he binds his reputation and self-respect to Lord Darlington, whom he stubbornly trusts to be noble and working for the progress of humanity. He is convinced his unquestioning and loyal support will contribute to "the future well-being of the empire." Stevens's trust and self-deception turns ruinous when his lordship proves to be either a naive pawn of the Nazis, or a knowing advocate of the evil forces of fascism.

Day Two, afternoon

Stevens ponders why he has denied being butler to Lord Darlington, whom he insists is a noble man.

Day Two, morning

Stevens recalls Miss Kenton's arrival, his father's death, and a 1923 conference at Darlington Hall.

Day Four, afternoon

Stevens recalls when devotion to duty destroyed his last chance of life and love with Miss Kenton.

Timekeeping

The butler's job of scheduling and the importance of punctuality represent the professional constraints that bind Stevens. As butler, Stevens's job is to keep the great house running smoothly and with punctuality. Work must be properly scheduled so as to be done out of sight and hearing of Lord Darlington or his guests. Meals must be served at the appointed time. Preparations for gatherings at the hall must be completed with time to spare. The demands of time bind Stevens to his job. His pursuit of professional greatness will not allow him to sidestep the responsibility while on duty, even when personal matters intrude. As an example, when his father is dying, Stevens visits him only during rare moments when he is not needed to keep things running smoothly for his lordship's conference downstairs. His father dies while Stevens is dutifully fulfilling his role as butler, and Stevens takes pride in the fact his time has been well spent in service, as expected. Stevens also uses the pressures of time as a means of escape when emotion threatens to break through his wall of reserve. For example, when Miss Kenton announces she intends to leave Darlington Hall to marry, Stevens coolly congratulates her. He then quickly excuses himself to attend to his duties, because "events of a global significance are taking place in this house at this very moment." Yet, as observed by Mr. Cardinal only minutes later—"I say, Stevens, are you all right there? ... Not feeling unwell, are you?"—it is clear Miss Kenton's announcement has been a blow, and Stevens is struggling to contain his emotions. To avoid what he cannot bear, Stevens has retreated into his role, using the demands of time as an excuse.

Butler's Pantry

The butler's pantry is Stevens's private domain. In great houses of the era, the butler's pantry is where the silver is stored under lock and key, and it is connected to the butler's sleeping quarters. It is where a butler can work undisturbed on budgets, inventory, or plans—such as staff plans—related to managing the house, or it may serve as his retreat when not on duty. Stevens defines the butler's pantry as "a crucial office, the heart of the house's operations, not unlike a general's headquarters during a battle." He does not allow people to "wander in and out with their queries and grumbles." It is preserved as a place where his "privacy and solitude are guaranteed." Stevens's uncompromising definition and use of this room reflects how he defines, isolates, and confines himself in his profession. Like Stevens, his pantry is unapproachable unless for professional reasons. And when he is off duty, it provides the isolation he demands in order to set aside his professional demeanor without fear of losing his dignity. Its walls conceal him physically and emotionally. As Stevens states, "any butler who aspires at all to a 'dignity in keeping with his position' ... should never allow himself to be 'off duty' in the presence of others." He is determined to "inhabit" his role to the utmost; to never let the mask of professionalism slip. For this reason Stevens carefully guards his privacy and willingly confines himself to a physical and emotional prison of his own making. He feels threatened when Miss Kenton "invades" his retreat, to brighten it with flowers and, on one occasion, to glimpse past his dignified façade to learn he reads sentimental romance novels. Through Miss Kenton's eyes the pantry is cold, gloomy, and dull. However, Mr. Stevens makes it clear that it is to his liking and wishes to be alone. In some ways his butler's pantry also may be seen as a symbol of the wish for isolation and confinement he will come to regret.

13. All those years I served him, I trusted I was doing something worthwhile. James Stevens, Chapter 7

The key word here is "trust." Stevens is speaking to a man—a retired butler—he has met while sitting on the pier in Weymouth. The emotional strain of the past few days weakens Stevens's wall of reserve, and he confides to the man that his trust in Lord Darlington was misplaced. The consequences have been ruinous. In his service to Lord Darlington, Stevens believed he had intelligently chosen to bestow his life and loyalty on a great and decent man. In this way he was indirectly participating in the glorious plans of the aristocracy to make the world a better place. He trusted his lordship's accomplishments would be moral and noble; a source of pride. Now Stevens feels his life—so closely bound to the rise and fall of Lord Darlington—has been rendered meaningless and without dignity. Even his mistakes are not his own. His statement represents a moment of painful self-recognition.

14. I should ... try to make the best of what remains of my day. James Stevens, Chapter 7

The lights of the pier at Weymouth have come on, to the delight of the evening crowd. Stevens is pondering the gentle advice of the former butler he spent some time with in conversation. He has spent the last few days exploring the past and trying to make sense of it all; to understand the missed opportunities, disillusionments, and his personal sense of failure. Unable to change what went before, he must decide how to face the future in whatever time he has left.

10. The two of us had been suddenly thrust on to some other plane altogether. James Stevens, Chapter 5

The moment Stevens is describing occurs in the butler's pantry, when Miss Kenton enters unannounced to find Stevens reading a romance novel. He is taken aback and tries to conceal the title. She teasingly advances toward him with the idea of looking more closely at the novel to see what he is hiding. As she stands before him, the noted change occurs. The style of Stevens's description is, itself, very much like a romance novel, as if the moment and memory are cast in the same light. Phrases like "then she was standing before me" hold a sense of drama and sexual tension. Therefore, Miss Kenton's next statement takes on deeper meaning: "Please, Mr. Stevens, let me see your book" suggests she is asking to see more than a book, but the man hidden behind the role he always plays. She pries the book from his hand as if it is the key that will unlock his secrets.

Post-World War II Britain and the Suez Crisis - Context

The novel begins in July 1956, a significant turning point in British history. It is the month in which President Nasser of Egypt seized and nationalized the Suez Canal, a vital trade passage that reduced ships' travel times considerably. As a result of the episode, the influence of Britain and France was severely diminished in the Middle East. The Suez Canal Company, backed by Britain and France, owned the canal. Nasser seized it in response to a British and American decision not to finance his ambitious dam project, the Aswan High Dam. This was during the Cold War, and the two Western powers were troubled by Nasser's growing political ties to communist Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. Military efforts by Britain and France to regain control of the canal failed, and Nasser was declared a national hero in the Suez Crisis. A decade earlier, Britain had emerged from World War II victorious but bankrupt. It had no choice but to withdraw from the empire it had built. Beginning with India, Britain gave up colonial territories it no longer had the military and economic power to control. Loss of the Suez Canal territory was a reluctant step in the withdrawal, and highlighted Britain's weakened global influence. The Remains of the Day never mentions the Suez Crisis directly, but marks it by the month and year in which the story opens. The date symbolizes the passing of Britain's vast power and influence, as well the fading era of butlers in service to the empire's aristocracy.

8. The days when you could act out of your noble instincts are over. Mr. Lewis, Chapter 2

The statement is made by an American senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Lewis, at the conclusion of the conference of March 1923 at Darlington Hall. Lord Darlington has worked tirelessly to form an international coalition of dignitaries who will use their political influence to force reform of the Treaty of Versailles. After assessing the results of the conference, Mr. Lewis passes harsh judgment on the qualities of the participants. While acknowledging their good intentions, he warns that in the changing world of politics, their noble instincts are antiquated and dangerous; they are naive and have no idea who or what they are dealing with. At the time, the senator's warning seems exaggerated and rudely out of place. However, time proves it to have been accurate and well worth heeding.

4. 'Dignity' has to do crucially with a butler's ability not to abandon the professional being he inhabits. James Stevens, Chapter 1

This notion is central to Stevens's professional work ethic and the basis for his neglected private and emotional life. After defining dignity, he goes on to explain that a butler possessing dignity will discard his professionalism only by choice and when he is entirely alone. In contrast a lesser butler is not capable of emotional restraint and will abandon his professional being when shaken up by external events. He is not in control. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear Stevens's determination to acquire and maintain dignity comes at the expense of his personal well-being. He, in fact, is trapped and emotionally cut off by the rules he has made for himself. He is unable to set aside his professional demeanor, even at times of extreme personal anguish, as when his father is dying.

Loss

The theme of loss builds like a slow-moving avalanche until, at last, the weight of it becomes crushing as it descends upon the lives of Lord Darlington, Stevens, and to a lesser extent, Miss Kenton. Lord Darlington is a gentleman with a personal code of ethics leading him to disapprove of the harsh terms imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. Seen through the eyes of Stevens, his lordship is a truly good man at heart and became involved in international affairs due to a strong sense of moral duty. However, as the story rolls out, Lord Darlington's true motives and intentions fall under suspicion. Is he a "naive dreamer" and "amateur" being manipulated by the Germans, or does he really know what he is doing? His countrymen suspect and then openly accuse him of being a Nazi-sympathizer and traitor to England. Eventually, Lord Darlington loses his reputation entirely, falls ill under the strain, and dies a broken man. Stevens gallantly tries to defend his lordship's actions, claiming the allegations are absurd. Over the years he had placed his full confidence in Lord Darlington, certain he was a man of honor intent on serving the good of humanity. He, in turn, was doing his part in the world by serving a great man. As memories gather and their significance builds, Stevens at last must abandon his position. Clearly, his loyalty has been bestowed on an illusion of greatness. Everything he has done in service suddenly appears futile and empty. This includes the moments in which he might have chosen the duty of a son over the duty of a butler as his father lay dying, or the chances for love over the chances for greatness when Miss Kenton needs him most. Stevens loses his illusions about Lord Darlington, his cherished dignity and pride in service, his father, and what might have been a life of happiness with Miss Kenton. Miss Kenton has built a life away from Stevens and Darlington Hall. She is married to a man who is good to her—a man she has come to love. She has a grown and married daughter who will soon have a child. However, it is a life built upon great loss. During her time at Darlington Hall, she loses the only family she has when her aunt dies. She is alone in the world. Later, she loses—or gives up on—the hope of a life with Stevens she so deeply desired. And as Stevens notes when he sees her, the years have taken "the spark which had once made her such a lively, and at times volatile person." This loss has been replaced by the touch of weariness and sadness.

About the Title

The title The Remains of the Day alludes to the waning of the British Empire—and a way of life that produced butlers like Stevens—and memories of that time, which are all that remains. It also alludes to what remains of Stevens's life and what he will make of it.

Wheel and Ladder

The wheel is a familiar symbol in European literature, generally represented as the wheel of fortune, to which humanity is strapped. As it turns, humans are subjected either to the heights of fame or the lows of ignominy. Stevens's different interpretation of the wheel presumes a greater degree of control over one's fate than is normally associated with this symbol and reflects both his and his country's arrogance and naiveté. The motif of the wheel and ladder illustrates Stevens's view of the world he inhabits and his role in it. Stevens explains "butlers of my father's generation, I would say, tended to see the world in terms of a ladder ... Our generation, I believe it is accurate to say, viewed the world not as a ladder, but more as a wheel." In other words his father's generation saw the social structure of British society as based on a vertical hierarchy. At the top were the royalty and the aristocracy—people with wealth, land, and a title. Below them were the "new money" people, and below that, individuals possessing wealth without land or title or, at the bottom, no wealth at all. However, Stevens's generation saw their world as a wheel with the great houses as the center, or hub. Here, the great decisions were made that affected the country, influenced international affairs, and shaped the course of history. People like Stevens, with professional ambitions, aspired to work as close to the hub as their abilities permitted. To serve the great gentlemen of the time was their way of making a "contribution to the creation of a better world."

The Remains of the Day | Themes

Themes

5. We both watched your father walking back and forth in front of the summerhouse. Miss Kenton, Chapter 2

This is an excerpt from Miss Kenton's letter. Stevens dwells on it awhile, as it conjures recollections of his father's days of declining health. William Stevens comes to work at Darlington Hall as an under-butler when he is in his seventies. His best years are behind him. Yet this is difficult for him or his son to admit until the day the elderly man falls while carrying a tray to the summerhouse, where Lord Darlington is busy entertaining guests. William himself denies physical frailty made him fall, and blames the steps that climb to the summerhouse. However, when he is well again, he spends time pacing them, as if to discover what really happened. The "precious jewel" he seems to be looking for, while Stevens and Miss Kenton watch from an upstairs window, is his dignity, which he lost when he fell.

11. Such evidently small incidents ... render whole dreams forever irredeemable. James Stevens, Chapter 5

This is as close as Stevens comes to an admission of his true, buried feelings for Miss Kenton before their meeting in Cornwall. The incidents he refers to include his overreaction to Miss Kenton's intrusion on his privacy; his petulant suspension of their meetings over cocoa, and his clumsy, insensitive expression of concern over her aunt's death because he is unable to openly express sorrow for her grief. As is his habit, Stevens minimizes the incidents, labeling them as "small" and, in this way, trivializing their importance. However, in direct contradiction to this, he then acknowledges they have rendered "whole dreams forever irredeemable." Then, drawing too close to the truth for comfort, Stevens immediately retreats and writes, "But I see I am becoming unduly introspective."

12. Indeed—why should I not admit it?—at that moment, my heart was breaking. James Stevens, Chapter 7

This is the moment Stevens realizes he was and still is in love with Miss Kenton. Denial and self-delusion are stripped away. He has met with Miss Kenton (now Mrs. Benn) in the tea lounge of the Rose Garden Hotel. As they wait for her bus back home to arrive, Miss Kenton confesses that sometimes she thinks she made a mistake in leaving her job to marry; she might have been better with Stevens. Nevertheless, she goes on, "there's no turning back the clock now. One cannot be forever dwelling on what might have been." In other words she will never return to Darlington Hall. Stevens understands he has forever lost his chance to love and be loved.

3. Dinner will be served at the usual time. James Stevens, Chapter 1

This is the punch line of a story Stevens tells epitomizing his concept of dignity. It was a favorite of his father's, and Stevens heard it often while growing up and starting to hone his own professional skills. One afternoon, an English butler for a gentleman traveling in India enters the dining room to find a tiger lounging under the table. Calmly, he shuts the doors and goes to consult with his employer, who is entertaining guests in the drawing room. The butler gains his employer's permission to shoot the tiger and then does so. The whole affair is accomplished without the slightest trace of excitement or hysteria. The butler then returns to the drawing room to calmly announce dinner will be served on time.

7. I fought that war to preserve justice in this world. Lord Darlington, Chapter 2

This sentiment is at the core of Lord Darlington's concern over the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and their effects on the population of post-World War I Germany. The feeling that the treaty unjustly heaped misery on the German people drives his lordship to work to get the harshest terms revised. However, his honorable intentions are used by the Nazi regime to further its influence in Britain. As his lordship becomes more and more entangled in behind-the-scenes politics, he is too naive and inexperienced to recognize fascist leader Adolph Hitler's true intentions.

6. He was a truly good man at heart, a gentleman through and through. James Stevens, Chapter 2

Throughout the novel Stevens repeatedly praises his former employer, Lord Darlington, for being the epitome of moral worth and then affirms his personal pride in serving such a great man. However, as Stevens sifts through the memories of his years in service to his lordship, another truth emerges. Whether Lord Darlington was a sympathetic dupe or an active participant in the Nazis' fascist schemes, he is proven to be a man of highly questionable judgment who admired the strong-arm government advanced by Adolph Hitler. Though Stevens's honesty demands he provide the facts about his lordship, he repeatedly tries to cast them in a more favorable light. Even when the truth becomes undeniable, Stevens will not permit himself to criticize or question his lordship's actions.

Day One, evening

Views of the English countryside spark Stevens's thoughts on standards of greatness and his father.

Giffen and Co.

While Stevens sits in a tea shop in Taunton composing a journal entry, he notices a sign outside the window for the town of Mursden. It calls to mind Giffen and Co. which made the finest silver polish before World War II. He notes the company is no longer there, and then recollects the bygone era when beautifully polished silver was a benchmark by which great houses were judged. His memories circle back to the pride he once took in guests' compliments on the quality of the silver polishing at Darlington Hall. The closing of Giffen and Co. is a sign of the changing times. The great houses are in decline, as are the wealth and power of the aristocracy who valued polished silver "as a public index of a house's standards." Their days are over, as are the days of butlers like Stevens. Giffen and Co. symbolizes an era that has passed as well as the vanishing standards and values it embraced.