The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day is narrated in the first person by Stevens, who often addresses the reader directly. ‘You will perhaps understand,’ he often muses. What effect does this use of narrative voice have on the reading experience, and does it allow for a deeper connection with Stevens’ experiences?

The novel’s structure also incorporates a series of flashbacks, which allow Stevens to reflect on events from his past. How do these moments contribute to Stevens’ character development, and our overall understanding of the story?

Stevens is commonly understood to be an unreliable narrator. Discuss how Ishiguro has employed unreliable narration throughout The Remains of the Day, noting some key scenes where you may have questioned the veracity of Stevens’ account.

While the novel is a deeply personal account of Stevens’ life, the background is coloured by significant historical and political events around the Second World War. What role does the arc of history play in the novel, and how does it intertwine with the life of the individual?

Loyalty is a key theme within the novel. Stevens often fondly reminisces about Lord Darlington, whom he describes as ‘a gentleman’. Darlington later dies in disgrace after being labelled a Nazi sympathiser. To what extent do you see a detachment between Stevens’ view of Lord Darlington and your own as a reader, allowing for perspective of the broader political history of the time?

The Remains of the Day observes social hierarchies and the times at which these may be exploited. Writing in the Guardian, Peter Beech said ‘It’s about how class conditioning can turn you into your own worst enemy, making you complicit in your own subservience.’ At which points in the novel could you consider Stevens to have been complicit?

Stevens spends much of his time preoccupied with upholding dignity. To what extent does this relentless pursuit constrain him, and how does it extend beyond the boundaries of his professional life?

When Miss Kenton reveals ‘there’s no turning back the clock now. One can’t be forever dwelling on what might have been.’ Stevens takes ‘a moment or two’ to fully digest her words, and finally admits ‘at that moment, my heart was breaking’. It is one of the few fleeting moments in the novel in which we observe a display or admission of emotion by Stevens. Discuss how this emotional restraint has shaped Stevens’ life.

Throughout the novel, Ishiguro depicts a distinctly parochial England, through its distinctive landscapes and perspectives. To what extent is he utilising stereotypes and are there any points at which he could be manipulating the reader by reflecting cliches, rather than an authentic version of English life?

In an interview with The New York Times, Ishiguro said: ‘What I’m interested in is not the actual fact that my characters have done things they later regret’, adding: ‘I’m interested in how they come to terms with it.’ What role do you see regret playing within the novel, and do you think, in the end, Stevens’ can ever come to terms with the events of this life and the opportunities he has denied himself?