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The Remains of The Day REPORT
The Remains of The Day REPORT
Kazuo Ishiguro
Submitted by :
Lakshmipriya P Santhosh
II MA ENGLISH
3303
Plot- Day two: Morning
• Miss Kenton’s/Mrs Benn- through the letter Stevens observes that her
marriage is finally coming to an end.
• He assumes – she desires to be the housekeeper of the Darlington Hall
again.
• The letter mentions some fond memories they had at the Hall- both
Steven’s father and Miss Kenton joining the Hall – in the spring 1922- as
the former under-butler and housekeeper eloped
• Both Steven’s father and Miss Kenton are good at their own departments
• Steven's father is in his seventies and "much ravaged by arthritis and other
ailments.“
• His abilities are greatly diminished with illness and age- Miss Kenton
points out certain “trivial minor errors” to Stevens
Contd.
• With the condition of Germany getting worse- Herman shot and killed
himself – Lord Darlington decided to act and held meetings with great
gentlemen to the house- including Maynard Keynes and H.G. Wells and
many “off the record”
• During the conference Stevens father falls ill and is taken care of by Miss
Kenton- Stevens engages in his duty rather than staying by his father
• Amidst his busy works he rarely visited his father – his father wished him
to work rather than stay beside him
• Gradually his father passes away.
• Stevens is considered as a “great butler”
Day two: afternoon
• Stevens continues his travels- Hayden Society claims that butlers must be
associated with “distinguished household”.
• However , Stevens had a different option- his generation was more
concerned about the “moral status of the employer”
• His car overheats – stops in the front of a Victorian mansion- a man helps
him- recognizes Stevens as “one of them top-notch butlers. From one of
them big posh houses.“
• But to the readers surprise Stevens denies that he had worked with Lord
Darlington
• Stevens then tours to the Mortimer’s Pond- recollects another incident
where he denied the same –working with Lord Darlington- to Mr and Mrs
Wakefield- just to avoid unpleasantness.