by Jessica Schneider

Created on: June 26, 2009

The Remains of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro breaks every axiom one learns from some creative writing 101 workshop that tells you 'show don't tell.' Why? This entire book is telling, and it tells very well, from the perspective of Mr. Stevens, an English Butler who is ruminating on his life, while taking this road trip. Set during World War Two, Mr. Stevens questions greatness, and asks himself what makes one a great butler over a mediocre one? Ishiguro does a wonderful job of getting into the mind of someone who holds his work very high, and who regards his job with great pride.

In the beginning, Stevens tells us he is undertaking this trip to meet with Miss Kenton, the head maid, and informs us of his emotional distance towards her, such as how he regrets not having comforted her upon her learning that her aunt has died. He replays this scene, of him overhearing her cry, in his mind. Then, when the two meet years later, she admits that she did not love her husband upon marrying him, that she had to learn to love him, and happens to mention that she did think about what it would have been like to end up with Mr. Stevens instead.

The relationship between Mr. Stevens and Miss Kenton is entertaining and believable, for their exchanges are polite, yet they argue. There is a funny scene where Miss Kenton asks Mr. Stevens the book he is reading, of which you are given several pages of dialogue over this subject, (however politely) and ultimately this man who is not comfortable with closeness, is reading a romance novel. Afterwards, he justifies it for like three pages or more to the readers his reason for reading it (he claims it's to get a grasp on the English language) but then comes to admit however reluctantly, that yes, he supposes he does find some entertainment in the stories.

Their love for one another isn't some trite revelation, for the two characters remain formal and don't share some great cozy moment together, but agree that you can't dwell on the past, but instead focus on what remains of the day. The best part of the book is the end, where Mr. Stevens is sitting on a bench by himself, and he hears some friendly banter coming from a group of people, of which he assumes are friends, but upon listening, he comes to discover that they are really just strangers who happen to be able to build such a warmth among each other so quickly, something he's not been capable. He decides then that this is what he will do from now on (even though we know that such

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