The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro

These days, perhaps because I write less and therefore find it less easy, I am particularly aware of how difficult writing is. So when faced with a novel like The Remains of the Day, I am simply amazed. You will understand why.

Summary

A butler nearing the end of his career takes a few days off. He borrows his employer's car, who practically forced him to take this leave, and decides to spend the next few days exploring England. He also plans to visit an old colleague, whom he hopes to convince to return to work with him. These rare days of rest will be an opportunity for introspection, and he will reflect on his life, his career, and what might have been.

Impressions

At first, I was waiting for the trigger. Then, halfway through the book, I accepted that there wouldn't be one. And in the end, I was filled with respect for this author who managed to take a fairly ordinary story and turn it into a little gem.

The story is narrated by Stevens, a butler who is the epitome of the dignified and devoted English servant, as seen in films such as Downton Abbey or in Batman. His life has always been devoted to his employer, a very important man who hosted social gatherings attended by world-renowned figures. Stevens is convinced that the role of people like him is to serve their superiors to the best of their ability so that they can make the greatest possible contribution to the world, so he takes his job very seriously.

According to Stevens, the quality of the greatest butlers is dignity, which he describes as the ability to embody one's role completely and without interruption. The only time he can step out of character is when he is completely alone. This partly explains Stevens' surprising coldness towards the people he loves most. When his colleague and friend tries to find a place in his heart, she comes up against a double-locked door. When his father, who works with him, is dying in a hospital room, Stevens visits him from time to time, but only for a few minutes at a time, because things of paramount importance are happening in the living room.

He may be cold, but he is not indifferent, especially not to his employer. His loyalty to him is unquenchable. When asked about the discussions taking place behind closed doors, he replies that he does not know, even though he cannot help but overhear certain things. When asked if he isn't curious about what's going on right under his nose, he replies that it's not his job to be curious. Even when people try to point out that his employer, despite all his good intentions, is being duped by the Nazis, Stevens replies that he trusts him completely. And he returns to his post, in case these gentlemen would like refreshments.

There was something pathetic and really funny about Stevens' always perfectly correct and professional attitude. For example, his new employer, who is American, makes jokes, or “banter,” as Stevens says, and the poor guy has no idea how to respond. This worries him greatly, and he begins to study the issue very seriously. He eventually dares to respond with other jokes, but of course, they fall flat. I won't even give you an example, because they are so far from funny. Everything is calculated, and his laughter rings false, even on the page. It's unthinkable to imagine him being familiar with anyone. Another time, his employer asks him, for reasons that remain unclear to me, if he could take it upon himself to explain to his godson how babies are made. You can imagine the awkwardness.

So there was a good dose of humor in this book, but at the end, I had a tear in my eye. Because this man, with all his professionalism, was unable to develop a whole part of his personality, to the point where he doesn't even know if it exists. He thinks he is insignificant in front of his employers, but in my eyes as a reader, his employers are no more interesting than he is. And his entire emotional and social life has been put aside for them.

If you need novels to move quickly, this one is definitely not for you. But I loved reading it, and I recommend it to those who like to take the time to linger over the little things to see their hidden beauty.