Stevens's Journey

Instead of taking a journey towards the future, Stevens of The Remains of the Day takes a journey back into his past. His personal growth result not from a physical journey but from his journey in reexamining his life, and what he ultimately discovers to be the “remains of [his] day.” Though Ishiguro is taking Stevens on a trip to meet the lovely Miss Kenton, he in fact also takes him on a journey in search of the significance of the life he has led as a butler. From the journey that Stevens takes, he transforms himself internally, and goes through a process of self discovery. Ishiguro incorporates the literary technique by creating a character who journeys on a trip to become surprised at what he discovers about himself in the end. The very use of this element in his novel allows readers to see the process in which Stevens comes to realize who he really is. Along with travelling through the beautiful lands of England, Stevens not only encounters magnificent picturesque scenery but, also encounters past recollections that he begins to look at under a new light. His solo venture out of the secluded life he led in Darlington Hall allows Stevens to view life from a different perspective and grow as a person.

Stevens introduces himself as a butler who strives towards perfection in his profession. He however begins to recognize an unmistakable change in his methods of carrying out his work as he becomes “responsible for a series of small errors in the carrying out of [his] duties.” (5) Stevens ventures out of his isolation and is encouraged by beginning for “the first time to adopt a frame of mind appropriate for the journey” (26) as he stands in the serenity of the landscapes of England. Ishiguro has now propelled Stevens out of his sheltered life, with a seemingly plausible reason. However, with a journey in progress, there no doubt exists a greater significance to be found on his quest. As Stevens stumbles upon small road blocks, he is given a chance to stop and reminisce about his days under the service of Lord Darlington. As readers travel through the pages of the novel, it is evident that we only catch glimpses of the present and is constantly pulled back into the glory days of Stevens as a “top-notch” butler. His constant referral to past events leaves readers to question, whether he regrets his rather pathetic past in which his profession dominated his life. His inability to live his life in the present is no doubt one of the personal road bumps he encounters in his quest. Ishiguro paves the road for Stevens in both a literal and a figurative sense. Along the way it can be seen that the conflict Stevens has is with himself. He struggles against his definition of success as he leads himself on a blinded struggle to achieve “dignity.” As he strains himself to achieve a sense of dignity within his character he allows his duties to surpass his personal desires. Through his reflections it can be seen that he does not allow his emotions to interfere with his job even at the death of his own father for despite “its sad associations, whenever [he recalls] that evening” he does so “with a large sense of triumph” (110) at the way he was able to compose himself in the face of such tragedy. As Ishiguro creates two journeys, a physical quest to find Miss Kenton, and also an emotional journey, Stevens begin to merge the two journeys into one as he begins to reveal signs of his emotions along the way.

Despite going on a quest that takes him far away from the walls of Darlington Hall, the memories and experiences he has seems always to be at the end of every thought he shares and in turn is always incorporated in his experiences along the trip. The bind that his service under Lord Darlington has on him stubbornly refuses to release Stevens and holds him hostage in the past. However, as the journey progresses, Stevens for a moment puts aside his intended reasons for travelling so far away from home and begins to truly interact with people who readers know not through his recollections. In his stay with the hospitable couple in the village, Stevens begin to recognize a distinction of social status between him and his employer. Though he is mistaken to be a “gentlemen” by the villagers, he does not pause to correct them. The journey has, as a result, brought Stevens to a realization of his blindness to all other aspects of life besides that of his job. His loyalty has been so unwavering throughout all his years of service that he fails to enjoy life. In his disregard of being mistaken for someone else, he does not correct them because it allows him to become someone else, to experience life as a being who is not defined by what he does but who he is. With no task awaiting him to be completed, Stevens’ quest allows himself time to truly speak to himself and at last hear his own thoughts. The quest can be viewed as a period of self reflection for Stevens, as he verbalizes his past experiences and looks at himself from the sidelines. The trip becomes more than a tiny vacation, but becomes a revelation for Stevens in understanding that in life there is no such thing as the perfection he tries to achieve and that there is in fact more to life then fulfilling duties, there are points in which one must strike a balance between selfless and selfish in order to be able to enjoy the subtleties of life.

Disguised as an errand, his journey proves to be more than just a duty for his job. Ironically, the journey which begins through motivation to correct a “faulty staff plan” ends with Stevens’s recognition of himself, not as a butler but as a man. Though the intentions of the journey begin simply as a professional duty, Stevens learns that “the evening is the most enjoyable part of the day.” (244) He comes to realize that in a day, an analogy to life, what matters most is to be able to truly enjoy what he has accomplished by the end it. Finally coming to terms with his past, and surpassing the ignorance he once had towards the world, he accepts the outcome of his life but still continues to try “to make [his] small contribution count for something true and worthy.” (244) Stevens takes a step forward from his past and brings a new source of optimism in his return to his post. He emerges from the journey not as the Stevens he began as but becomes reborn with new found realizations and wisdoms of life. Though he neglects to see a possibility with finding love and partnership with Miss Kenton, he realizes that tomorrow is a new day and that he wants to take advantage of its new possibilities so that by the end of it he can enjoy what remains.