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The Remains of the Day

Echoes of Grandeur and Heartache Resonate Through a Stately Home

Kazuo Ishiguro

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Categories:
HistorySociety & CultureBiography & Memoir

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The Remains of the Day
Plot & Setting+
The Ideal of Dignity+
Duty vs. Morality+
Repressed Love & Regret+
Resolution & Acceptance+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
Why does Stevens initially decide to take a road trip in Mr. Farraday's car?
  • A. To escape the stress of working for a demanding American employer.
  • B. To visit Miss Kenton with the intention of asking her to resume her post as housekeeper.
  • C. To attend a reunion of prominent English butlers in Cornwall.
  • D. To retrace the steps of his late father's career in service.
Question 2 of 7
How does Stevens connect his ideal of a 'great butler' to the English countryside?
  • A. Both require constant, meticulous upkeep to maintain their appearance.
  • B. Both are relics of the past that are slowly disappearing in the modern era.
  • C. Both possess an understated greatness and a sense of unflappable dignity and restraint.
  • D. Both are highly dramatic and overt in their display of superiority.
Question 3 of 7
How does Stevens react when his father passes away during the 1923 conference at Darlington Hall?
  • A. He immediately abandons his post to grieve privately in the servants' quarters.
  • B. He blames Lord Darlington for overworking his father and resigns.
  • C. He relies heavily on Miss Kenton for emotional support, breaking his usual formal demeanor.
  • D. He continues his duties downstairs, believing his father would have wanted him to prioritize his professional obligations.
Question 4 of 7
What is the 'regrettable incident' involving Lord Darlington that deeply troubles Stevens?
  • A. Lord Darlington's public endorsement of the British Union of Fascists in the national press.
  • B. Lord Darlington's decision to dismiss two maids solely because they were Jewish.
  • C. Lord Darlington's refusal to revise the Treaty of Versailles, leading to economic sanctions.
  • D. Lord Darlington's secret plot to assassinate the British Prime Minister.
Question 5 of 7
Why is Miss Kenton upset with Stevens after Lord Darlington expresses regret over firing the maids?
  • A. Because Stevens never shared his true feelings of disapproval with her at the time, pretending instead to be indifferent.
  • B. Because Stevens refuses to try and track the maids down to offer them their jobs back.
  • C. Because she discovers Stevens had secretly encouraged Lord Darlington to fire them in the first place.
  • D. Because Stevens takes all the credit for changing Lord Darlington's mind.
Question 6 of 7
What realization brings Stevens to tears at the end of the novel while sitting on the pier?
  • A. He realizes that Lord Darlington was a traitor who deliberately sought to destroy England.
  • B. He realizes he is too old to continue working as a butler and must retire immediately.
  • C. He realizes that his unwavering dedication to professional excellence cost him his chance at personal happiness with Miss Kenton.
  • D. He realizes Mr. Farraday plans to sell Darlington Hall and dismiss the remaining staff.
Question 7 of 7
What does the stranger on the pier mean when he tells Stevens that 'the evening is the best part of the day'?
  • A. It is a reminder that the most prestigious dinner service happens at night.
  • B. It is a metaphor encouraging Stevens to make the most of his remaining years and find contentment.
  • C. It is a subtle warning that the dark days of fascism are returning to England.
  • D. It implies that a butler's work is finally over once the sun goes down.

The Remains of the Day — Full Chapter Overview

The Remains of the Day Summary & Overview

The Remains of the Day (1989) features one of contemporary literature’s most unforgettable narrators, Stevens, a butler who reminisces on his life in service at one of England’s stately homes in the years leading up to World War II. 

Who Should Listen to The Remains of the Day?

  • Fans of contemporary literature
  • History lovers interested in a literary take on the interwar years in England
  • Period drama devotees seeking a look at life in a stately home

About the Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro is a British novelist celebrated for his subtle, introspective style. His novel The Remains of the Day won the Booker Prize. In 2017 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

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