The Remains of the Day

There are certain books that require a certain depth of experience to fully appreciate, and Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day is undoubtedly one of them.

Ishiguro adeptly taps into our collective romanticised perception of the English butler, revealing the inherent harm in such idealization. Through clean, precise prose, like a butler's, Ishiguro establishes two central themes: Lord Darlington's disreputable sympathies and Stevens' unexpressed affection for Miss Kenton, showing through both the consequences of failing to challenge societal norms, urging readers not to succumb to stagnation as Stevens does, shackled by his steadfast adherence to notions of ‘dignity' and ‘duty.' A slightly hopeful ending suggests that even in the “evening” of one's life, missed opportunities can pave the way for embracing the present.

One can only hope to have Steven's courage when confronted with the necessity of shedding our misguided beliefs, of which I know I hold too many. However, let us earnestly hope that we encounter books like this sooner, so we can heed their call to action and reevaluate our convictions and choices in time. Fun dinner-table question: What erroneous beliefs have you mistakenly anchored your life upon, only to later realize the need to let them go?