For my Lectures in Literature class, an assigned reading of mine is "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro. Previously for this class, we've had to read a portion of The Canterbury Tales, Goblin Market, Dr. Faustus, and a slew of short stories. I do enjoy The Canterbury Tales, but having already taken a class dedicated to its entirety, I was pretty worn out by Chaucer. And while the other readings were things I have never read before, they didn't capture my interest very much.
So when I picked up The Remains of the Day, I was expecting it to be yet another book I would have to trudge my way through in order to be prepared. However, it couldn't have come at the right time in my life. I read the first half of it during the few hours before class, and promptly finished it the same day. The book simply could not be put down.
It's a story about a butler reminiscing about working for his old master, Lord Darlington, in the transition period between WWI and WWII. Stevens, the butler, first started preparing for the profession under his father, a butler himself. Yet while at Lord Darlington's, his father's circumstances change drastically, and Stevens chooses dignity instead of family.
The story is so odd, for at first I saw Stevens as a blank man, one without purpose besides his job, and one without enjoyment outside of duty. Yet when you read between the lines, you see more into him and how he truly does have a mind filled with conflicting ideals. Does he choose duty and honor or love and passion? He struggles with choices he has made and the ones he didn't make.
I just found that the book came at the right time in my life. Right now I'm leading a life full of struggles. However, with whatever choice I make, I am going to push through it. It's perfectly fine and downright human to look back and reminisce, but we can only live out the remains of our days.
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