In history class we learn a lot about important events and people. The news is filled with important things every day. But where does an ordinary person fit into all of this?
The Remains of the Day isn't just a fictional memoir. It's an attempt to coordinate one's personal memory with "great" historical events. It goes behind the scenes to look at historical figures from the humbler perspective of the house's staff. In the novel, personal memory and historical understanding prove to be equally elusive, as the true significance of events can only be realized in hindsight… if at all.
Questions About Memory and the Past
- What are some of Stevens's most striking visual memories? What are some of his most vivid stories or phrases?
- Take a look at the times when Stevens mentions or recites from Miss Kenton's letter. How do Miss Kenton's words inspire Stevens's memories?
- What do we learn about the English attitude toward the Versailles treaty (the peace treaty that ended World War I) and toward the Germans in the years leading up to World War II? Why is this historical context important to the story?
- Do you think Stevens is also nostalgic for the past, for his years working with Miss Kenton before World War II and before Lord Darlington's public disgrace? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Stevens's strongest memories are usually initiated by Miss Kenton's words.
The public's forgetting of the English attitude toward Germany before World War II parallels Stevens's own forgetfulness. Just as Stevens remembers in order to understand his culpability, society as a whole cannot afford to forget its own mistakes.