What's remarkable about this book is how well Ishiguro is able to dive into the life of a character that would otherwise be ignored in any other novel. The stories we are usually told are the stories of the Lord Darlingtons and Mr. Farradays, but instead we get the story from the butler's perspetive, so the tables have turned and we only get to see the typical lead characters from the periphery.
Stevens is a brilliant deconstruction of the butler archetype. Namely, he is loyal to his employer at all costs and is able to contribute the best service without meddling with his employers affairs. However, there are particular qualities of Stevens that we take for granted (or erase) while reading other stories. For example, what would a real Alfred be like? What rules must he follow in order to be so loyal to Master Bruce? What cost to Alfred's personal life does it take to follow these rules?
I think Ishiguro does a great job in playing with similar questions in remains of the dayRemains of the Day.
Stevens is a brilliant deconstruction of the butler archetype. Namely, he is loyal to his employer at all costs and is able to contribute the best service without meddling with his employers affairs. However, there are particular qualities of Stevens that we take for granted (or erase) while reading other stories. For example, what would a real Alfred be like? What rules must he follow in order to be so loyal to Master Bruce? What cost to Alfred's personal life does it take to follow these rules?
I think Ishiguro does a great job in playing with similar questions in remains of the dayRemains of the Day.