Kazuo Ishiguro Criticism
Kazuo Ishiguro, a Japanese-born English novelist, has made a significant mark on contemporary literature through his exploration of complex themes such as self-deception, memory, and cultural dislocation. His upbringing in a bicultural environment profoundly influences his work, blending Japanese and Western narratives, as discussed in An Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro. Ishiguro's novels, starting with his acclaimed debut A Pale View of Hills, are noted for their subtle prose and intricate examination of personal and cultural histories, capturing themes of trauma and alienation, as highlighted in A Pale View of Hills and Kitchen Window. Critics like Francis King have likened his narrative style to that of Kawabata and Endo, praising his ability to convey deep emotion through restraint.
Ishiguro solidified his literary reputation with the Booker Prize-winning The Remains of the Day, where his precise narrative style and deep character introspection received extensive acclaim, including from critics like Merle Rubin. His works often feature characters who, isolated by their own misconceptions, navigate personal and social complexities. This is evident in The Unconsoled, which has drawn mixed reviews but is recognized by critics such as Charlotte Innes for its ambition and humor.
Despite debates surrounding his Japanese heritage, Ishiguro's unique contribution to literature is clear. His multicultural background distinguished him from other writers, as noted in Stuck on the Margins, and continues to engage readers, redefining the English novel. Critics like Gabriele Annan have highlighted his masterful portrayal of characters' failures to recognize their own flaws, which adds depth and relatability to his stories.
Through his novels, Ishiguro has achieved a fine balance between cultural introspection and universal themes, ensuring his place as a pivotal figure in modern literature. The complex interplay of history and psychology in his storytelling, as discussed by Paul Bailey and Edith Milton, evokes powerful individual responses, as noted by Penelope Lively. As readers delve into his work, the understated yet profound impact of his narrative style becomes unmistakably clear.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Ishiguro, Kazuo (Vol. 27)
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A Pale View of Hills
(summary)
In the following essay, the critic examines Kazuo Ishiguro's novel "A Pale View of Hills," highlighting its exploration of themes such as memory, trauma, and cultural dislocation, while critiquing its narrative structure and use of flashbacks as unfocused and distracting.
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Kitchen Window
(summary)
In the following essay, James Campbell analyzes how Kazuo Ishiguro's novel A Pale View of Hills skillfully merges historical and psychological elements by depicting the lingering effects of the Nagasaki bombing on its characters, although he suggests the novel's dialogue and incidental details might benefit from greater depth.
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Private Desolations
(summary)
In the following essay, Paul Bailey praises Kazuo Ishiguro's A Pale View of Hills for its delicate exploration of post-war emotional turbulence, noting its focus on personal desolation and the subtly suggested impact of trauma, while critiquing its lack of explicit factual detail.
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Shimmering
(summary)
In the following essay, Francis King argues that Kazuo Ishiguro's novel A Pale View of Hills embodies a typically Japanese style through its concise and reticent narrative, likening it to the apprentice works of Japanese authors such as Kawabata or Endo, and is notable for its complex interplay of cultural and temporal elements.
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In a Japan Like Limbo
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In the following essay, Edith Milton analyzes Kazuo Ishiguro's "A Pale View of Hills," arguing that the novel uses its protagonist's memories and a parallel narrative structure to explore themes of cultural displacement, survival after destruction, and the ambivalence of abandoning traditional roles, set against the backdrop of post-war Nagasaki.
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Backwards and Forwards
(summary)
In the following essay, Penelope Lively examines Kazuo Ishiguro's novel A Pale View of Hills, highlighting its understated yet powerful style and thematic exploration of memory, generational conflict, and post-war Japan, while praising its subtlety and narrative control for evoking individual reader responses despite the novel's brevity.
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A Pale View of Hills
(summary)
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Ishiguro, Kazuo (Vol. 110)
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An Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro
(summary)
In the following interview, Ishiguro, alongside Mason, discusses the influence of both Japanese and Western cultural elements on his writing and characters, revealing insights into his narrative techniques and the emotional and thematic complexities within his first two novels, A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World.
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A Review of The Remains of the Day
(summary)
In the following review of The Remains of the Day, Rubin praises Ishiguro's ability to get inside his characters and portray all their complexities.
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On the High Wire
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In the review below, Annan argues that in Ishiguro's first three novels he has brilliantly portrayed characters who are unable to see their own faults, evoking condemnation and pity.
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Quiet Desolation
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In the review below, Lee discusses the relative influence of Japanese and English culture on Ishiguro's first three novels.
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Stuck on the Margins: An Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro
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In the following interview, Ishiguro reflects on the cultural perceptions and stereotypes he faces due to his Japanese heritage and British upbringing, discussing how these factors have both aided his career and imposed limitations, as well as his distinction from other multicultural British authors like Salman Rushdie.
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The Shame of Memory: Blanchot's Self-Dispossession in Ishiguro's A Pale View of Hills
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In the following essay, Wong employs literary theorist Maurice Blanchot's theories on first person narration to analyze Ishiguro's A Pale View of Hills.
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The Servant
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In the following essay Cardullo compares the movie version of The Remains of the Day with the novel.
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Tossed and Turned
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In the following negative review, Kaveney calls The Unconsoled a "talented mess of a novel."
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Probing the Plight of Lives 'Trapped' in Others' Expectations
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In the following review of The Unconsoled, Rubin argues that while the book may seem labyrinthine and nearly boring, it is also fascinating and skillfully written.
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Meandering in a Dreamscape
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In the following review, Eder claims that The Unconsoled is a complex and ambitious novel which becomes wearisome but is also rewarding.
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Leaving Behind Daydreams for Nightmares
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In the following review of The Unconsoled, Allen argues that while Ishiguro has chosen a new writing style, his subject matter remains the same.
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Dr. Faustus Faces the Music
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In the following review of The Unconsoled, Innes praises Ishiguro for creating an exciting, well written, and humourous novel.
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The Floating World
(summary)
In the review below, Kauffmann suggests that The Unconsoled builds on Ishiguro's first three novels and should be interpreted in terms of the earlier works.
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An Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro
(summary)
- Further Reading