The Remains of the Day

by Kazuo Ishiguro

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Student Question

In 'The Remains of the Day', how does the light and dark metaphor represent Stevens' life?

Quick answer:

The metaphor of light and dark in "The Remains of the Day" reflects Stevens' life by contrasting the perceived golden age of service in the 1920s and 1930s with the postwar decline of great houses and their honor. It also symbolizes Stevens' internal conflict and deception about Lord Darlington's true nature. The "light" of past glory is revealed as "shadow" due to the moral compromises and falsehoods surrounding his service.

Expert Answers

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On the surface, the light/dark motif symbolizes the golden age of the great houses (the 1920s/1930s) and being in service, compared to the postwar period when, not only have the great houses become economically unfeasible, but the honor of "being in service" has also declined.

But in another, deeper sense, the play of light and shadow reflects Stevens' acknowledgement of the truth of Lord Darlington and his role in his role in Nazi appeasement and Stevens' deception, to himself and others, of the fact that Lord Darlington was not as honorable as Stevens would like him to be, lessening Stevens' own sense of self-worth.  What was presented as "light" (the golden age) was in fact shadow (due to the deception).

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