In the book, there is a prevailing theme of social constraints which binds the main character, Stevens, to his sense of duty as a butler. The simplicity and order of servant life is juxtaposed against heart-wrenching notions of rigidity and loss. Doubt and uncertainty arise within the ageing butler as he looks back, attempting to reassure himself that he has devoted his life to a noble cause. As the clock continued to turn, Miss Kenton left Darlington Hall for marriage and the death of Lord Darlington placed Stevens under a new employer, Mr Farraday. In the form of a letter, Stevens is drawn into reminiscences of his interactions with a former housekeeper, Miss Kenton, with whom he appears to have come the closest he ever did to understanding human intimacy.
In pursuit of his perception of “dignity” and blind faithfulness towards his employer, Stevens strives for a sort of professionalism that leaves his long years of service filled with unspoken regrets and a lack of emotional warmth. After three decades of service at Darlington Hall, Stevens takes a motoring trip around the countryside, which drives him into heartfelt recollections and deep reflections about his duties as a servant. Interlaced with the historical background of the two world wars, this novel is a deeply moving portrait of the life of an English butler.
0 kommentar(er)
