Spiritual Salvation

Japanese-British novelist Kazuo Ishiguro is one of the most celebrated contemporaryfiction writers in the English-speaking world, being appointed OBE for contributions toliterature in1995and awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry ofCulture in1998. He is famous for exquisite and elegant style of writing and expert in themesof empire, class, memory, loss and so on. His representative piece, The Remains of the Day,winning the Man Booker Prize for Literature in1989, is narrated from the first person point ofview about a quintessential English butler Stevens. Extremely obedient and emotionallyrepressed, Stevens blindly serves, for thirty-five years, the declining aristocratic LordDarlington who had been taken advantage of by the Nazis. Until the motoring trip to WestCountry in his twilight years, Stevens reviews the past, becomes aware of his sacrifices forpursuit of “dignity” and realizes that he should be positive in his remain days.Ever since its publication The Remains of the Day has been studied by scholars abroadfrom various perspectives and researches are mainly concentrated on character analysis,postcolonial context, aspects of memory, narrative strategies and so on. Although in China,Kazuo Ishiguro and his literary works have not received as much attention as in foreigncritical circle, scholars begin to turn their interest to the study of this world-famous writer ashis reputation rises steadily. In general, researches at home are mainly carried out with similarapproaches as abroad. Undoubtedly, The Remains of the Day embodies Ishiguro’s painstakingobservation of modern living situations and genuine concern for human nature. Thus, to studythe protagonist’s spiritual predicaments and salvation is of great significance. And to fill thisvacancy, Erich Fromm’s humanism, aiming to solve modern man’s existential plight, can beadopted as the theoretical framework. This thesis attempts to analyze the protagonist Stevens’ spiritual crises, to explore bothexternal and internal causes of his spiritual predicaments and search for possible ways toStevens’ spiritual salvation. This article consists of four main sections apart from introductionand conclusion.Introduction presents a general overview of Kazuo Ishiguro and his literaryachievements, chiefly focusing on The Remains of the Day, present studies and comments athome and abroad, and significance of this thesis, proposing a further reading of Stevens’spiritual crises and salvation, and revealing Ishiguro’s keen insight into human nature anddeep concern for modern man’s existence.Chapter One introduces briefly about Erich Fromm, the internationally renownedpsychologist, sociologist and humanistic philosopher, and elaborately explains the mainconcept of his humanism. As a unique blend of Marxism and Freudianism, Fromm’shumanism starts with analysis of human being’s living conditions, summarizes man’s basicneeds and different types of social characters and primarily concerns with modern westerners’spiritual dilemma: escape from freedom and alienation. To shed a light on modern man’swretched living situations, Fromm regards mature love and productive activity as an effectivemedicine, powerful and incredible strength incarnated in man and innermost strivings ofhuman beings.Chapter Two provides a detailed analysis of Stevens’ severe spiritual crises. During hislifelong pursuit of being a great butler of dignity and keeping with his position like his father,Stevens has chosen to attach to a distinguished household, submitted himself to LordDarlington’s authority, and narcissistically confirmed that his efforts have “comprised acontribution to the course of history”. Corresponding to Stevens’ masochistic strivingstowards authorities is his automaton conformity with the group who share the same professionat the cost of his self and individuality. In addition to negative escape mechanisms, Stevens has been estranged from his fellow men, especially the most intimate two, his father andone-time love Miss Kenton, and has been alienated from himself as well. His tragic loss oftime and love, and his enduring process of spiritual crises sublimate the particular fictionalfigure into general meaning.Chapter Three probes causes of Stevens’ spiritual predicaments from both external andinternal aspects. According to Fromm, man’s birth into the world and his eventual death isunalterable, and although man is endowed with unlimited potentials, his short life span leaveshim no time to completely fulfill them. Along with the insoluble existential dichotomy,anonymous authority covertly intervenes in Stevens’ character cultivation and dailyperformance. Moreover, absence of maternal love leaves Stevens under sole guidance of hisfather, who stands for law and order, discipline and world of thought, and thwarts Stevens’association of female figures. Besides, receptive and marketing orientation of Stevens’character results in his indifference to fellow men and employer-centered attitude. His havingmode of life further deprives him of aliveness and exacerbates his alienation of affections.Chapter Four comes up with possible ways to Stevens’ spiritual salvation. Throughmature love and productive activity, one experiences himself as an independent entity of hisown strength, and brings life to other people and to things at the same time. What Stevenssees and hears during the six-day trip leads him to rediscover the beauty of nature, thehospitality of strangers, reexamine both himself and his old days and eventually determines tocease introspection and actively look into the future, to love and to create. Stevens’ optimisticexpectation for a fresh beginning manifests his redemption of the once lost soul, which iscomforting and inspiring.Based on above analysis and discussion, Conclusion points out that Stevens’ rebirth toconcentrate on his remaining years serves as an encouragement for all human beings whohave been undergoing spiritual crises. It expresses Ishiguro’s genuine care for modern man’s spiritual state and profound thought of human nature. While significances of Ishiguro’sproductions are multidimensional, capable of several levels of meanings, last but not least, thehumanistic interpretation of The Remains of the Day possesses certain practical meaning toboth modern society and modern man, like how to be sane and how to realize thecomprehensive development of human beings.