On Narrative Ethics In Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains Of The Day

This thesis will interpret Kazuo Ishiguro's masterpiece The Remains of the Day from the perspective of narrative ethics on three dimensions,on the story,discourse and reading level,so as to explore the ethical implications and moral values hidden in the text.In The Remains of the Day,Kazuo Ishiguro tells a story about the theme of “humanity” with his unique narrative strategies,by virtue of the protagonist Stevens' six-day western tour to liven up the memory.The suffering,confliction and struggle of the protagonist not only trigger ethical thoughts on the ethical dilemmas of individuals,but also arouse people's doubts and reflections on the current values.This thesis guides people to rethink the ethical values of contemporary people by paying attention to the phenomenon of human predicament in Ishiguro's narrative process,refraction of the writer's in-depth discussion of humanity.It reveals that escaping from reality and shirking responsibility cannot save people from their ethical dilemmas.What people are truly supposed to do is to face their past bravely,keep their human nature and have a correct self-knowledge.Only in this way can they welcome their better future life in the multicultural society.Resituating on The Remains of the Day,this thesis chiefly explores Stevens' psychological process of alienation and return of humanity integrating with the theory of narrative ethics.Chapter one analyzes the ethical choices made by Stevens on the level of story,and discusses how Stevens undergoes alienation and deformation in his personality to indicate Ishiguro's concern for individual's ethical identities.By a thorough reading,chapter two interprets the ethical significance of Ishiguro's narrative strategies,according to the theory of narrative ethics,and analyzes Stevens' ethical dilemmas and its causes on the discourse level to expose the psychological process of his humanity revitalizing through reminiscence and self-reflection.Chapter three explores the ethical demands reflected in ethical dialogue between the author and the reader on the reading level.With the different ethical principles brought by Kazuo Ishiguro,it's necessary for us to rethink the behavior and inner source of the protagonist.Readers then make ethical judgments to examine their own lives.