A Study Of The Butler’s Identity Construction In The Remains Of The Day From The Perspective Of Lefebvre’s Spatial Theory

Kazuo Ishiguro’s Booker Prize-winning novel,The Remains of the Day is one of his masterpieces.Since the publication of this novel,it has become the international best seller that evokes raves from readers and literary critics as well.This thesis is devoted to analyzing the identity construction of the protagonist Stevens in The Remains of the Day under the perspective of Lefebvre’s spatial theory so as to reveal the marginal people’s fate and identity construction in multicultural social context.It consists of five chapters,namely,the introduction,Stevens’s pursuit of identity in physical space,Stevens’s pursuit of identity in social space,Stevens’s pursuit of identity in psychological space and conclusion.The first chapter mainly introduces the writer,the novel,the domestic and abroad studies on the novel,as well as the theoretical foundation of the thesis.It introduces Lefebvre’s definition of space and his distinctions of different spaces and focuses on the important notions put forward by Lefebvre like the social spatialization and spatial trialectics.In Stevens’s pursuit of identity in physical space,this part concentrates on Stevens’s identity construction in two contrasting physical spaces,the stifling Darlington Hall and the soothing western England and makes it attempt to explore how the transference of physical space has affected the protagonist’s identity construction.In the unbalanced physical space,Stevens changes from passive to active and adapts to the new environment;therefore,he starts to make an impartial self-inspection through his memory.In Stevens’s pursuit of identity in social space,this part is devoted to discovering the effects of British hierarchy,the invasion of American culture and Stevens’s interpersonal relationships on his identity construction.Stevens’s pursuit of identity is interrelated with his relationships with others with British Empire as well as the whole political climate in the world as its backdrop.Thus,to analyze his pursuit of identity in social space is to scrutinize his relationships with others and the social space he lives in.In Stevens’s pursuit of identity in psychological space,this part is devoted to illustrating Stevens’s pursuit of identity by analyzing Stevens’s shaky self-confidence and his shaky faith in Lord Darlington,the most important figure in his life and work.By analyzing his changed emotions,one can understand how his psychological self changes.The deconstruction of his definition of "dignity",his realization of his blind loyalty and his declining professionalism result in his lack of self-confidence.His shaky faith in the most distinguished figure together with his shaky self-confidence serves to deconstruct his proud butler’s identity.Through Ishiguro’s fair depiction of an old English butler,we could see Stevens ’s epiphany when he comes to the end of the psychic journey.The last chapter concludes the identity construction of Stevens in physical,social and psychological space.And through Stevens’s example,it points out a possible solution for those marginal people stuck in cultural conflicts and suffer from identity crisis.It is suggestive for them to leave the physical space that defines their old identity in search of a new identity.Only when they are distant from the center of dominance and power can they reflect objectively on themselves thus acquiring a new perspective of themselves and overcoming the identity crisis and liberating their own imprisoned soul as well.Through the analysis of physical,social and psychological spaces’ effects to the protagonist,the thesis points out the environment is significant to promote the construction of self-identity and human nature.And for Kazuo Ishiguro,he is always regarded as "the other" in the British society.It is this which gives him special experience to define the identity impartially and sufficient space to create the literature without any national prejudice and historical burden.