Spunk och Benga fixar allt!

This is an extract from the novel The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, from the last section of the novel. It is a dialogue between the two protagonists Mr Stevens and Miss Kenton (also referred to Mrs Benn in this particular extract). The form of dialogue used in the extract is the so called showing-telling technique, which is typically used throughout the novel.


This extract is the climax of the plot since the purpose of Mr Stevens journey is to visit Miss Kenton, with hope of her returning to Darlington Hall. He is also anxious to reveal his true feelings after keeping them to himself for such a long time. The first paragraph is where Miss Kenton tries to convey the message that she actually is content with her present situation and that she has accepted and moved on from her previous life at Darlington Hall. However, in the third paragraph she claims her regret, and she implies that she would have wanted a life with Stevens although she was, at the moment, to afraid to admit it to herself as well as to Mr Stevens.

Miss Kenton is still the emotional protagonist , and in the fourth paragraph Mr Stevens tells us that "at the moment, my heart was breaking. Before long, however, I turned to her and said with a smile:". This is an evidence of Stevens always keeping his "mask" on although he is actually longing to show his emotions to Miss Kenton. Paragraph five is where Mr Stevens formality occurs, but he is still torned apart because he wants to say whats on his mind but its too late "it is too late to turn back the clock", as quoted. Mr Stevens and Miss Kenton contrast between each other is shown in the extract, though Mr Stevens is formal and rational and Miss Kenton is emotive.

In paragraph three the word "better" is emphasized as written in italics, Miss Kenton implies indirectly when saying better she means a better life with him. In paragraph five the word "do" is also written in italics, Mr Stevens means that they can not be sorry for what they do not have, but that they have got to be grateful for what they actually have. Mr Stevens refuses to be emotive since he finds it gratuitous to recall old memories and be regretful of things that they did not do. This paragraph is ironic since the whole purpose of his journey is to reveal his emotions, but as he finally get the chance, he puts on the formal mask and he simply just can not do it.

This formal way of acting can also be noticed in their use of formal titles, since after all these years they still refer to each other as "Mr Stevens" and "Miss Kenton". A sign on they having moved on is when he uses "Mrs Benn" in the last paragraph, which emphasizes that he has accepted the present situation that he and Miss Kenton are in.

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