The noble servant -Kazuo Ishiguro's 'Stevens' in The Remains of the Day

(Part 4)

The loyalty that Stevens presents is not the kind that is demonstrated by simply speaking well of one's employer but maintaining absolute discretion about the confidential matters that the employer is engaged in. This takes on a rather curious turn as it seems according to Stevens it is customary that once a butler is employed by a new employer, allusions to having worked for a previous employer are not indicated to third parties. The instance that demonstrates this employee ethic is when a guest of Mr. Farraday asks Stevens if he served Lord Darlington as Butler and the answer is rather surprisingly negative. When Mr. Farraday later comes to know of the denial by Stevens of having been in the service of Darlington Hall's previous owner he inquires Stevens about the digression from the truth the answer is as follows -"If I may put it this way, sir, it is a little akin to the custom as regards marriages. If a divorced lady were present in the company of her second husband, it is often thought desirable not to allude to the original marriage at all. There is a similar custom as regards our profession, sir."

Kazuo Ishiguro

Stevens is the type of employee who will guard matters of confidentiality with welded lips and win complete trustworthiness from his employer ensuring nothing made to be discreet is divulged even through accident. This trait in the character of Stevens which exemplifies professional standards par excellence to ensure an employer is never compromised is a noble quality that could be lauded for avoiding causing affronts in situations where it is best to not encourage inquisitive questioning to unfold through casual conversation.

Another instance where Stevens admirably reveals his mettle in being trustworthy of keeping confidential matters to himself and not allowing divulgences is when Reggie Cardinal the godson of Lord Darlington comes to know of a secret (or rather as Stevens calls is an 'off the record') meeting takes place one late evening at Darlington Hall between the British prime minister, the British foreign secretary and the German ambassador, under the facilitation of Lord Darlington, and inquisitive queries are put to Stevens to ascertain what maybe going on in the closed door discussions. Stevens, true to his code of conduct, refrains from encouraging any speculation on the part of Cardinal by politely indicating that he is not able to be "of any assistance" in that regard. When Cardinal finally comes to the point of asking Stevens if he not even curious of what's going on in the room and the significance it holds to the course of history, Stevens states -" 'It is not my place to be curious about such matters, sir." Once again such attitudes in Stevens can be viewed as characteristic of true professionalism.

Commitment to serve an employer of noble goals

In the course of the narrative Stevens reveals that he had been in the employ of Lord Darlington for thirty five years and states of his deep seated admiration for the English lord on account of his gentlemanliness and esteemed moral stature. And speaking most fondly of those days of his life Stevens makes it clear that he considers them to be the best stage of his career and that he considers it to have been his good fortune to have been in the employ of Lord Darlington. These sentiments are captured very effectively in the following words -"In looking back over my career thus far, my chief satisfaction derives from what I achieved during those years, and I am today nothing but proud and grateful to have been given such a privilege."

The devotion with which Stevens attached himself to realize as best as possible the ideals in keeping with his personal beliefs of what his profession should serve, he expresses how being in the service of one such as Lord Darlington, whom he viewed as sincerely committed to serve salutary causes for the progress of Britain and Europe, helped his noble ambitions of contributing in a humble way to the furtherance of humanity's progress. And to what degree he saw his own career aspirations and outcomes inseparably tied with what he viewed with religious conviction as Lord Darlington's visions is evinced in the following words from a conversation he recalls had with Miss Kenton. " 'As far as I am concerned, Miss Kenton, my vocation not be fulfilled until I have done all I can to see his lordship through the great tasks he has set himself. The day his lordship's work is complete, the day he is able to rest on his laurels, content in the knowledge that he has done all anyone could ever reasonably ask of him, only on that day, Miss Kenton, will I be able to call myself, as you put it, a well contented man.' "

This level of commitment is arguably the making of a professional who sees his profession as one bound being a definitive of his own life and its ideals. Stevens however must not be mistaken as not being as diligent and devoted to fulfill professional duties in the employ of his subsequent employer -the American gentleman. In fact Stevens states that he must guard himself against 'complacency' on account of all that he had achieved in the past for he views himself as duty bound to give many more years of service to Mr. Farraday. Once again this reveals a great sense of professionalism and commitment to conscientious service, which is needless to say, is an applause worthy virtue.