Freud, Stevens, and the Critics: Psychoanalysis and the Human Condition in The Remains of the Day Makenzie Duffee College

What is the outcome of letting one’s duty subconsciously interfere with one's life? Some may say duty is a part of one’s life; others consider it inappropriate to combine the two. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro follows the life of a butler named James Stevens. Stevens puts his entire effort into being the perfect butler as well as putting his duty before himself and others in his life. Putting duty before life and happiness can hinder decisions and relationships within one’s life. If we as humans have been conditioned into thinking that duty comes before happiness, then we will lose our sense of purpose and drive. Stevens’ insecurities and low self esteem lead him to believe his dull life as a butler will be the only successful thing he is capable of. He subconsciously yet willingly puts aside his own happiness, love life, and personal life just to serve his employer to the best of his ability. This causes him to suppress his own emotions and becoming more like a robot every day. We as readers see how this dilemma can lead to a loss in compassion and human emotions, filling us with regrets and disappointments that haunt us for the rest of our lives. Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis help pinpoint Stevens’...