Examples Of Sacrifice In The Remains The Day

For decades, people have been capable of discovering what others value through the things in which they sacrifice. Whether it is time, experiences, or happiness, many people have suffered with trying to balance all that life can offer. In the novel, The Remains of the Day, Stevens, the Head Butler, embodied the quality of sacrifice to the extreme. He was willing to sacrifice his personal life in order to perform his job to the best of his ability. Consequently, he struggled to find the balance between work and leisure. As the protagonist in this story, Stevens’ values contributed to the themes in which the story presents as well as gave the readers a tangible example of how these ethics could affect the outcome of ones’ choices. Since the beginning of the novel, Stevens’ often spoke of what made a great butler: dignity, respect, and work ethic. He felt as though it was his responsibility to follow in the footsteps of his father. He came from a family of distinguished butlers who worked in the same manner as he had. Stevens was never submerged into the domestic values that others depended on for stability. He was raised to always put work first and foremost before any other variable …show more content…
He took a vacation from his job to go out in search for answers about both what the country had to offer and why Miss Kenton had recently reached out. During their interesting conversation, Miss Kenton publicized that she hoped that Stevens would profess his love back in the days of working together. “…You get to thinking about a different life, a better life you might have had. For instance, I get to thinking about a life I may have had with you, Mr. Stevens” (Ishiguro 239). While Miss Kenton reminisced about the past, Stevens continued to act as he always had. He was regretful, yet there was nothing more he could do. Life slipped away before he recognized the magnitude of his mistakes from the