We figured it was time to read something romancy and what with it’s Nobel Prize-winning author, its status as a Man Booker Prize for Fiction winner and its eight Academy Awards nominations we decided to go with The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Let us know what you think of it – does it live up to the hype? Here are some of the questions we’ll be considering for this month’s podcast book club:
- Some jobs, such as a butler, (or maybe all jobs) force you to put on a ‘persona’. How does this affect your growth as a human being?
- Joking around or ‘banter’ as it is known in The Remains of The Day is poo pooed by the butler. Are you allowed to joke around in your workplace?
- The Remains of The Day refers to both the end of your day and the end of your life. What are your plans for the remains of your day?
- Could a romantic relationship between Miss Kenton and Stevens ever have worked? Why do you think she was attracted to him in the first place?
- Stevens talked a lot about the value of service being tied to the moral qualities of one’s employer. How morally culpable are employees for their employer’s wrong-doings? Are Stevens’ years of service diminished by Lord Darlington’s failings?
- If you had to describe Stevens’ most significant characteristic, would it be ‘dignity’? If not, what characteristic would be more appropriate?
You can comment below or email us your answers and thoughts to wpl-podcast@winnipeg.ca