New Opportunities

New Opportunities

How can one advance and contribute to humanity? Only those who understand this can be the ones who determine how successful humanity will become. As a person works through life, he understands he must advance himself through payment and social status. However when he realizes that progress of his life is determined by the progress of humanity, he is able to contribute to this greater being. It is clear that the only worthwhile occupation is one that contributes to the progress of humanity. In Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, The Remains of the Day, this message is given to the readers through rhetorical and strategic. Using the character, Stevens, a highly qualified butler, he exemplifies one’s contribution to humanity as an occupation in life.

In the story, Ishiguro uses rhetorical language when Stevens Senior, the head butler of Darlington Hall at the time, believed that the main reason people work is to benefit humanity and help create new opportunities. Stevens Senior stated, “I worked my hide for over thirty years just to make sure that you were able to get that chance that I experienced of helping so that you could get a shot in making an impact on the world” (127). Although Stevens Senior did not have a strong relationship with his son, Stevens, he wanted Stevens to have even better opportunities than he did. Ishiguro cleverly uses cause and effect when Stevens Senior attempted to get his son into the business, and the effect was that it transformed Stevens into the rare and noble butler he was. Stevens then uses his occupation to his benefit in order to make a difference in the world.

Ishiguro uses irony and satire to help prove his point that occupations are created to benefit humanity. One example of irony was when Ms. Kenton attempted to accuse Stevens of being a fool when asked why he still worked there, but instead, she was embarrassed when Stevens replied that at least he still had a job “You can mock me all you want, yet at least I’m the one able to stand on my own two feet” (230). Stevens is proud of what he does and doesn’t care what people say about him. One example of satire was when Stevens satirizes the government officials to show the consequences when people get into other people’s business and ends up in disaster. As Stevens was having a conversation with the proprietor of the inn at Dorset, Stevens stated, “I hate when people are always getting into my business just like the government officials always trying to come up with those dumb laws” (210). Stevens refers to the dumb laws as those rules the government officials pass that only last for a short time, that in turn, negatively affects Stevens’s job.

Although there are many diction and syntax choices, Ishiguro emphasizes on two that help contribute to the effect of the story. One example of an excellent diction choice was when Stevens compared his father to a rock. Although he never wanted any second opinions, Stevens Senior always thought he was right “I don’t mind if you have a second opinion…I just prefer if you keep it all to yourself (167). When Stevens Senior decided that it was his decisions to have Stevens go into the butler business, no questions were asked and so luckily, Stevens got to the position where he is now. One brilliant syntax choice was when Stevens said, “I don’t know why, but I just love what I do” (12). Stevens said this when the man who was fixing his car asked Stevens why he would choose being a butler out of anything in the world. With an honest and passionate reply, Stevens gave the best answer he could.

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