The Rains of the Day// 1st Analytical essay

August 29, 2008

The Rains of the Day

When it comes falling down, rain is best known for its pure form and cleaning abilities. Symbolically speaking, rain washes, restores, and gives growth to character. Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day, ends his novel with rain cleansing the protagonist, Mr. Stevens of his past emotions that have until then imprisoned him of being independent. However, the rain that is meant to symbolically restore Stevens to an independent person brings upon him the harsh reality of his situation, and with that the load and brutality of truth. Ishiguro ironically and metaphorically uses the rain to as a setback towards Stevens instead of a step to help him proceed.
Early on Ishiguro uses the rain to set the atmosphere for Stevens’ letdown. Upon seeing Miss Kenton, the previous housekeeper for Darlington Hall, Stevens describes the room as they were sitting in as: "extremely gloomy on account of the rain… Miss Kenton and I talked for the next two hours in the pool of grey light while the rain continued to fall steadily." (Ishiguro 232) Metaphorically, the audience expects the rain to be of good fortune; to cleanse the soul of Stevens. Nevertheless, Ishiguro uses the “gloomy” and “grey” setting to foreshadow the tragic ending. As the reader expects the rain to deliver hope and character growth, the setting suggests that Stevens’ end will not be of great triumph, but filled with darkness.

Heading home after the conversation with Miss Kenton, Stevens gets wet from the rain on three different occasions. Being immersed in water in three different situations has a strong symbolic meaning, which can be compared to a Biblical reference, baptism. More often than not, after a baptism a person is almost entirely changed. In his book, Ishiguro does all that’s necessary for Stevens to become a changed character. In the first encounter with the rain, Stevens writes, "We stepped outside together… large puddles had formed on the ground around where I had left the Ford, obliging me to assist Miss Kenton a little to allow her to reach the passenger door." (236), where soon a beautiful occurrence begins to happen—Mr. Stevens, who is excessively serious and secretive, begins opening up to Miss Kenton about his emotions towards her. Quickly, Ishiguro follows that scene with two more scenes of Mr. Stevens getting wet: "I leaned forward into the rain… I looked out into the drizzle again"(238), symbolically meaning that Stevens should be a changed person. But, ironically, Mr. Stevens admits he is heart-broken and even cries (!), drowning himself in guilt and regret for making decisions to benefit others instead of himself. Perhaps Stevens’ metaphorical cleansing did not work, because he was not completed submerged in water. Rather, only parts of him (heads and shoulders possibly) were completely wet. The rain that the audience expects to help Stevens overcome his emotion shyness ironically leaves him with more emotional stress.

Following his half-submergence, Stevens continues to live just as he previously had. He returns to his butler career, serving others first and foremost, even before himself. His emotions now revealed leave him with no secrets to hide. Just as the audience believes that Stevens is finally spiritually washed by the rain, Ishiguro has Stevens say:
"I should cease looking back so much, that I should adopt a more positive outlook and try to make the best of what remains of my day… The hard reality is, surely, that for the likes of you and I, there is little choice other than to leave our fate in the hands of those great gentlemen at the hub of this world who employ our services." (244)
Stevens’s final words expose that he prefers to be in a happy in denial than living in reality and realizing that his past mistakes cannot be altered. Stevens insinuates his intense feeling of regret, but in the end, instead of becoming the independent, self-loving person that he regrets he wasn’t, he goes back to Darlington Hall—into the hands of guilt once again—and imprisons himself, this time forever. Symbolically, Stevens forfeits his one chance at escaping his dreadful life by refusing to let the rain restore him. Baptism, in metaphors as well as real life, will only work if the subject is willing open to accept it; otherwise, like in Stevens’ case, it’s no use.

In conclusion, Ishiguro uses rain to ironically devastated Stevens’ life. Though the audience hopes to see Stevens attitude towards himself change, Ishiguro makes Stevens submerge even deeper in his regret and shame. In the book, the rain while coming down is clean and clear. But once that rain hits the ground, it makes mud. Unfortunately, Stevens after making himself weak and vulnerable by exposing his emotions, symbolically falls into the mud. Now, not only does he have the brutal truth that he cannot turn back the hands of time, but metaphorical mud is covering his persona. Ironically, Ishiguro does not include rainbows at the end of the rain, which is ironic because after all rain showers rainbows come out. Having no rainbows represents no peace between the heavens and earth; Ishiguro is implying that Stevens is left with no peace. The rain serves as an ironic element in The Remains of the Day because the audience anticipates Stevens to come out a new and improved character, however he remains the same, even a little worse, for the remains of his days.