The Remains of the Day is about a butler's thwarted life and him coming to the realization that the ideas and principles upon which he built his life were nothing but an illusion.

Throughout The Remains of the Day, Stevens is forced to face the memories of Lord Darlington (his former employer), Mr. Stevens (his father), and Miss Kenton as he reflects on his own inactions and what might have been.

Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Remains of the Day, London, Faber & Faber, 1989 (this edition 2015).