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A Goodreads user asked this question about The Remains of the Day:
So, after finishing the book, there is no doubt that Miss Kenton loved Stevens. My question is why? Stevens doesn't really show traits that I would find lovable, so I was curious as to what Miss Kenton saw in him. I have my own theories, but I would love to hear other viewpoints from the Goodreads Community!
Fenrir Stevens is an ordinary person. So is Miss Kenton. And ordinary people fall in love.

A bit more elaboration: In his account of things, Stevens reveals …moreStevens is an ordinary person. So is Miss Kenton. And ordinary people fall in love.

A bit more elaboration: In his account of things, Stevens reveals to us not the reality of his own life, but the extent of his self-deception and his own refusal to acknowledge it, as well as his inability to shake off his own emotional repression. Behind the veneer of his speech, we find an ordinary man. Not a great butler who, through his service, changed the course of history for the better. Not even a great man, as he never really transitions into being his own man. But while he is no better than the rest of us, he is also no worse. Maybe he is a slightly sad figure, but one of us nonetheless. And why could he not be the object of love for some other, perfectly ordinary human being?

It’s sometimes hard to remember, especially when reading or watching a movie, as many of these stories insist that it is the beautiful, the accomplished, and the special who find love. But love is for everyone. Why not for Stevens and Miss Kenton? (less)
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The Remains of the Day
by Kazuo Ishiguro (Goodreads Author)
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