Abstract
An Artist of the Floating World and The Remains of the Day follow the lives of two characters, Masuji Ono and Mr Stevens, both of whom end up being ‘on the wrong side of history’ (Amit Chaudhuri). Focusing on Ono’s and Stevens’ deprivation of the right to reclaim a morally responsible ground they believe was solid before WWII, Shin refers first to what the late Japanese critic Norihiro Kato termed the ‘imagination of the defeated’ and then explores Ishiguro’s unique ‘post-defeat imagination’, disclosing the failure of these protagonists’ masculinities, their consequent shames, and their political link to the waning of nationalism in post-war Japan or Britain. Uncovering the fact that Ishiguro read numerous historical and autobiographical books before writing these novels, Shin further provides extensive evidence for their influence on the characterisation of these protagonists.
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Notes
- 1.
It needs to be noted that this is not to deny that the works of postcolonial literature are often haunted by shame of different kinds. On this question, see Bewes 2011.
- 2.
While it is unlikely that Ishiguro knew the works of Kojima or Ōe in his early career, it may be possible to consider that he developed his imagination about post-defeat Japan from watching the films of Yasujiro Ozu, whom Kao recognises as another artist who had the ‘imagination of the defeated’ (2017, 23–27). For Kato’s earlier reflections on Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, see his article ‘Send in the Clones’ (Kato 2011).
- 3.
Kurosawa’s autobiography was originally published in Japanese in 1981 and translated into English in 1983. Ishiguro’s reading notes on this book are in the following archival material: Manuscript Collection Kazuo Ishiguro Papers (MS-05377); Container 1.4.
- 4.
Ishiguro’s reading notes on Richard Storry’s A History of Modern Japan are also in the same container. See note 2 above.
- 5.
As Bruce Robbins argues, the novel suggests ‘the real historical possibility that Lord Darlington was right’, at least in his efforts to freeze German reparations in 1923 (2001, 27).
- 6.
Ishiguro’s notes on this book are in Container 17.2.
- 7.
Ishiguro’s notes on this film are in Container 49.5.
- 8.
This reference to the Boer War can be seen as another intertextual link between The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day. While the former ironically allows Clive to deny the existence of British atrocities committed in South Africa, the latter makes this element explicit by emphasising the connection between the class of masters such as Darlington and British imperialism by means of the ex-general whose behaviours are oddly reminiscent of the original Colonel Blimp.
- 9.
In an interview, Ishiguro suggests that this emotional restraint is often caused by the ‘tendency to equate expressing emotion with weakness’—another of the features he ascribes to masculinities. See Swain 102.
- 10.
Ishiguro’s notes on Rosina Harrison’s Gentlemen’s Gentlemen are in Container 17.2.
- 11.
For instance, Miss Kenton’s remarks on the disappearance of Lisa and the second footman present a rather ironic perspective on the possibility of love (158).
- 12.
On this point, see Connor 2001, 216–223.
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Shin, K. (2024). ‘The Shame of Being on the Wrong Side of History’: Defeat and the Failures of Masculinities in An Artist of the Floating World and The Remains of the Day. In: Shonaka, T., Mimura, T., Morikawa, S. (eds) Japanese Perspectives on Kazuo Ishiguro. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24998-3_7
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