Identity and the Ambivalent Force of Memory in Kazuo Ishiguro’s "The Remains of the Day" and "When We Were Orphans"

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction: Kazuo Ishiguro and the "texture of memory"
• Theoretical Framework: Autobiographical Memory and our Sense of Self...
• "Memory's fragile power" and the Self: Psychological Perspectives on Identity and Memory….....
• Fictions of Memory: Memory and Identity in Literary Discourse.....
• Memory and Identity in The Remains of the Day....
• Setting Up Liminal Spaces - Dual Focalization and the Butler Stevens as a Nostalgic Anachronism in a Time of Change.....
• Defining the (Interdependent) Self: Between 'Great' Idealism, Dignity, and Professional Identity….
• The Ambivalent Forces of Stevens's Memory: Between Self-Deception and Self-Reflection……
• A Macabre Triumph: Self-Deception, ‘Sins of Bias', and the Greater Cause
• “What dignity is there in that?” – Insight, Self-Reflection, and the Deconstruction of Stevens's Self-Narrative…........
• Memory and Identity in When We Were Orphans.......
• Setting Up Liminal Spaces - Dual Focalization and Cultural Hybridity in the Case of Christopher Banks.........
• The Orphan Self and a Mummified Childhood: Trauma, Restorative Nostalgia, and Idealist Detective Identity.
• Tracing Leads: The Fragile Force of Christopher Banks's Memory.....
• Encountering Dead Ends: Christopher's Traumatic Memory and its ‘Sins'.
• A Detective Lead Astray: A Past Irretrievable, Frustration of Memory, and the Subversion of Identity…………..\n

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis examines the intricate relationship between memory and identity in Kazuo Ishiguro’s novels The Remains of the Day and When We Were Orphans. By drawing upon theoretical frameworks from cognitive psychology and literary studies, the paper analyzes how memory shapes and is shaped by the characters' self-perceptions and sense of self.

• The Ambivalent Force of Memory: The thesis explores how memory can both enhance and distort our understanding of the past, leading to self-deception and self-reflection.
• The Interplay of Memory and Identity: The paper investigates how memory serves as a foundation for identity construction, yet also how it can be a source of trauma and regret.
• Nostalgia and Idealism: The thesis examines the role of nostalgia and idealized pasts in the formation of characters' identities.
• Subversion of Identity: The paper analyzes how the characters’ nostalgic ideals and pasts are challenged and ultimately subverted, leading to a reassessment of their identities.
• Liminal Spaces and Cultural Hybridity: The thesis explores the significance of liminal spaces and cultural hybridity in shaping the characters' memories and identities.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the central theme of memory and identity in Kazuo Ishiguro’s work. It explores how memory, as a fragile and sometimes unreliable force, shapes our understanding of self and the world around us. Chapter 2 delves into the theoretical framework, drawing on cognitive psychology to define “autobiographical memory” and its role in constructing personal identity. Chapter 3 examines the interplay between memory and identity in The Remains of the Day. It explores how the protagonist, Stevens, grapples with the ambivalent forces of memory, leading to both self-deception and self-reflection. The chapter analyzes how Stevens’s idealized memories of the past ultimately conflict with his present reality. Chapter 4 focuses on When We Were Orphans, analyzing how the protagonist, Christopher Banks, attempts to reconstruct his past through a fragmented and traumatic memory. It investigates how the unreliability of his memory ultimately undermines his idealized childhood and his pursuit of truth.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key terms and concepts explored in this thesis include memory, identity, autobiographical memory, self-deception, self-reflection, nostalgia, idealism, trauma, liminal spaces, cultural hybridity, and the detective novel.