The Greatness in Humility

     "Of course, it is not for me to suggest that I am worthy of ever being placed alongside the lies of the'gret' butlers of our generation, such as Mr Marshall or Mr Lane - though it should be said there are those who, perhaps out of misguided generosity, tend to dojust this. Let me mae clear that when I say the the confrence of 1923, and that night in particular, constituted a turning point in my professionl development, I am speaing very much in terms of my own more humble standards. Even so, if you consider the pressures contingent on me that night, you may not thin I delude myslef undult if I go so far as to suggest tht I did perhaps display, in the face of everything, at least in some modest degree a 'dignity' worthy of osmeone lie Mr Marshall - or come to that, my father. Indeed, why should I deny it? For all its sad associations, whenever I recall that evening today, I find I do so with a large sense of triumph." (Ishiguro 110).

     In this passage, Ishiguro adresses Stevens view of himself as a butler. This is the first instance of Stevens addresing his own professionalism in the novel, and Stevens does so with humility rarely found among the living. Thorughout the passage, Stevens makes continual mention fot he fact that he does not in fact think of himself as a great butler. He states, "it is not for me to suffest that I am worthy of ever being placed alongside the...'great'" (110). In denying that he is not in fact great, Stevens demonstrates the very 'dignity' that makes a butler great. Perhaps, this is purposefull on Stevens part.

     When taken in context, this monologue occurs immediatlely after the death of Steven's father. With tears tracking down his face, Stevens continues to perform his duties as a butler. He says, "'To do otherwise, I feel would, would be to let him down.'" (106), where Stevens, of course, is speaking of his father. He does not let anything, be it emotional trauma or disrespectful patrons, get in the way of his duties. In this instance, Stevens again exemplifies the qualities of a truly "great butler.