Exploration Of "Self"

Born in Japan,English writer Kazuo Ishiguro is one of the most outstanding contemporary western novelists.His works so far have been translated into more than 30 languages,have won various major literature awards,and have earned very favorable opinions among both literary critics and the common readers.Kazuo Ishiguro is an international writer who writes "world fiction".His Japanese-British cultural backgrounds,idealistic pursuit of a meaningful self-identity,and influence from theories of psychoanalysis,all have profoundly influenced and deepened his understanding and thinking of the contemporary individuals' emotions,inner mind,identity and the general human condition they live in,which have nurtured his genuine interest in exploring the theme of "self" in his literary creation.This dissertation,based on a close reading of six major novels of Kazuo Ishiguro,employing theories of philosophy,sociology,psychoanalysis and narratology,aims to study the different facets of "self" of the contemporary individuals as represented in these novels,as against necessary background knowledge of the writer's biographical facts,creative context of the novel and the more general socio-historical contexts.This dissertation is divided into three parts.The first part as "Introduction",briefly goes over Kazuo Ishiguro's life and novel-writing,tentatively gives a definition of the key word "self',generalizes Kazuo Ishiguro's understanding and thought of problems about "self',puts forward the thesis after an overview of the current researches on Kazuo Ishiguro,and explains the significance of the thesis.The body part is composed of four chapters,in which the six novels of Kazuo Ishiguro are divided into four groups and are analyzed respectively,dealing with four separate aspects of the contemporary "self",namely,the dislocated self,the self that is alienated,self in trauma and nostalgia,and the being of self.The first chapter is a thematic study of "self" as represented in A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World.Individual characters in these two novels are all characterized by dislocation and confusion,which is largely a result of the historical time of tremendous changes they are living in.The first section of this chapter starts by pointing out that using the historical setting of post-WWII Japan,Kazuo Ishiguro aims to implicate the profound changes any time of flux of social values would have on individuals,and in these two novels,such strong feeling of changes are embodied in the post-traumatic state of the city and people,the transformation of landscape,and in the conflict between the older and the younger generations.The second section of this chapter analyzes the dislocated individuals in these two novels.Etsuko in A Pale View of Hills and Ono in An Artist of the Floating World chases respectively happiness and the satisfaction of moral and artistic pursuits,yet because of the topsy-turvy of the time,their lives are proved to be a waste,and they themselves fall into deep gloom and confusion,while some of the younger generation in the two novels and especially in "A Family Supper " caught between different values and choices,also harbor confusion and feel unsure about the future of themselves.In the last section of the novel,Kazuo Ishiguro's biographical information and his thoughts of novel writing are explored in order to argue that the feeling of dislocation felt by the self comes from the writer's own anxiety as a young man of the post-WWII generation.The second chapter attempts a thematic study of "self" in The Remains of the Day.The protagonist Stevens' character and his change in his journey to the west is discussed within the framework of the self and the other.In Stevens' recollection and narration,the image of a self-alienated person who once stuck to the false dignity and totally denied genuine emotion surfaces along with his gradual awakening from his self-alienation through his encounter with the others along the journey,which enables him to recognize the falseness of his ego-ideal,and coming to a new understanding of himself.The first section of this chapter employs Freudian concepts of emotional projection and identification to detailedly analyze Stevens' alienation from himself,through his relationship with the two others:his father and Lord Darlington out of which he establishes his Ego-Ideal,a perfect butler with false dignity in the repression of genuine emotions and blind service to Lord Darlington.The second section traces his change of self understanding in the process of his journey to the south-west of England,through his contact with the strange world and the others.The third section argues that Stevens' image as a subservient servant is a veiled metaphor of the subjugated self in the contemporary world,while his unreliable narration filled with conflict is also a proof of the split subjectivity,both indicating the subversion of concept of the modern self.However,the awakening of Stevens is a reflection of Kazuo Ishiguro's emphasis on intersubjectivity based on sympathy.The third chapter studies the fourth and fifth novels of Kazuo Ishiguro—The Unconsoled and When We Were Orphans.In these two novels,the main concern is on the "self" shaped and influenced by traumatic experiences and nostalgic feelings.The exploration of trauma stems from the middle-aged Kazuo Ishiguro's grasp of a much darker and pessimistic understanding of life and world.In the first section,the two major characters in these two novels—Ryder and Banks' construction of the self is discussed in the light of the overwhelming influences of the traumatic experiences of their childhood.Besides,both of them are obsessed with a fantasy about the childhood,either wishing to build or restore the good old days.The ideal self thus constructed under the influences of both trauma and nostalgia,aims even to solve the bigger crisis of a city or even a world,with Ryder using art,while Banks using his detective skills.The second section deals with the failure of such salvation,as the crisis is rooted in the same trauma that has instilled the redeemer.Therefore,the unconsoled are still unconsoled,and the orphans are forever kept out of the safe bubble of childhood and never return from the harsh cruel reality.The last chapter mainly studies Kazuo Ishiguro's sixth novel Never Let me Go to show how individuals faced with mortality and social domination,live their life and prove their being.Kazuo Ishiguro is more concerned about the expression of humanity and humanistic values through the life of the clones as the others,rather than their rebellion and protest in language and actions.The first section explores the development of human consciousness from childhood to death.The second section mainly deals with the emotional relationship within the clone community.Their attachment,friendship and love,all testify humanity and help them experience their being.The last section argues that the clones also recognize their being through power of creation,memory and narration.The power of creation proves their subjectivity,memory provides witness to their being,and Kathy's narration not only helps her figure out her own being,but also strengthens her status as a subject through communication.The conclusion tentatively summarizes the evolution process of Kazuo Ishiguro's writing on"self',and several characteristics of such writing."Self" in his novels appears both as subjugated individuals and as individuals of human agency.And while his writing of "self" pays special attention to individual psychology,it also expresses Kazuo Ishiguro's idea of creating international novels.