A Conspicuous Eccentricity of Memory and Narrative Technique in the Eminent Novels of Kazuo Ishiguro

Abstract

The three novels of Ishiguro- The Remains of the day, The Buried Giant and, An Artist of the Floating World will demonstrate how the author has constituted the core experience that shapes the identity of narrators introduced to the readers. Whether it be a traumatic ordeal, social degradation, a failed relationship, or loss of an emotional anchor, the painful memory works as the dividing line between the past and the present of the narrator. The argument here is that the narrator, in question,cannot cope with the past and is being under the constant influence of the legacy of the pain and loss. This leads the narrators to experience immense guilt that they choose to suppress and have a sense of disappointment/failure regarding the lives they have led.The instrument that Ishiguro uses to revisit the past of these characters is through the use of memory. It is seen that they, the narrators, do acknowledge that their recollection of the past events might have a few disparities; however, the events that took place are far beyond said minor changes that might occur in recalling the memory. It helps Ishiguro explore "how one uses memory for one's own purposes" (interview by Mason, 14).