p 195 It s hardly for me to pronounce upon qualities I may not possess p
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As the nineteenth century drew to a close, British Empire was increasingly portrayed as an expression of British racial and moral superiority. Stevens bears a closer resemblance to the colonized subject. Ultimately, Ishiguro is critiquing the politics of colonialism that occur within a nation. What we have in this passage is a complex view that encompasses the whole novel; it is an example of both character and a critique of imperialism and empire. Stevens believes there are three stages of absolute dignity that in fact, lay bare the ideology that is an extension of customs within Britain of the period. Servants were often perceived as inferior to their masters.
'The man in the street can't be expected to know enough about politics, economics, world commerce and what have you. And why should he?'
Harry Smith's egalitarian conceptualisation of dignity is completely diametrically opposed to Steven's definition of dignity. Harry Smith defines the political climate of England as being unrestrained, a country where you 'express your opinion freely'...