Prologue: Darlington Hall

• Tone

The tone of the novel is off balance, and rather bland. There are few emotive words as this would be considered unbecoming of a butler.

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•  How does “banter” contribute to a theme?

“Banter” contributes to the theme of changing social structures. Stevens is shocked by his new employer’s friendly and informal attitude towards him because such actions would have been considered impolite a decade earlier.

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•   Setting

The prologue takes place in Darlington Hall in July 1956. This post WWII setting is important as it was a time when old fashioned social norms were on the way out. Old money (as it is sometimes known) was being replaced by new wealth, and the sale of Darlington Hall to the American Mr. Farraday is representative of this change. Stevens seems to be somewhat upset by this change; he is used to formal and stiff social structures, where his social standing is clear. Mr. Farraday’s friendly and jocular manner confuses Stevens.