What is this Greatness?

 "And yet what precisely is this 'greatness'? Just where, or in what, does it lie? I am quite aware it would take a far wiser head than mine to answer such a question, but if I were forced to hazard a guess, I would say that it is the very lack of obvious drama or spectacle that sets the beauty of our land apart. What is pertinent is the calmness of that beauty, its sense of restraint. It is as though the land knows of its own beauty, of its own greatness, and feels no need to shout it. In comparison, the sorts of sights offered in such places as Africa and America, though undoubtedly very exciting, would, I am sure, strike the objective viewer as inferior on account of their unseemly demonstrativeness."(Ishiguro 28)


     In this passage, the use of personification and diction help to make the meaning clear. Firstly, Stevens uses personification as he speak about the English countryside that he is looking at. Stevens's personification truly relates to the reader the aspects that he thinks are important to not only being a great butler, but to be great in general. Firstly, Stevens states that the land, "knows of its own beauty, of its own greatness, and feels no need to shout it," implying that this is a special feature of the English landscape. From Stevens's statement, the reader can gather that Stevens thinks that modesty is an important trait to have to achieve greatness. This is important, as Stevens tries to be great throughout his entire life, and it starts with being modest. Also, in other sections of the novel, Stevens speaks about how only English people can be great butlers because of their control of their emotions and the restraint that they have. Stevens's idea of restraint relates to the excerpt because Stevens says, while describing the land, that, "What is pertinent is the calmness of that beauty, its sense of restraint." Stevens appears to believe that this sense of restraint is the second key in order to be great. Stevens's restrain becomes obvious because he lives his life trying not to upset other people or oppose anything that another person has said. This passage clearly reveals the reasons for Stevens's actions and adds the idea of greatness that is explored later in the novel.

     Next, the diction in this excerpt reveals more about Stevens's feelings. Throughout the novel, Stevens uses words and sentence structures that sound very complex in order to give an air of intelligence. In a way, he explains why he does this in this passage; he is attempting to be great. While the passage itself reflects on how to actually be great, the diction of the passage represents another aspect that is not explicitly written. The words that Stevens uses are mainly positive in the excerpt, implying that the person trying to be great must be in good spirits and be positive. This is important, as everything Stevens does is to be great, and his lexicon is no exception. Similarly, Stevens's diction implies that a great person must be somewhat educated and intelligent. Intelligence is clearly important to Stevens, especially because of the long, intelligent-sounding words that he uses and his complex sentence structure. Stevens clearly wants to sounds as smart as possible at all times in an effort to be great. In summary, the diction in the passage furthers Stevens ideas about the ways in which a person can be great.