BM504002 Seminar on English Novels B

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School School of Letters

Lecture Code BM504002 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name イギリス小説文学演習Ｂ

Subject Name
（Katakana）イギリスショウセツブンガクエンシュウB

Subject Name in
English Seminar on English Novels B

Instructor To be announced.

Instructor
(Katakana) タントウキョウインミテイ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 2nd-Year, Second Semester, 4Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (4T) Thur5-8：LET B102

Lesson Style Seminar Lesson Style
(More Details) Online (simultaneous interactive)

Seminar, Discussion

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction B : Japanese／English

Course Level 2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 05 : Literature

Eligible Students

Keywords England, Literature, History

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) British, American, and European Languages and Literatures, and Linguistics
（Abilities and Skills）
・Acquisition of the reading comprehension skills on British and American, German, and French literatures and languages, and other languages

Class Objectives
/Class Outline This course focuses on The Remains of the Day (1989) by Kazuo Ishiguro.　Set mainly in the interwar period, the novel offers a glimpse into a particular moment in English society and history, while at the same time quietly raising questions about the ethics of narration that are specific to first-person storytelling.　In this seminar, students will first read the novel by allowing themselves to be guided by the narrator’s voice. Building on this reading experience, they will then examine what the narrator tells—and what he does not tell—as well as how readers are (mis)guided in their interpretation of the story.　By the end of the course, students will be able to articulate these issues in their own words.

Class Schedule Lesson 1: Introduction
Course overview and guidelines; use of Zoom; technical check.

Lesson 2: Constructing the Self
Prologue: July 1956, Darlington Hall, pp. 3–20

Lesson 3: Narrated Events
Day One—Evening, Salisbury, pp. 23–45

Lesson 4: Recollected Pasts
Day Two—Morning, Salisbury, pp. 49–70
(up to ‘it was indeed as though he hoped to find some precious jewel he had dropped there’)

Lesson 5: Constructing Others
Day Two—Morning, Salisbury, pp. 70–95
(up to ‘it was M. Dupont who somehow held the key to the outcome of the following days’)

Lesson 6: Consistency of the Narrative? (1)
Day Two—Morning, Salisbury, pp. 95–115

Lesson 7: Consistency of the Narrative? (2)
Day Two—Afternoon, Mortimer’s Pond, Dorset, pp. 119–133

Lesson 8: Review of the First Half
What does the narrator appear to be telling us?

Lesson 9: The (Mis)guided Reader (1)
Day Three—Morning, Taunton, Somerset, pp. 137–149

Lesson 10: The Guided Reader (2)
Day Three—Evening, Moscombe, near Tavistock, Devon, pp. 153–184
(up to “Thank you very kindly for the cocoa”)

Lesson 11: The Guided Reader (3)
Day Three—Evening, Moscombe, near Tavistock, Devon, pp. 184–211

Lesson 12: The Guided Reader (4)
Day Four—Afternoon, Little Compton, Cornwall, pp. 215–239

Lesson 13: The Guided Reader (5)
Day Six—Evening, Weymouth, pp. 243–258

Lesson 14: The Ethics of Narration
What does the narrator not tell us?

Lesson 15: Concluding Discussion
Report submission: details will be provided during class.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day, Faber & Faber, 1989.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Zoom

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions, Post-class Report

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Lesson 1: Preparation: Read the syllabus carefully and confirm the aims and structure of the course；Review: Make a reading plan for the semester.
Lesson 2: Preparation: Read the assigned section paying attention to the tone of the narration; Review: Organise your observations on the narrator’s self-image.
Lesson 3: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to causal relationships between events; Review: Reflect on how the narrator’s value judgments are presented.
Lesson 4: Preparation: Read the assigned section, focusing on recollections of the past; Review: Organise your understanding of the temporal structure of the narrative.
Lesson 5: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying close attention to character portrayal; Review: Identify what the narrator emphasises and what he avoids.
Lesson 6: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to tone and phrasing; Review: Consider the consistency of the narration.
Lesson 7: Preparation: Read the assigned section, thinking about the significance of settings and events; Review: Review the development of the narrative up to this point.
Lesson 8: Preparation: Briefly review the sections covered so far; Review: Organise key points and questions in preparation for writing the report.
Lesson 9: Preparation: Read the assigned section, noting any changes in the narrator’s attitude; Review: Organise your thoughts on discrepancies between narration and action.
Lesson 10: Preparation: Read the assigned section, focusing on scenes of dialogue; Review: Reflect on how the narrator interprets events and interactions.
Lesson 11: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to expressions of emotion; Review: Organize any moments of discomfort or unease you experienced as a reader.
Lesson 12: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to changes as the narrative approaches its conclusion; Review: Reflect on the narrator’s self-understanding.
Lesson 13: Preparation: Read the assigned section, focusing on how the story is brought to a close; Review: Review the overall structure of the novel.
Lesson 14: Preparation: Review the novel as a whole and reread passages that left a strong impression; Review: Organise your thoughts on the narrative effects of the novel.
Lesson 15: Preparation: Review the content of the course as a whole; Review: Organise key points and arguments for the final report.

Requirements

Grading Method In-class activities (40%), Mid-term/final reports (60%)

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	School of Letters
Lecture Code	BM504002	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	イギリス小説文学演習Ｂ
Subject Name （Katakana）	イギリスショウセツブンガクエンシュウB
Subject Name in English	Seminar on English Novels B
Instructor	To be announced.
Instructor (Katakana)	タントウキョウインミテイ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	2nd-Year, Second Semester, 4Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(4T) Thur5-8：LET B102
Lesson Style	Seminar	Lesson Style (More Details)	Online (simultaneous interactive)
Seminar, Discussion
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	B : Japanese／English
Course Level	2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	05 : Literature
Eligible Students
Keywords	England, Literature, History
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	British, American, and European Languages and Literatures, and Linguistics （Abilities and Skills）・Acquisition of the reading comprehension skills on British and American, German, and French literatures and languages, and other languages
Class Objectives /Class Outline	This course focuses on The Remains of the Day (1989) by Kazuo Ishiguro.　Set mainly in the interwar period, the novel offers a glimpse into a particular moment in English society and history, while at the same time quietly raising questions about the ethics of narration that are specific to first-person storytelling.　In this seminar, students will first read the novel by allowing themselves to be guided by the narrator’s voice. Building on this reading experience, they will then examine what the narrator tells—and what he does not tell—as well as how readers are (mis)guided in their interpretation of the story.　By the end of the course, students will be able to articulate these issues in their own words.
Class Schedule	Lesson 1: Introduction Course overview and guidelines; use of Zoom; technical check. Lesson 2: Constructing the Self Prologue: July 1956, Darlington Hall, pp. 3–20 Lesson 3: Narrated Events Day One—Evening, Salisbury, pp. 23–45 Lesson 4: Recollected Pasts Day Two—Morning, Salisbury, pp. 49–70 (up to ‘it was indeed as though he hoped to find some precious jewel he had dropped there’) Lesson 5: Constructing Others Day Two—Morning, Salisbury, pp. 70–95 (up to ‘it was M. Dupont who somehow held the key to the outcome of the following days’) Lesson 6: Consistency of the Narrative? (1) Day Two—Morning, Salisbury, pp. 95–115 Lesson 7: Consistency of the Narrative? (2) Day Two—Afternoon, Mortimer’s Pond, Dorset, pp. 119–133 Lesson 8: Review of the First Half What does the narrator appear to be telling us? Lesson 9: The (Mis)guided Reader (1) Day Three—Morning, Taunton, Somerset, pp. 137–149 Lesson 10: The Guided Reader (2) Day Three—Evening, Moscombe, near Tavistock, Devon, pp. 153–184 (up to “Thank you very kindly for the cocoa”) Lesson 11: The Guided Reader (3) Day Three—Evening, Moscombe, near Tavistock, Devon, pp. 184–211 Lesson 12: The Guided Reader (4) Day Four—Afternoon, Little Compton, Cornwall, pp. 215–239 Lesson 13: The Guided Reader (5) Day Six—Evening, Weymouth, pp. 243–258 Lesson 14: The Ethics of Narration What does the narrator not tell us? Lesson 15: Concluding Discussion Report submission: details will be provided during class.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day, Faber & Faber, 1989.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Zoom
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions, Post-class Report
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Lesson 1: Preparation: Read the syllabus carefully and confirm the aims and structure of the course；Review: Make a reading plan for the semester. Lesson 2: Preparation: Read the assigned section paying attention to the tone of the narration; Review: Organise your observations on the narrator’s self-image. Lesson 3: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to causal relationships between events; Review: Reflect on how the narrator’s value judgments are presented. Lesson 4: Preparation: Read the assigned section, focusing on recollections of the past; Review: Organise your understanding of the temporal structure of the narrative. Lesson 5: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying close attention to character portrayal; Review: Identify what the narrator emphasises and what he avoids. Lesson 6: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to tone and phrasing; Review: Consider the consistency of the narration. Lesson 7: Preparation: Read the assigned section, thinking about the significance of settings and events; Review: Review the development of the narrative up to this point. Lesson 8: Preparation: Briefly review the sections covered so far; Review: Organise key points and questions in preparation for writing the report. Lesson 9: Preparation: Read the assigned section, noting any changes in the narrator’s attitude; Review: Organise your thoughts on discrepancies between narration and action. Lesson 10: Preparation: Read the assigned section, focusing on scenes of dialogue; Review: Reflect on how the narrator interprets events and interactions. Lesson 11: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to expressions of emotion; Review: Organize any moments of discomfort or unease you experienced as a reader. Lesson 12: Preparation: Read the assigned section, paying attention to changes as the narrative approaches its conclusion; Review: Reflect on the narrator’s self-understanding. Lesson 13: Preparation: Read the assigned section, focusing on how the story is brought to a close; Review: Review the overall structure of the novel. Lesson 14: Preparation: Review the novel as a whole and reread passages that left a strong impression; Review: Organise your thoughts on the narrative effects of the novel. Lesson 15: Preparation: Review the content of the course as a whole; Review: Organise key points and arguments for the final report.
Requirements
Grading Method	In-class activities (40%), Mid-term/final reports (60%)
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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