Locted at the south of Africa, South Africa hosts a wide variety of ethnocultural communities: Black South Africans (80%), White South Africans, and Indian, Chinese, and multiracial South Africans . A total of 11 different languages are recognized here. It has a history of foreign colonization including the the Portuguese, Dutch, British, eventually gaining independence with the South Africa Act 1909.
Hertfordshire is part of the historic county in southern England. The county consists of ten districts: East Hertfordshire, North Hertfordshire, Three Rivers, Welwyn Hatfield, Broxbourne, Dacorum, Hertsmere, Stevenge, Watford, and the city of St. Albans. As indicated by the time frame in the novel, Hertfordshire was connected with the aircraft industry and held a number of artillery bases during the 1920s-1930s. Pre-WWII the population of Hertfordshire was about 10,000.
At the beginning of the 1930s, France was hit by the Great Depression. France did not recover from the economic problems that were caused by the Depression which led to some political unrest within the country. This was evidenced by the extreme political parties that grew in power during this time. On the left was the Popular Front, an alliance between several radical left-wing groups. On the right were groups like the French Popular Party, a fascist and anti-Semitic political party. France was divided politically as it inched closer and closer to war with Germany.
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Scotland, given its proximity to England, has had a strong connection with Britain throughout the 10th century. During World War I, Scotland aided Britain greatly with both human and mechanical labor. However, Scotland faced a severe depression during the 1920s to 1930s, with great amounts of social, poltical, and civil unrest. However, in Remains of the Day, Stevens in his flahback only recalls an event that consisted of "distinguished persons from Scotland" (D3E).
Bolshevik Russia referred to Russia when the Bolsheviks were in power. The Bolsheviks were a revolutionary Marxist political group founded by Vladimir Lennon, who took power during the October Revolution in November 1917. They became the only ruling political party in Soviet Russia. The period that Bolshevik Russia ended could be marked in 1952 when the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was created and became the ruling party. Bolshevik Russia is referenced once in The Remains of the Day:
The East End of London is the historic center of East London, which is larger. The area is located east of the medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames, with no formal borders to the north and east.
Tavistock was Stevens' intended destination for Day 3. The text reads, "I had planned to lodge the night in the town of Tavistock, where I arrived a little before eight o'clock." However, due to a lack of vacancy because of an agricultural fair, Stevens had to opt for lodging in a neighboring town called Moscombe.
Darlington Hall is a ficticious location made up in The Remains of the Day. In reality, it is a conflation of several houses. In the novel, it is the stately home of Lord Darlington near Oxford, England. The novel is largely based upon the life of the head butler, Mr. Stevens, and his journey serving the house from the 1920s-1950s. The Remains of the Day's setting is mostly inside Darlington Hall while Mr. Stevens reminisces on his earlier days as a butler and his relationship with Lord Darlington.
The United States is a nation in North America. Originally consisting of British colonies, the U.S. gained its independence in 1776 after The Revolutionary War. Today, it is a major player on the world stage politically, socially, and eceonomically.
