Notes from 'I’m Sorry I Can’t Say More’: An Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro

Author events have evolved from simple readings to discussions and Q&A sessions, becoming an art form in themselves.
There's a growing trend where people gain knowledge of the literary scene through author events, potentially bypassing the books themselves.
While these events prevent authors from becoming too introverted and remind them they write for real people, they also pose a problem.
Authors may become overly sensitive to their foreign readership, potentially impacting their writing and sense of identity.
Globalization's influence on authors can lead to a loss of connection with their own language as they try to cater to various audiences.

Readers often speculate about the meanings of Ishiguro's work based on his biography, especially his connection to Japan and characters who are outsiders.
Ishiguro questions whether his characters are truly outsiders, suggesting they are often deeply embedded in their societies.
He wrote "The Remains of the Day" to explore the idea that many people are like butlers, accepting their roles and not questioning the system.
Ishiguro acknowledges the influence of the book world and literary criticism on his work.
He emphasizes the need for more contact between universities and writers to foster literary discussions away from commercial pressures.
Universities can serve as a shelter from rampant commercialism, providing a space to discuss the values of literary tradition.

Ishiguro wants to be considered a serious writer who engages in meaningful conversations with his readers about life's important questions.
He acknowledges influences from Japanese filmmakers like Kurosawa and Ozu, who represent the 'humanist tradition' of film.
He contrasts this with Japanese novelists like Mishima and Kawabata, whose negative and nihilistic views he found alienating.
Ishiguro relates more to contemporary Japanese writers like Haruki Murakami, who represent a different, more accessible tradition.

Ishiguro distances himself from the label of 'Postmodernism,' finding writers like Bartheleme or Calvino less useful than classic authors like Dickens, Dostoevsky, Jane Austen and Tolstoy.
He is not interested in 'metafiction' or writing about the nature of fiction itself.
Instead, he focuses on how communities and nations tell stories about their past, and the implications for the present and future.
Ishiguro is interested in the tools used to tell these stories, such as TV programs, journalism, and commentary, and whether these stories aim to be honest or deceptive.
These questions are similar to those that apply to the function of religion in society.

Ishiguro has an uneasy relationship with settings and history, feeling that he has used history as a source for his fiction.
He contrasts himself with writers like Primo Levi or Irène Némirovsky, who bear witness to specific historical events.
Settings often come late in his writing process, chosen for their ability to orchestrate the story effectively.
Ishiguro acknowledges the potential for misrepresenting events and the tragic experiences of real people when using history as a backdrop.
He discusses the challenges of setting a novel about how communities remember and forget their history, balancing specificity with universal metaphors.

Ishiguro considers the location of consciousness in a novel more important than the distinction between first- or third-person narration.
He is moving away from the first person to avoid artistic stagnation and to reflect the changing times.
The repressed voice of the first person, common in works like "The Remains of the Day," is less suitable for expressing contemporary experiences.
Ishiguro notes that Freudian ideas had a significant effect on writers of his generation, influencing their understanding of character and emotional repression.
He criticizes the lazy use of trauma and flashbacks in popular fiction to explain character traits, arguing that people are more complex and unpredictable.
Ishiguro suggests it may be time to move beyond the Freudian novel and accept the unaccountable nature of human beings.

Ishiguro would never want to go back and rewrite his previous work, as it represents who he was at the time.
He used to throw away all notes and drafts but stopped after a book collector advised him to save and sell them.
Ishiguro questions the value of these materials, suggesting that the focus should be on the dialogue between author and reader and the appreciation of the work of art itself.

Ishiguro is not very prolific, but he writes a lot experiments behind the novel.
Ishiguro expresses concern about abusing history and short story forms.
He views short stories as experiments of his novels.
Film offers a collaborative artistic experience, counteracting the insularity of novel writing.
Film provides exposure to technical and commercial decisions, enriching the creative process.
Ishiguro values the collaborative nature of filmmaking, where the writer is lower in the creative hierarchy.
Watching and being involved in films has a big effect on the way Ishiguro writes.

Ishiguro views film adaptations as related to the book, but not direct translations.
Casting and story decisions in film are often influenced by practical and non-artistic factors.
Anthony Hopkins created a different version of Stevens in the film, which Ishiguro appreciated.
In filmmaking non-atristic reasons influence the final story compared to books, since books allow more control.

Ishiguro tries to create situations where characters are emotionally eccentric.
The big thing about Never Let Me Go is that they never rebel.
The characters' passive acceptance of their fate reflects how most people accept their own mortality and the conditions of their lives.
Ishiguro wanted the characters to react to the horrible programme they seem to be subjected to in much the way in which we accept the human condition, accept ageing, and falling to bits, and dying.
Ishiguro is concerned with straightforward truths about the human condition.
He downplays the significance of allusions and symbols in his work, prioritizing emotional resonance and atmosphere.
The boat scene in "Never Let Me Go" was inspired by a real-life sighting and intended to be a cultural event for the characters.
Ishiguro likens his creative process to that of a musician, making decisions based on what sounds and feels right.