Butler Stevens is a special presence. On the one hand, he is an excellent steward, who manages a huge manor in every detail, and maintains elegance and calmness at all times; but on the other hand, his imagination of life is cramped and barren, which limits him The courage to pursue love and realize a broader vision of life.
In a sense, he was far from perfect as an actor, because two irreconcilable forces had created a deep tear within him. Is it step-by-step to be a good steward, or wholeheartedly embrace more life possibilities and become a better person? It was an irreparable conflict for Stevens: he always fulfilled the duty of a housekeeper, but the loss of another life cast deep regret in his heart. Ultimately, he became a broken actor.
As an ordinary person, what is so special about Stevens' existence? On the one hand he lives an autonomous life. His life may seem boring and meaningless to others, and even have to sacrifice his own personal freedom, but it is indeed the life Stevens is willing to choose. Therefore, this "have to" is not forced by the external environment (such as a poor family), but the result of his active choice. The underlying reason is that Stevens has a different judgment on the value of a housekeeping career to his personal life. Under the influence of his father, he made housekeeping his ideal career very early. Therefore, for him, serving the master and always prioritizing the master's interests is a meaningful thing. And this persistence in life is not only meaningful, but also has the elegance and nobility of persistence.
But on the other hand, the damage this kind of life has brought to his life is obvious. His heart burns with a longing for free love and the vast world beyond the manor. But as a lifelong steward, he had to suppress this idea again and again, until the end of the day and he sighed in vain. Therefore, although his life is autonomous, it is incomplete, because he does not face himself truthfully, and face his deepest desires and concerns.
If the life path we choose does not conform to the deepest concerns in our hearts, even if this kind of life is autonomous, it is only "superficial and partial autonomy". To make matters worse, if we continue to be paranoid on this path, the ability to open up another possibility is also diminished. This is an easily overlooked price of autonomy.
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