While this book is actually set AFTER wartime, most of the action, in the form of the butler's flashbacks, are from before and during the war. So it totally counts. I think.
It amazes me that this man has so little sense of self, so little ambition in life other than to be a great butler. He doesn't even want to be a good MAN, just a good butler. He throws away, and even doesn't seem to have in the first place, a sense of his own morals but merely adapts to those of his employer and then take them as scripture. No original thought has crossed his mind and he has no thoughts or opinions of his own, but will defend those of his master until his dying day, even though he doesn't understand any of it. Even then, he counts himself as being part of this great change merely because the silver was clean or the drinks were brought in a timely manner to the men who were ACTUALLY making the decisions about the fate of Great Britain and the like. He might as well have not even been there.
But this gives him a purpose that keeps him going and will likely keep him going until he drops dead with a tray in his hand while he apologizes for the mess on his way down.
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