Fifth Business is a novel that dives deep into the issues of the human condition. Guilt and inhumanity are apparent at most points in the novel, as the characters of the novel are effected by separate incidents in very different ways. The battle between illusion and reality surfaces in the main conflict of the novel between the two main characters, Dunstan Ramsay and Percy Boyd Staunton. Faith is relied upon by some of the main characters in an attempt to choose between what is right and what is wrong. In the end, the reader is exposed to a stable, but exciting novel with two characters that prove to be perfect foils to each other.
Characters of the Novel
Dunstan He is the protagonist of the novel. He values spiritual things and tries to discover the inner good in everyone. He leaves a lot of things in his life up to chance, as he never really gains control over his life. He is just "Fifth Business" of everyone else in the world as he so discovers in the end.
Percy Percy provides the novel with the perfect parallel to Dunstan. He does, however, contrast in many ways to Dunstan. They are best friends, but Percy rivalry results in the formation of the main setting of the novel. Percy also feels more of an attachment to material goods than Dunstan does. He thinks only of himself and is in constant pursuit of total and utter control. Percy was low moral standards in comparison to Dunstan and in some ways, feels he is of a higher stature than other human beings. This awkward relationship between him and Dunstan forms the basis of the novel.
Leola She is the girl in the novel who is fought over by both Percy and Dunstan. At different points in the novel, she is involved with relationships with both of the two men. They ways in which she is treated by the two men is reminiscent of their moral views. She gets married to Percy, but it doesn't last as Percy has many affairs as he cannot make the commitment to her. Leola dies and Percy doesn't even come to her funeral, further representing just what their relationship lacked.
Diana She is the girl whom Dunstan refuses to marry. She becomes too much like a mother to him, and as he lost his own mother, he is not in a hurry to acquire another.
Robertson Davies’ colourful novel “Fifth Business” outlines and describes the development of a lost and emotionally void man, Dunstan Ramsay. This is a man who carries the weight of Paul Dempsters premature birth on his shoulders his entire life. It portrays his quest for self knowledge, happiness, and ultimately fulfilling his role as ‘Fifth Business.’ This would not have accomplished without Liesl, an extremely graceful and intelligent woman imprisoned inside a deformed and gargantuan body. Liesl plays a vital role in Dunstan’s development and psychological rebirth, as she helps him rediscover his body, his emotions, and himself.
The novel Fifth Business written by Robertson Davies is about Dunstan Ramsay’s life. The novel begins from Parker’s newsletter that offends Dunstan and triggers him to write about his life to the headmaster. Davies uses Carl Jung’s archetypes to develop his novel Fifth Business which are the archetypal figures, archetypal hero’s journey, and fifth business.
They continued to encounter each other a number of times later in the book when they both were much older. An ongoing theme between the two would be guilt and competition. This theme was first brought up during their childhood when the two of them both wanted Leola Cruickshank for their own. Dunstan is the fifth business to be married to Percy, as well as Percy and Leola as a couple.
Fifth Business Part Three, Chapter Two. What Happened? In the chapter Dunstan gets a teaching position at Colborne College. He finds himself talking about his days teaching and old girlfriends. The idea of a new love seems like a viable option for him. Setting:..
He never would’ve thought ducking under a snowball would change his life completely. After getting argument about who sled was faster, Percy, Dunstan’s spoiled childhood friend fires a snowball at Dunstan. After dodging it, the ball struck Mary Dempster, the town’s priest’s wife. This launches a whole chain of events, starting with Mrs. Dempster becoming simple, then the premature birth of her son, Paul Dempster. It causes Dunstan’s whole life to revolve around looking after Mrs. Dempster. It sets him on paths that he otherwise may not have taken, such as traveling to Europe to study saints or going to war. Without this incident Dunstan’s wouldn’t of met the people he did who helped him create and gain knowledge about his mythology. Life would be completely different for people from Deptford, people like Paul, Mary, Surgeoner and in the end Boy all would’ve had different lives. This is the first story that beings to shape Duntan’s life and is the starting point of Dunstan’s personal
Dunstan’s guilt originates in his childhood on account of a traumatizing encounter. The guilt Dunstan continuously endures is with him throughout his life, starting with the snowball incident caused by the vindictive Percy. Percy Boyd Staunton, acting foolish, throws a snowball intended for Dunstan; however, Dunstan ducks, and it hits pregnant Mary Dempster. As a result, Mrs. Dempster develops mental health problems and she is forced to
The main goal in life is to discover ourselves. Many psychologists have thought of ways to explain the process on how to achieve this goal, one of which is Carl Gustav Jung. Jung came up with breakthrough theories that dealt with knowing yourself, and in many people’s eyes surpassed the theories of others. His most famous theory was the process towards achieving self-awareness, also known as individuation. According to Carl Jung there are four main aspects to completing the journey of self-awareness, they are, the Persona, the Shadow, the Anima, and the Self. Each aspect, better known as an archetype is crucial to reaching self-awareness and each archetype relies on the one before it. This view on self-awareness was widely publicised and had an impact on many people, one of whom was Robertson Davies, the author of the fictional memoir “Fifth Business”. Davies used this concept of the journey towards self-awareness in his novel, and inflicted it upon the protagonist, Dunstan Ramsay. Dunstan undergoes this journey throughout the course of the novel, and is cast into the role of the outcast, the role of Fifth Business, in which the title suggests. When someone is Fifth Business, they are the outcast in their own lives, not being the person in control, and Dunstan fits into this role perfectly. Fifth Business “knows the secret of the hero’s birth, comes to the assistance of the heroine, when she thinks all is lost, keeps the hermitess in her cell, and may even be the cause for somebody’s death”(Davies,218). This explanation of Fifth Business fits into Dunstan’s life with a high degree of accuracy, vaguely yet precisely outlining the events of his life. Dunstan achieved self-awareness by embracing his role of Fifth Business....
What is he searching for? What is his attitude toward his quest? What do these details suggest to you about his character?
Percy’s and Dunstan’s characters contrast in many ways. The most prominent way in which they contrast is their values. Dunstan values spiritual things, while Percy values only material things. Percy is impressed by and yearns for money, while Dunstan could care less about it. Dunstan explains his lack of desire for materialistic things:
Percy Jackson is the main character in this story, who is a demi god, who mortals are after. His name is short for Perseus and his father is one of the big three gods, Poseidon. He is suffering from dyslexia and ADHD, which could be deliberately added to the character by Riordan, to show he is meant to be a hero, and not to do well in school. This shows that school is not what he is good at, and he is destined to be a hero and save people. The character Grover, who plays Percy’s best friend, parallels a Satyr who is human from the waist up and goat from the waist down and is a companion of wine God, Dionysus, who we later learn, is the camp director for Half-Blood Camp.
anima archetype, the female opposite of him. This is proven as Dunstan remarked,” She had nothing
Interwoven with light and shadows, Robertson Davies’s Fifth Business is penetrated with fantastical elements that rub uneasily against feelings of guilt. A snowball thrown by young "Boy" Staunton misses Dunstan and hits Mary Dempster, causing the premature birth of Paul and the insanity of Mary. Guilt ensues and threatens to envelop Dunstable, Dunny, and Dunstan. One is his name by birth; the other a pet name; and the third, his true name upon being born again. With so many identities, Dunstan struggles to understand his role as fifth business and to learn to untie himself from his burden of guilt. Conventional religion may confine Dunstan Ramsay’s spiritual growth, but it lays a firm foundation for him to mature. Myth finds a place in the heart of Dunstan and teaches him to grow. Magic is the escape of yore that Dunstan seeks and successfully rediscovers. Religion, myth, and magic are intertwined in Dunstan Ramsay’s life, crucial for the completion of Ramsay as a person through the wonder they inspire.
Johnny and Dally are both very contrasting characters and each play a vital role in both the novel and Ponyboy’s life. Johnny is a soft character who is regarded as the stereotypical Greaser. Dally is a rugged and rough character that is regarded as a hoodlum. Therefore, I believe that this paper has been able to answer the topic question and also support my thesis.
This is the true start to Percy’s quest. He made a few friends in the camp and they agreed to go on this journey with him. Those accompanying him were his protector Grover and Athena’s daughter Annabeth. They also get some helpful tools fro...
Despite his good intentions of protecting his only friend Grover from a bully, Percy gets in trouble at school and is pulled aside by one of his teachers, who is revealed to be the Fury Alecto, one of Hades's servants in disguise. It is at this point in the story that the second stage, The Call to Adventure, comes into play.... ... middle of paper ... ...