"Fifth Business" by Robertson Davies
analytical Essay
857 words
The novel Fifth Business, by Robertson Davies, is the first installment of Roberson Davies’ Deptford Trilogy. The novel is a memoir of Robertson Davies’ fictional character, Dunstan Ramsay, in the form of a letter to the school’s headmaster. Dunstan speaks of his childhood, being involved with the town fool, Mary Dempster, and his evolving interest in hieroglyphics. Fifth Business has been ranked 40th on the American Modern Library’s “reader’s list” of the 100 best novels of the 20th century.
Robertson Davies is effective in using many different literary devices in driving his plot forward. Foreshadowing is used constantly and effectively, as this is a memoir. Since this is a memoir being narrated in the first person, the reader is able to feel Dunstin’s true emotions during his many man against man and man against nature conflicts.
The author’s development of Dunstan as a protagonist is useful in pushing the plot forward. “After a few weeks during which I was miserable because of the village talk, I sneaked over there on day and peeped in the window” (46) Although the town frowned upon Mary Dempster after her incident at the gravel pit, Dunstan continues to visit Mary, sharing the latest gossip of the town, because she is not allowed the daily newspaper. Dunstan is a very modest character, “Where Boy lived high, I lived – well, not low, but on in the way congenial to myself.” (111), he is happy with the bare necessities in life and asks for nothing more.
The other characters in the novel are seen from Dunstan’s eyes and the reader’s opinion on the characters is based on Dunstan’s feelings toward them. The author’s diction is also effective in developing characters. When Dunstan meets up with Milo after the war to discuss ...
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...l of the soldiers, and they are all alone. Dunstin decides to head towards the gun’s nest, as he suspects everyone else is headed. This symbolizes ones journey through life because we are all fighting an individual war, trying to survive. We suspect that we are all headed to the same place, thinking that we all know how to find it, even though some of us get lost along the way. This is explained briefly when Dunstan is speaking to Boy Staunton of his hieroglyphic research. “If you don’t hurry up and let life know what you want, life will damned soon show you what you’ll get” (128)
At this point in the novel, Davies has created an interesting story of a boy who is, in effect, explaining human nature through symbolism. Dunstan’s many conflicts with man and society are very effective in maintaining the readers interest in the novel and make the plot more exciting.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that robertson davies' novel fifth business is the first installment of roberson davies’ deptford trilogy. the novel is a memoir of dunstan ramsay, who speaks of his childhood, being involved with mary dempster, and his interest in hieroglyphics.
- Analyzes how robertson davies uses literary devices to drive his plot forward. foreshadowing is used constantly and effectively, as this is a memoir being narrated in the first person.
- Analyzes how 's development of dunstan as a protagonist is useful in pushing the plot forward.
- Analyzes how 's diction is effective in developing characters, such as when dunstan meets up with milo to discuss the goings on of the town while he was away. amasa dempster is perceived as an antagonist.
- Analyzes how davies' diction is effective in creating imagery for the reader. when mary dempster is lost in the gravel pit, he creates an image of a dark and mysterious place where "i was afraid, and did not know what i feared."
- Analyzes how robertson davies uses historical fact to help build the story. while dunstan is participating in the war, the narrator builds the plot by using relatable events from world war ii.
- Analyzes how dunstan has many epiphanies about what true happiness in life is really about.
- Analyzes how dunstin decides to head towards the gun’s nest, as he suspects everyone else is headed. the battle symbolizes one's journey through life.
- Analyzes how davies has created an interesting story of a boy who is, in effect, explaining human nature through symbolism. dunstan's conflicts with man and society are effective in maintaining the readers' interest in the novel.
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- Describes the fictional memoir of dunstan ramsay, a small town boy from deptford, canada, who is an intellectual man looking for meaning in life.
- Analyzes how dunstan is characterized as "fifth business" by a magic show manager named liesl. the random sexual escapade is the peak of his character arc.
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- Opines that dunstan ramsay broke the chains binding him to the title fifth business. it took him sleeping with an ugly woman to realize he has no love in his life.
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