FIFTH BUSINESS CHAPTER QUESTIONS
Part One: Mrs. Dempster
Chapter One
1. How is Mrs Dempster established as an important character in the story?
2. What is the setting in Chapter One?
Chapter Two
1. Who is the Cork? Why is he offended?
2. What is a V.C.? (look it up).
Chapter Three
1. What do you think is the purpose of Chapter Three?
Chapter Four
1. Describe Paul Dempster as a newborn infant?
2. What do the people of Deptford think of Mrs. Dempster?
Chapter Five
1. What does Mrs. Ramsay say about Mrs. Dempster?
2. Give an example from this chapter which shows Mrs. Dempster is simple.
Chapter Six
1. Who are Milo and Myron Papple?
2. What is the bughouse?
Chapter Seven
1. Who is Leola Cruickshank?
2. How does Dunny become interested in prestidigitation?
3. How does Dunny anger his mother? What does she do?
Chapter Eight
1. How does Paul Dempster become remarkable?
Chapter Nine
1. How does Dunny come to ill-wish Amasa Dempster?
2. What does Mrs. Dempster later say to Dunny?
Chapter Ten
1. What horrifying act does Mary Dempster commit?
Chapter Eleven
1. What does Amasa Dempster do in church?
2. What is the significance of the sentence, "Not that any of the women spoke; they had done their
speaking before church and their husbands knew the price of peace."
3. How does Amasa Dempster change?
4. How does Dunny stay in touch with Mrs. Dempster?
Chapter Twelve
1. Who is Mabel Heighington? How does she play an important part in this chapter?
2. How is Percy's life complicated in this chapter?
Chapter Thirteen
1. What does Mrs. Dempster do in this chapter to make Dunny think she has performed a miracle?
2. What is interesting about the last line of the chapter?
Chapter Fourteen
1. Look up polymath?
2. How does Dunny manage to get into the army?
3. What are his feelings for Leola? What are her feelings for him?
Part Two: I Am Born Again
Chapter One
1. How does Dunny describe his state of boredom as a soldier?
2. How does he describe his fear when he faces the enemy?
3. How does Dunny come to read the New Testament?
4. What does he say was his most remarkable achievement in the army before he reached the age of
20?
Chapter Two
1. How does Dunny describe the terror of the mud?
2. What does Dunny do which makes him a hero?
3. What does he see before he loses consciousness?
Chapter Three
1. How long is Dunny unconscious?
2. What does he learn about what happened to him?
3. Who is Diana Marfleet?
4. What does Dunny say about decorations (medals)?
Chapter Four
1. Who are the Canon and the Honorable?
2. What does Dunny like about Diana's father and mother?
Chapter Five
1. Why does Dunny not enjoy the victory celebrations?
2. Recount Dunny's investiture (where he receives his VC).
3. Check the definition of fifth business in the introductory pages (as this is how Dunny sees himself)
and consider what there is in this chapter which would make him uncomfortable?
Chapter Six
1. What is it about Diana that Dunny cannot accept?
2. Why does Dunny call Leola a pinhead?
3. What kind of reputation do Canadian soldiers have in England?
4. Why does Diana want to rename Dunny and what is his new name?
5. What is the legend of St. Dunstan?
Chapter Seven
1. What happens on Dunny's return to Deptford?
2. Why is Dunny's situation in Deptford the first day ironic?
3. What is comical in the scene in the opera house?
4. Why does he say Leola is a sneak?
5. Why does Dunny resent Boy Staunton?
Chapter Eight
1. What device does the author employ in the first paragraph which heightens the interest of the
reader?
2. Imagine acting out Milo's monologue. What speed would you use? What gestures might you
employ? What purpose does the monologue serve?
Part Three: My Fool Saint
Chapter One
1. How does Dunny come to study at the University of Toronto and why does he never study for a
PhD?
2. How does he contrast himself with Boy Staunton in this chapter?
3. Who is Boy's idol?
4. Why is Dunny disturbed by Boy and Leola Cruickshank?
Chapter Two
1. How does Dunny become a teacher and why does he choose to teach at Colborne College?
2. Who are Agnes Day, Libby Doe and Gloria Mundy?
3. Why does he say he has problems in his relationships with women?
Chapter Three
1. How does Dunny benefit from his close relationship with Boy Staunton?
2. What is remarkable about Boy and Leola's wedding & how does Dunny fit in?
3. How is the situation aboard the ship ironic?
4. Who is Rev. G.M. Leadbeater?
Chapter Four
1. How does Dunny come to be interested in religious art and in hagiology?
Chapter Five
1. What is Dunny's reason for saying that private schools have an advantage over state-run schools?
2. The main focus of this chapter is Boy Staunton. How is he becoming an enviable figure?
Chapter Six
1. What does Dunny say are the two reasons that Boy's parents have for never visiting Boy and
Leola?
2. What does Dunny say is Boy's reaction to Dunny's interest in the lives of the saints?
3. Who is Joel Surgeoner?
4. What is Mary Dempster's first miracle?
Chapter Seven
1. Why does Dunny go back to Deptford and what does he learn from the magistrate?
2. Why does Dunny visit Father Ryan and what does the priest tell him?
3. How does Dunny react to Fr. Regan’s advice?
Chapter Eight
1. Who is Bertha Shanklin and how is she connected to Mary Dempster?
2. What does Miss Shanklin say about Amasa Dempster and Mary?
Chapter Nine
1. Who is Wilgefortis and what is the legend? Why is Dunny interested?
2. Why does Dunny visit Le Grand Cirque?
3. Who is Faustus Legrand?
4. Why does Dunny need to make arrangements for more money?
Part Four: Gyges and King Candaules
Chapter One
1. How does Boy Staunton become rich and powerful?
2. Is there any indication in the first three pages of this chapter that Dunny admires Boy?
3. How is Boy having difficulty with Leola?
4. What does Dunny's discussion about Coue reveal about Boy Staunton?
5. What are the photos of Leola that Boy wants Dunny to look at?
Chapter Two
1. Who is Orpheus Wettenhall?
2. How does Dunny become Mary Dempster's guardian?
3. What does Dunny decide about popularity and good character?
4. What does Dunny do with Mary Dempster?
Chapter Three
1. Who are the Bollandists and what is the Acta Sanctorum?
2. How does Dunny impress his students and why do his colleagues think he is eccentric?
3. Who is Padre Blazon?
4. Why does Boy Staunton want to show Dunny off to his friends?
5. What does Pere Blazon advise Dunny to do about Mary Dempster?
Chapter Four
1. Why does Dunny not want to ask Boy to help with Mary Dempster?
2. What are Dunny's accomplishments as a writer?
3. What is corporation homosexuality?
4. What is Boy's reaction to the abdication of Edward VIII?
5. How is Boy Staunton exposed as a failure as a husband and as a father?
Part Five: Liesl
Chapter One
1. What happens to Boy Staunton's career in this chapter? How is his family affected?
2. Boy tells Dunny he will be replaced as headmaster when the war is over; what reasons does he
give?
3. When Dunny receives a six month leave what does he plan to do?
Chapter Two
1. Why does Dunny decide religion is important in a person's life?
2. Who is Magnus Eisengrim and why is he important?
3. What are The Dream of Midas and The Vision of Faustus?
Chapter Three
1. Who is Lieselotte? Who is Faustina?
2. What does Dunny agree to do for the magic show? Why is Dunny chosen for the job?
Chapter Four
1. What disturbing changes take place in Dunny's character? How is he being foolish?
2. What does Liesl think of Mrs. Dempster, of Deptford, of Dunny's upbringing?
3. How is Dunny's infatuation with Faustina shattered?
Chapter Five
1. What is significant about Liesl's having seen Dunny in the mirror?
2. How is the ending of Dunny's fight with Leisl interesting?
3. What is amusing about Liesl and Dunny's lovemaking?
4. How does the incident with the Spaniard provide a comical touch?
Part Six: The Soiree of Illusions
Chapter One
1. Why does Dunny enjoy writing Eisengrim's biography?
2. What happens when Dunny tells Mary Dempster about Paul?
Chapter Two
1. How does Dunny lose touch with Boy Staunton?
2. Who is Denyse Hornick?
3. What foolish things does Boy Staunton do as a politician?
Chapter Three
1. What does Dunny say about people who are ignorant in church matters?
2. What mistake does Boy Staunton make at the York Club?
3. What aphorism (saying) does Dunny apply to Boy Staunton?
Chapter Four
1. How does Dunny think he contributed to Mary Dempster's death?
2. Why does he sniff her body in the funeral parlour?
3. Why is Mary's funeral so sad?
Chapter Five
1. Where does Dunny find Padre Blazon?
2. How does Dunny reply about meeting the devil?
3. How does Dunny find the little Madonna?
4. Why is his finding the statue so ironic?
Chapter Six
1. What is a nine-day wonder (definition)?
2. How does Boy die?
3. Why is Dunny's heart attack convenient?
4. What does Dunny tell the headmaster?
Chapter Seven
1. Why does Dunny decide he likes Liesl?
2. What does Dunny say about Eisengrim and Boy Staunton?
3. What is a geek?
4. Why is it significant that Boy does not recall the snowball incident?
5. Who is now a suspect in Boy's death?
Chapter Eight
1. How does the brazen head show knowledge of Boy's death? Why would the police become
interested?
2. Why does Dunny go to Switzerland?