Fifth Business Essay Outline
8. To what extent is a character’s dedication to a sense of responsibility a principal
motivating factor in a Fifth Business.
Introduction
In the novel, Fifth Business, Robertson Davies shows a strong dedication to a sense of
responsibility through Dunstan Ramsey’s character as a principal motivating factor in a
Fifth Business.
His strong sense of dedication to Mary, the study of hagiology, and his role as secret
keeper for Boy are entirely due to the guilt he represses over Mary.
Dunstan revolves his life around the guilt in which he possesses, which is shown through
the actions involving Mary Dempster.
Body Paragraph #1
Ever since the snowball incident, Dunstan had felt guilt for the hardship that he placed on
the Dempster family and as a result, he felt responsible for becoming Mary Dempster’s
caretaker.
i.
After the incident, Dunstan felt accountable for Paul Dempster’s premature
birth and everyday after school, he went to the Dempster’s to help with the
household chores.
a. p. 15 “I was perfectly sure, you see, that the birth of Paul Dempster, so
small, so feeble and troublesome, was my fault.”
b. p. 16 “I was alone with my guilt, and it tortured me.”
c. p. 20 “My mother ordered me over to the Dempsters’ to cop and pile
wood, sweep away snow, cut the grass, weed the vegetable patch, and
generally make myself handy two or three times week and on
Saturdays if necessary.”
ii.
As Mary becomes older, Dunstan struggles to place her into a mental hospital
and unlike her own son, his guilt forces him to visit Mary Dempster on a
regular basis
a. p. 160 “I began my visits in the autumn of 1928 and was faithful in
them till February 1932, when Miss Shanklin took pneumonia and
died.”
b. p. 161 “I experienced a remarkable rising of my spirits, which I can
only attribute to the relief of guilt. As a child I had felt oppressively
responsible for her, but I had thought all that was dissipated in the
war.”
iii. Dunstan’s love for Mary is also shown as he holds her in a special place in his
heart. She is his real family because she supports him going to war and he
cries when she dies. (didn’t cry or even feel very sad when his parents died)
a. p.59 “…she concluded by demanding I make a choice between her and
“that woman.” I made a third choice…and enlisted.
b. p.61 “…it does no good to be afraid.”
c. p. 250 “He came upon me sniffing.” (At Mary’s funeral)
Dunstan’s guilt for the damage he caused Mary Dempster, he became indebted to her in
not only caring for her physically but also to emotionlly love her.
Body Paragraph #2
Dunstan’s love for hagiology is promoted by his vision of Mary as a saint. His vision of
Mary Dempster as a Saint contributes to his profession and hobbies. It also leads him on
the path to individuation.
i.
ii.
iii.
Dunstan, as a child, believed that Mary was a saint due to her three miracles.
The first was for the tramp, the second for his brother Willie and the third was
for himself on the battlefield when he saw her face on the Madonna statue.
a. p.57 “ For me, Willie’s recall from death is, and will always be Mary
Dempster’s second miracle”
b. p.135 “for what she did for me - I mean it as I say it - was a miracle.”
c. p. 73 “…I saw there…a statue of the virgin and child” p.74“…that the
face was Mary Dempster’s face”
Dunstan grows curious of the nature of saint that his hobbies include finding
them by traveling and by writing about them. The first was
a. p.142 “…I could take ship and set out on a great hunt, starting in
England and making my across France, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria
and at last to Czechoslovakia.
b. p.142 “ …led to my book A Hundred Saints for Travelers…”
c. p. 200 “…to get as near as possible to the miraculous picture of the
Virgin.”
His hobby leads him to characters, Padre Blazon and Leisl, who help him find
his true self.
a. p.175 “ If you think her a saint, she is a saint to you.”
b. p.220 “…she was a woman who could draw out confidences…”
c. p. 230 “ Why don’t you shake hands with your devil, Ramsey, and
change this foolish life of yours?”
Dunstan’s dedication towards Mary as a saint helps him to find himself as he is
introduced to others who refine him as a person. This also leads him to a sense of mystery
and magic.
Body Paragraph #3
Dunstan keeps Boy’s secrets due to his guilt towards Mary’s state of mind because he
does not wish to accept what he has done. He hides the truth for so long then when he
realizes it is apart of who he is, he accepts it and play’s his role as the “fifth business”.
i.
Secrets he has kept from others to hide the fact that they have happened. He
tends to protect Boy from the truth of the things he has done.
a. p.2 “ I stepped briskly…in front of the Dempsters just as Percy threw.”
b. p.114 “Though he might “fall” for one of them for a few weeks”
c. p220 “If a temperamental secret-keeper like you…”
ii.
iii.
As Dunstan hide truth from others, he ends up acting as a “fifth business and
causes terrible outcomes with Mary, Leola and Boy.
a. p.191 “ Boy does not love me and you don’t either so it is best for me
to go”
b. p.236 “In vain I told her that Paul was now over forty, that he traveled
much, that he had a demanding career…”
c. p. 272 “He was killed by the usual cabal…and by the inevitable fifth,
who was keeper of his conscience and keeper of the stone.”
Dunstan’s release of guilt that his secrets have caused all due to his new found
sense of individuation.
a. p.220 “ It has done you good to tell me what you know.”
b. p.179 “ For her, poor sacrifice, and for you who must accept the
sacrifice?”
c. p. 250 “ Yes, guilt. Staunton and I robbed your mother of her sanity.”
Dunstan is the secret keeper for Boy his entire life which stops him from being able to
reach individuation. He is only able to free himself from the guilt by revealing the truth
of the matter to Paul/Eisengrim and Boy.
Conclusion
Dunstan’s undying love for Mary is due to a childhood incident has effected Dunstan’s
life in many ways, both bad and good. He has felt the guilt his entire life and for that he
has become the person he is now. He finally accept that he no longer needs the be the one
to hold that weight on his shoulders.