Fifth Business

A detailed Summary of Fifth Business

Many people dislike a certain individual when they meet or exceed certain predefined criteria. In the novel FIFTH BUSINESS by Robertson Davies, the antagonist, Percy Boyd Staunton, performs a number of incidents, which leads one to dislike him. He denies his guilt of throwing a snowball, happily displays nude pictures of his wife, and commits adultery. In his early childhood, Boy throws a paperweight concealed in a snowball at Mrs. Dempster. Towards the end of the book, Boy denies ever throwing the snowball at her, oblivious to the fact that Dunstable (Dunny) Ramsay was present at that time. The fact that a man of such grace and distinction like Boy Staunton denies the guilt of throwing the snowball that causes a dramatic change in the mental stability of Mrs. Dempster, as well as the birth of a premature child, Paul Dempster, angers one. Shortly after Mrs. Dempster's assailant, Boy, throws the snowball at her, Dunny, unable to contain his own guilt, confronts Boy about the guilty deed. Boy, exemplifying his nonchalant attitude, denies all accusations Dunny makes about him. Dunny makes this point evident when he says, "We looked into each other's eyes and I knew that he was afraid, and I knew also that he would fight, lie, do anyt

'There's no reason to carry on like that... But if you think I intend to be tied down to this sort of thing' - and he gestured towards the drawing-room, which was, I must say, a dismal, toy-littered waste of wealthy, frumpish domesticity - 'you can think again.' (Davies 186)

'Boy, please put them away or I'll have to go upstairs. I don't want Dunny to see them while I'm here.'

As a result of Leola being unable to adhere to his standards, Boy begins neglecting her and their children. For a father to respond to his wife in such an insulting manner would not only disgrace Leola, but would have more of an affect on the children present in that room. Children are the most precious creatures in our society, and treating them with disrespect, uttering insults to each other, and displaying sinful habits in front of them could scar them for life. Boy's sinful behaviour of adultery would have a serious affect on his children in the future, as well as crush his wife's self-esteem. As his neglect and carelessness grows, so does Boy's guilt. This is evident when Boy does not attend Leola's funeral after her suicide. Throughout the novel, Davies illustrates predefined unpleasant criteria which Boy seems to excel in. Denying the guilt of throwing the snowball which injures a person, happily displaying nude pictures of his wife in the presence of her and a friend, as well as committing adultery and disrespecting his children are some of the many occurrences that Boy Staunton experiences, which would be reasons why

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Approximate Word count = 1020
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels