Saeed Al- hjowj
January, 5, 2009
Mrs. Stubbs
Eng 12
Foil or not to foil
Fifth Business book revolves around responsibility, struggle, and two men who are foils of each other. Even though Dunstan Ramsay and Percy Boyd Staunton are equivalent to each other, they are different in a great number of ways. Their relationship plays a major role in the number of elements which make Fifth Business such a fascinating story.
While Dunstan Ramsay had never been too interested in challenging Percy Boyd Staunton, Percy from a young age saw Dunny as an opponent. When Percy's brand new expensive sled isn't as fast as Dunny's, Percy gets irritated and throws a snowball at Dunny, which in turn starts the setting for the novel. The two continue to fight all through the novel, for things such as military recognition and Leola's love.
Percy's and Dunstan's characters contrast in many ways. The most prominent way in which they are different is their values. Dunstan values spiritual things, while Percy values only worldly things. Percy is impressed by his desires for money, while Dunstan could care less about it. Dunstan explains his lack of desire for worldly things.
Where Boy lived high, I lived well, not low, in the way agreeable to myself. I thought twenty four dollars was plenty for a ready made suit, and four dollars a criminal price for a pair of shoes. I changed my shirt twice a week and my underwear once, I had not yet developed any expensive tastes and saw nothing wrong with a good boarding house. (Fifth Business Page 113)
This shows us that where as Percy was in pursuit of money and possessions, Dunstan was apprehensive elsewhere. Dunstan frankly states that Percy was materialistic. To him the reality was of life lay in outer things, where as for me the only reality was of the spirit of mind. (Page 114) Dunstan is in a search for internal truth and spirituality, and Percy is looking for outer beauty and appearance.
In order to...