Fifth Business content quiz
Themes:
Guilt: guilt overwhelms Dunstan and affects his life and feels that it is his duty to take care of her because he believes that it is partially his fault for her insanity. He lives with this guilt since the day it happened, while Percy who the actual cause of the accident has no feeling of guilt and doesn’t even remember Paul. When Dunstan finally confronts Paul and tells him the truth he gains a sense of relief, as Paul doesn’t blame him. Paul
Not having guilt on the other hand got Boy in trouble. His irresponsible actions did not overwhelm him with guilt when it was entirely his fault. He should no remorse when he found out that he was the cause for Ms. Dempster’s insanity.
Escapism:
Many characters run away from their problems as they find it easier to run away from them rather than face them. Dunstan runs away to war when he was too young to join it. He runs away from his guilt about ruining Mrs. Dempster’s sanity. However, his guilt still plays a crucial role in his life as it still haunts him at war as he saw her face on the statue of Madonna.
Paul runs away to the circus from his father’s verbal abuse by blaming him because she became insane during Paul’s birth. He wasn’t able to take the embarrassment of his mother especially after the event of her with the tramp.
Characters
Dunstable Ramsay- intelligent, meticulous. First person narrator (writing his memoir to headmaster of COLBORNE College)
He is searching for the meaning of life
Re-named Dunstan by Diana
Extreme guilt overwhelms him
Interested in magic, hagiography, history
Paul Dempster:
Mysterious birth (son of Mary and Amasa Dempster)
Runs away from home-magician
Re-named: becomes Magnus Eisengrim
Wants revenge
Mary Dempster – Hit by snowball
Simple religious
Three miracles: brings Willie back to life. Her face appears on Madonna. She helps the tramp fix his life.
Dunstan classifies her as a fool saint because she has qualities of...