Fifth Business Guilt

Fifth Business Guilt can only be suppressed for a limited time before it comes out in unwanted ways. In the novel Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, Boy Staunton -a successful business man with a polished appearance but a tortured soul- took the ultimate plunge into his death. His decision was not merely his own, but was influenced by a team of hands that helped push him to his destiny. Firs t Leola, who was his first love and his wife. Then Mary Dempster, a neighbor from his old town Deptf ord, whom he mistakenly made into a “simple” woman. Next his life long-friend and enemy, Dunstan Ram sey, who was a constant reminder of the virtuous life boy longed to live. Then Paul Dempster, the pr oduct of Boy’s immature childhood behavior. Finally himself, because he suppressed his guilt and ref used to accept the shadow that lurked within him. The five people that killed Boy Staunton (as state d) were: Mary- “the woman he did not know”, Leola- “the woman he knew”, Dunstan- “the keeper of his conscience and the stone”, Paul- whom granted his inner most wish, and lastly, Boy Staunton himself. It can be observed that childhood experiences play a very important role in the stableness of one s soul. One mishap in childhood can create a devastating blow to ones true happiness in later life. This was exactly the case in Boy Staunton’s life. Once, when he was little, he got in an argument wi th Dunny which led to snowballs being launched at Dunny from an aggravated Boy Staunton. The last sn owball concealed a rock, and hit Dunny’s neighbor Mary Dempster in the head. As a result, she gave b irth prematurely (to Paul Dempster), and then afterwards became “simple minded”. This particular inc ident acted as a foundation for Boy’s growing shadow, and contributed to the demise of his soul. It is ironic that the person who had such a significant influence on Boy Staunton’s shadow, was a woma n he did not know. When Boy was asked if he had any recognition of Mrs. Dempster, he replied: “...