Fifth Business Summative

Fifth Business Summative

Questions for Consideration

1. Examine the concepts of guilt and responsibility as seen in the lives of Boy and Dunstan and explain the differences in their attitudes and actions.

Guilt and responsibility is one of the recurring and overall themes of Fifth Business. This theme pertains to both Percy Boy Stauntan and Dunstan in different ways with respect to their attitudes and actions as displayed throughout the novel. Dunstan is one who acknowledges his guilt due to his belief that he was directly responsible for devastating the life of the Dempster family. “And I lay awake too, feeling guilty and strange. That was how Paul Dempster, whose reputation is doubtless familiar to you came to be born early on the morning of 28 December in 1908.” (Davies 5) This excerpt from early on in the novel shows Dunstan’s guilt, which is evident since the incident. Although the presence of guilt within Dunstan is ample, it is somehow not enough to induce him to assume his responsibility – despite having known Paul who is a living, breathing reminder of the incident – until the very end. Dunstan’s responsibility was to acknowledge Boy’s involvement within the incident and his inability to do so further added to his guilt. “We looked into each other’s eyes and I knew that he was afraid, and I knew also that he would fight, lie, do anything rather than admit what I knew, And I didn’t know what in the world I could do about it. So I was alone with my guilt, and it tortured me.” (Davies 16) This quote is after Dunstan first confronts Boy regarding the incident, Boy denies any direct involvement within what happened to Mrs. Dempster, and threatens Dunstan to keep his mouth shut. Due to his actions, or lack of actions, and his attitude towards trying to put what he thinks in to words, Dunstan is a clear example of how guilt is not necessarily enough to push someone towards acting upon their responsibility.

In contrast to Dunstan, Boy is an...