In the book Fifth Business written by Robertson Davies, the protagonist Dunstan Ramsay got involved with several females throughout the development of the story which later on changed his perspection of life and brings insight to the future. Dunstan Ramsay’s characteristics were altered through his relationship with various women, especially the interaction with Mrs. Dempster, Diana and subsequently Liesl.
The guilt he had acquired towards Mrs. Dempster affected his life dramastically. In Deptford, he took care of Mrs. Dempster and the new prematurely born Paul, due to Mrs. Ramsay’s order and his own guilt, when everyone else was isolating her and her family from the town. This event had brought him misfortune as he states, “Being unofficial…show more content… Diana gave Dunstan the first taste of love and cherished Dunstan alongside his recovery. Dunstan described her as “the first English girl I ever saw at close range … which was the fair-skinned, dark-haired, brown-eyed type. Not only was she pretty, she had charm and an easy manner and talked amusingly…” (71) From this passage, it is clear that Dunstan has taken lots of liking in her. She assisted in Dunstan’s recovery, as he recalled, “I had to learn to walk with crutches, and because so many of my muscles, especially in the left arm, were scarred or reduced to very little, this took time and hurt. Diana saw me through it all … She was a wonderful nurse.” (74) Dunstan continues with the devoted relationship, “I liked having her in love with me … I liked going to bed with her, and as she liked it too, I thought this a fair exchange.” (79) Dunstan realized what he did not want in a relationship after being together with Diana. He soon realized that his relationship with Diana was unfitting. He disliked the motherly nature which Diana had shown him while they were in love, it reminded him of Mrs. Ramsay. Dunstan specifically mentioned “But even as I write it down I know how clear it is that what was wrong between Diana and me was that she was too much a mother to me.” (79) Dunstan recognized the flaws…show more content… She has had the most significant impact on Dunstan’s characterization in spite of the fact that they have not seen each other for long. During a conversation, Liesl noted that “... because you are cruel to yourself. It has done you good to tell what you know; you look much more human already.” (204); she said,“That horrid village and your hateful Scots family made you a moral monster. Well. it is not too late for you to enjoy a few years of almost normal humanity.” (204) as well as “You make yourself responsible for other people’s troubles. It is your hobby.” (212). These passages suggested that Liesl thinked of Dunstan as a human that kept many secrets and the accumulated stress has been putting weights on him; Dunstan has reflected on himself as he wrote in the memoir, “... the breakdown of character that made me a chatterbox was hard to bear…” (204). She also referred to the “devil” that existed within all of us, the absurd and foolish side of humanity, and that Dunstan should embrace the “devil”. She proposed to Dunstan that he “should take a look at this side of your life you have not lived. Now don’t wriggle and snuffle and try to protest … But every man has a devil, and a man of unusual quality, like yourself, Ramsay, has an unusual devil. You must get to know your personal devil … Why don’t you shake hands with your devil, Ramsay, and change this foolish life of yours?” (213). She tempted him to
