Fifth Business

By: Tommy Chow and David Chu

Have you ever…

• Face your guilt and tackle it?• Flee from your guilt ?

Do you feel better after you face your guilt?Or do you feel better when you flee from it?

Fifth Business Connections

• Many characters in the novel faced guilt and they react differently to it.

• For example: Percy’s method differs from Dunstan’s

Thesis

• Guilt can make someone confront or flee from the problem. However, only by facing the problem would he earn forgiveness, either from himself or the person he offended.

Thematic Topic (Guilt)

• Thematic topic: Characters in the novel experience guilt while they feel they are responsible for their sin.

Guilt

• “So I was alone with my guilt, and it tortured me. I was a Presbyterian child and I know a good deal about damnation”(pg.17).

• Dunstan as Percy’s scapegoat• Percy chose to evade• Dunstan chose to take the burden of guilt

Workshop 1

• Find examples of guilt that character faced in the novel.

• Stated their method of tackling their guilt(face/flee)

Thematic Topic (Forgiveness)

• Characters hope to be forgiven while they have disquiet with their guilt.

Forgiveness

• “And then I begged forgiveness for myself because, though I had done what I imagines was my best” (235).

• Dunstan confront his own problem• He felt better after apologizing• Even though Mary never actually forgave

him, Dunstan did what he could, and he is relieved from his guilt.

Forgiveness

• Percy chose to evaded• His death was mystical, however the causes are

similaro Suicide - Feel too guilty for his fault, can’t

forgive himselfo Killed by Paul – Paul did not forgive him for

what he dido Killed by Dunstan- Dunstan had enough for

his egoistic personality, he could not forgive Percy and killed him.

Forgiveness (Cont.)

• Dunstan chose to confront the problem, even though it was not his fault

• Unlike Percy, his confrontation ultimately spared him from death

• He could have forgiven himself when he knew Percy receive an appropriate sentence, and relieved from his guilt.

Do you think that the character has been forgiven in your example?Where do you think the forgiveness is from? From the person whom he offended, or from the character himself?Do you think he feels better afterwards?

Workshop 2

Connection

• George Washington• Japan in WWII• Chinese Tiananmen Square Protest

George Washington

• Video attached

• Washington admitted his fault, faced his guilt, was forgiven by his father

Japan in WWII

• The Massacre of Nanjing• The Government of Japan never admitted its

fault• Fled from its guilt• The world still despise their actions

Chinese Tiananmen SquareProtest

• Government of China never admitted it never happened.

• Guilt was evaded from.• General public has not forgiven the

government• Every year on June 4, a demonstration is held

to mourn for the people who died and to accuse the government.

Workshop 3

Think of a real life situation about:

A person who confronted his guilt and felt better/ received forgiveness ORA person who did not confront his guilt and his consequences

Exceptional Case

Guilt complex: A person who always blame himself for everything, feeling guilty when he doesn't have to.

 "I had a revolver, and I shot all three at point-blank range. They did not even see me. There is no use saying any more about it. I am not proud of it now and I did not glory in it then” (68).

• His order is to kill• Not his fault• Very hard to relieve from this type of guilt

Workshop 4

5. Choose a person from your group. This person will share his experience of guilt in the past. Did he/her face or flee from his problem. Was he/her forgiven?

Conclusion

• Apology/Guilt and Forgiveness do not always come in pairs

• Fleeing from your guilt will not earn you forgiveness

• The only way to relieving guilt is to confront the problem/face the guilt

The End

Additional Question/ More activities/ Possible guilt

Possible guilt

• “But I am trying to do what I can now, when I guess it’s too late” (132).

• Explanation:Dustan’s visit to Mrs. Dempster makes him feeling guilty because he is trying to redeem his guilt that he had made to Mrs. Dempster. However, the visit strengthens Dunstan’s guilt because Mrs. Dempster cannot remember anything in the past. Mrs. Dempster will never learn about the truth of the incidence and he will never be clarified. Her neurosis is mainly caused by the imbalanced tripartite psyche. Since Amasa is dead already, she cannot satisfy her libido. Besides, Paul’s leaving makes her experiences huge anxiety. That is why she obtains her neurosis.

Possible guilt

• “Forgive my ill manner of last night. Love conquers all and youth must be served.” (218)

• Explanation: Dunstan feels guilty to fight with Liesl after understanding he is Liesl says to him. Dunstan passes through individuation after he learns more about Liesl. It proves he understands the good side of Liesl and himself. He now finds himself guilty, which represents his interpretation of his bad side.  

Possible guilt

• “I had to face the fact that I seemed to have turned Mrs. Dempster from a woman who was simple and nothing worse, into a woman who knew there was a plot to deprive her of her little son, and that I was its agent” (223).

• Explanation: Dunstan is feeling so guilty because he says something that worsens Mrs. Dempster’s neurosis. It makes her thinks Dunstan is the evil agent who keeps her away from Paul. The incident keeps him away from conversation and makes him to look at her through a little spy-hole in her door. Yet, Mrs. Dempster’s ego is at disadvantage for the reason that the sensitive words repress the power of ego but intensify the id’s power of Mrs. Dempster. In consequence, the ego cannot balance with the id, thus leading her to a serious neurosis.

Additional Question 1

1. Why doesn’t Dunstan tell his “nasty job” to people if he really experiences guilt? What are the barriers to make him hiding the truth? (eg. Pride, fear, dignity, shame, neurosis and persona…)

Answer 1

We agree that Dunstan feels guilty of the nasty act. However, he also cares about his dignity. Since V.C. is an official award, he might feel shame if he tells the truth to the king and audiences. It is also his fear of the consequences causes him not to speak out the truth.   

Additional Question 2

2. Do you think Dunstan was forgiven after Mary spoke out his name when she was dying? (It can be his self-forgiveness or the forgiveness from Mary)

We think Dunstan was forgiven by Mary because her death marks an end of her life. Anything had happened before was not important anymore because she is dead. At last, she regains her sanity, so we think Mary now understands that he is not a devil agent. However, we disagree that Dunstan forgives himself as it is him who makes Mary suffering from serious neurosis at an old age. It is him who makes Mary misunderstands his personality. Thus, he probably cannot forgive himself as a troublemaker.

Answer 2

Additional Question 3

3. Do you think Boy deserved forgiveness in the novel? Is his death a sensible end of his life? How is it fair or not fair to Dunstan?

Additional Question

• 4. Is Amasa’s patriarchal system causing Mary to play adultery? If so, should she be forgiven?

Additional Question

4. Is Amasa’s patriarchal system causing Mary to play adultery? If so, should she be forgiven?

• 4. Is Amasa’s patriarchal system causing Mary to play adultery? If so, should she be forgiven?

Additional Question