Inquiry Question Guide

What is the author's cultural and personal background?

Robertson Dacies was born on August 28, 1913. He was a writer, jornalist and professor. He was born in a very wealthy family. His father was a Canadian senator. He received the best educaton when he was young. He became a editor for a magazine when he graduated from Oxford University in England. In hislife, he had wrote 18 books, plays, and jornals. He taught lierature for 21 years and passed away in 1995.

What about this author's background qualifies him/her to write this novel?

Robertson Davies had made the setting of the book in where he was born and spent most of his life time of. He grew up in a small town like Dunstan did and he also had a same career routine as him. Roberson might have projected his life onto Dunstan.

How does the author's personal and cultural background tie into the storyline?

Davies and Percy became rich from their father's agricultural businesses. Both men were enlisted in WWI, went into politics to hold cabinet positions, and strengthened Canada's ties with the mother country during her time of need.And the most convincing parallel is that Boy becomes the Chair of the Board of Governors that runs the school Ramsay teaches at, much as Robertson Davies spent his career at the University of Toronto as the head Professor of Massey College.

How can the author's background tie into poetry and performance?

Robertson Davies had used his impression of his hometown wisely in his novel. He used the information he had to describe Dunstan's childhood. He added fictional events into his own exprience, rearranged it and had his novel a half-memoir of himslef. He expressed his knowledge towards humanity and evil through Ramsay.

Questions

1. Why was Robertson Davies used first-person point of view to write theis novel?
2. What is the meaning of "Fifth busness"?Why the author choose this title?
3. What caused Dunstan to hide his guilt?
4. What message did the Davies wanted to give to the readers?
5. Do you think Mary Dempster is a saint? Why?
6. What did you learn from the novel? How?
7. How was the setting of the novel affects the plots?
8. What's the name of his first book?
9. Why was this novel considered as "play with the readers' minds"?
10. Why did people say Percy killed himself?