The Role of Guilt in Fifth Business

Guilt is a human emotion experienced when one has done something they normally would judge to be wrong and morally incorrect. Throughout the novel, the author, Robertson Davies, demonstrates how guilt can stick with you for many years and how it could affect your life. Guilt plays an enormous role in the novel titled Fifth Business, as it reoccurs all throughout. The author Robertson Davies demonstrates the role and importance of guilt in the novel through the characters named Dunstan Ramsay (Dunny), Paul Dempster and Percy Boyd Staunton (Boy). Dunstan Ramsay’s (Dunny) guilt was caused by an incident that happened when he was younger.The author began the novel by giving a vivid image of Dunny and Percy Boyd Staunton (Boy) sledding. Boy had lost and was both surprised, and humiliated. Dunny than states â€Å"When Percy was humiliated he was vindictive† (Davies 3), meaning he was a sore loser, and sought revenge. This led to Percy attempting to fight Dunny. However instea d of fighting Boy, Dunny began to walk home where Percy continued to harass, and follow him. Dunny being mature, and ignoring him made Percy frustrated and angry, and that’s where â€Å"The unforeseen took over† (Davies 4).Percy Boy being vindictive threw a snowball aiming for Dunny, however he ducked and it hit Mrs. Dempster; the pregnant wife of Reverend Amasa Dempster. This snowball incident led to Mary Dempster going insane, and Paul Dempster’s premature birth. Right after the incident happened; Dunny confronted Boy the next day and said â€Å"†¦ You threw that snowball† (Davies 17) and boy portrayed as an ignorant, heartless young child chooses not to admit his fault and replies that â€Å"I threw a snowball at you† (Davies 17). Dunny feeling really guilty, now feels guiltier.The guilt continued to bother Dunny, as stated in the novel â€Å"So I was alone with my guilt, and it tortured me† (Davies 17). This shows that even if Percy were to admit his fault, Dunny would still feel guilty because he had ducked in front of Mary Dempster. Therefore just like any other kind hearted human, Dunny felt obligated to care for Mrs. Dempster, and her child, Paul Dempster, to lessen his guilt. This obligation drastically changes into a personal commitment of his, and begins to love and care for Mrs. Dempster all resulting from his guilt.Prior to Dunny joining the army and escaping Deptford, he states, â€Å"She did not know how much I loved her and how miserable it made me to defy her, but what was I supposed to do† (Davies 57). Here Dunny is admitting his love for Mrs. Dempster, and he is stating that he feels guilty for both disobeying her, and leaving her for the army. Secondly, the author shows the importance of guilt in the novel through a character named Paul Dempster. Paul was the premature baby that Mary Dempster was pregnant with when she had been struck with the snowball at the very beginning of the novel. The author portrays Paul Dempster as a young innocent boy who does not know the issues he is surrounded by. However as Paul grows older, he gains a better understanding of the things, and people he’s surrounded by. This results in him constantly blaming himself for his mother’s current insanity. He believes that his mother is insane and simple in the mind because of his birth and that if she was not pregnant with him she would be fine. Paul, already feeling guilty, began to feel even more guilt later in the novel due to the townspeople isolating him.â€Å"Paul was not a village favourite, and the dislike so many people felt for his mother- dislike for the queer and persistently unfortunate† (Davies 34). Paul was not liked by most of the people in the village because people thought of his mothers’ insanity as a joke. He states â€Å"†¦ I had to bear the cruelty of people who thought her kind of madness was funny- a dirty joke† (Davies, 140) One of the people who influenced this guilt upon him was his father Amasa Dempster at such a young age. â€Å"My father Always told me it was my birth that robbed her of her sanity† (Davies, 139).All of these factors made Paul want to escape his guilt, which he believed running away from home to join a circus, and become a magician named Magnus Eisengrim was his solution. Later, Paul states â€Å"She is part of a past that cannot be recovered or changed by anything I can do now† (Davies, 139). He feels that he escaped his guilt and that he would leave all of that negativity of his mothers’ insanity in the past. Lastly, the author continues to show how guilt has a big role through one of the main characters, named Percy Boyd Staunton (Boy).However the difference between; Boy, Dunny, and Paul is that, both Paul and Dunny had dealt with their guilt from a young age to old. Unlike Paul who was very ignorant and vindictive at a young age, and had forcefully faced his gu ilt in his early 60s. Everyone had forgotten about the snowball incident where Mrs. Dempster had been accidentally hit by a snowball causing her to be simple in the mind (insane) especially Boy. Until Dunny had confronted him 50 years later after the incident occurred â€Å"It is the stone you put in the snowball you threw at Mrs Dempster† (Davies 254).Dunny shows Boy the stone, and states â€Å"The stone in the snowball has been characteristic of too much you’ve done for you to forget it† (Davies 254). Here Dunny is basically telling Boy to own up to his fault and that he cannot live without knowing what he has done in the past. However Boy feels offended and shocked that Dunny would even mention this, after everything he has done for him. Percy begins to ramble â€Å"One thing I’ve done is to make you pretty well-off for a man in your position† (Davies, 254).This shows that the truth of the incident was too much to handle for Percy, and that he d oes not know how to feel about this. Dunny then goes on and explains that he is trying to make him face his wrongs, and live by his morals as he states â€Å"Need we go on with this moral bookkeeping† (Davies, 254). The author then portrays Percy Boy as an immature child, even though he is early in his sixties, because he begins to point fingers, and get off topic mentioning how he stole Leola from him.The subject of the conversation does not to go back to the stone in the snowball; neither does it go forward to any subject. Instead it ends when Eisengrim (Paul Dempster) offers Percy a ride home. We are last left with Percy showing signs of anger and guilt towards Dunny. We than figure out that Percy has mysteriously died, and his body was found in a car later that night, people seem to believe that it was a suicide, â€Å"He was killed by the usual cabal: by himself first of all† (Davies, 256).However to the reader it seems that Paul Dempster’s guilt has not be en left in the past and that it led him to murder Percy Boy Staunton because of what he had done to his mother Mary Dempster years ago. In conclusion the author has shown the importance of guilt and how it has such an enormous role throughout the novel. He has demonstrated the effect and importance it played in the novel through the following characters; Dunstan Ramsay (Dunny), Paul Dempster, and Percy Boyd Staunton (Boy). He has shown how one’s life plays out when dealing with the guilt, and when hiding from it.

350- to 700-word essay comparing the similarities and differences Term Paper

350- to 700-word essay comparing the similarities and differences between virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics - Term Paper Example In order to understand these principles better and understand how they can apply to real-life situations it is best to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each individually and then highlight their commonalities and differences. Utilitarianism focuses on the idea that what is morally or ethically right is the course that results in the best possible consequences or what creates the greatest happiness among the larger portion. After all human beings work off of a pleasure principle in their actions and behaviors. This perspective is often found among big decision makers whose behaviors and decisions affect many (Fahey, 2012). Therefore the greatest happiness on the largest scale is being considered, as opposed to the needs of an individual. For example when we are with a group of 5 friends and each want the group to participate in different activities, therefore each member makes their case and the majority activity is chosen. This will not make the whole group happy but it will make the majority happy. Deontologists are dedicated to the idea of actions that are ethical are a result of a sense of duty. There is a staunch strictness to this ethical viewpoint. An action is right as long as it remains in accord ance with preset ethical laws (Rainbow, 2002). A good example is what we see in modern court rooms today, sometimes the law is immutable and disallowing of exception, this takes no consideration of the larger groups concerns or the ethical concerns of the accused. The final ethical principle is virtue ethics, which adheres to the idea that a person’s individual character must be considered as exactly that individual. A prime example of this can be found in our own academic institutions. A friend forgets to properly site a source in his paper, which means he technically plagiarized. However, if you see that the other citations are accurate and this student has had no history of dishonest conduct,

Impacts of Globalization on French Culture Research Paper

Impacts of Globalization on French Culture - Research Paper Example The paper will establish the effects of globalization on a region with emphasis on West African region. Finally, the paper will focus on the effects of globalization on international immigrants. Impacts of globalization on French culture French culture is commonly regarded as the culture of people who live in the modern day France. However, the French culture or French influence is not only constrained to Europe since France is an influential country. The French culture is practiced in other parts of the world that have had a close relationship with modern day France or the French community. This includes former French colonies found in Africa and other parts of the world. French culture is also practices in various parts of North America in countries such as the US and Canada. This resulted from high scale immigration of French citizens into the new world. In Africa, countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central Africa live and practice the French culture. The assim ilation aspect in the French colonization is the main factor that contributed to the establishments of French culture in African societies. The French culture is among the strongest cultures in Europe. In addition, French culture is also among the few European cultures that have existed or survived the influence and alienation of cultures. The French language is considered as the basic pillar of the French culture. The French language is also viewed as a factor that unites all people who are affiliated to the French culture. The importance of language to French culture indicates that any significant effect on the society is first pronounced through its language (Carrithers 19). This also indicates that any significant effect of globalization on French culture would first be pronounced through the French language before being effective on other aspects of the French society. Globalization results in increased connectivity and interdependence among global societies. The first result o f globalization is the spread of French language across global societies that were initially not among countries that practice French culture. French plays a major role in global economy and it is recognized world wide as a global business leader. The position of France in the global market and the existence of different global institutions in French territories have necessitated the use of the language. Currently the French language is the second most spoken language in the world. The French language holds the second position in popularity after the English language. French influence on global economy is the main factor that has contributed to the popularity of the French language. Currently French language has become a part of most school curriculum with most educational institutions teaching the language as a subject. France is also a major player in the entertainment industry.  

Rab Ne bana di Jodi analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rab Ne bana di Jodi analysis - Essay Example Rab Ne bana di Jodi analysis Being somewhat reserved and anxious not to displease the beautiful young woman, he tried to be as good a husband to her as he can be. But he is not very successful in establishing a good relationship with her and a distance begins to creep in; the once vivacious young woman become morose and withdrawn after the death of her father. Finally, in desperation, Surinder, with the help of his somewhat radical hairdresser friend, assumes an alter ego – one that appears much younger due to his style of dressing. As Surinder, he grants permission to his young wife to join dance classes in order to enter a dance competition and during the first session, he presents himself to her as her partner for the dance competition. Throughout the rest of the film, he preserve his dual identity – of the straightforward, somewhat boring and staid husband in a kurta pyjama versus the dashing young man dressed in tight jeans and T-shirts, named Raj. The first scene where Raj finds himself paire d to his wife and discovers that she does not recognize him with his changed appearance and style of dressing is one of the most important scenes in the film. This leads on to several sequences where Raj slowly gains the young woman’s confidence and ultimately finds out how much affection and regard she holds for her husband. He is dressed in tight jeans and a T shirt, which he is uncomfortable wearing, but his anxiety to observe his wife and what she is doing overpower his discomfort.

The Jazz Combos Concert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Jazz Combos Concert - Essay Example Some of the performers featured during the concert included Kelsey Marvin, Jeff Hampton, and Sarah Rodger among others. This paper discusses my thoughts and feelings about the Jazz Combos concert held on April 4 this year. The performers’ notation was good for the octatonic pieces, despite the fact that they are diatonic to a lack of the key. This demonstrates that the universal rules for non-harmonic tones were applicable to the performances. Ascending notes took naturals or sharps – either flat or descending. The signature style for Jazz performances stood throughout the performance. In developing a swing feel, there were notable ways that included the notation of the bass lines as quarter note pieces. However, there was a high sense of repetitiveness and predictability throughout the performance, which appeared to limit the forward motion aspect of the swing bass effect. Throughout the performances, the basic rule that the double bass should not be used to play a sim ple single-measure line, which is repetitive, was observed.   This shows that the performances were highly stylistic and were presented before the audience in an effective manner (Cone 48). There were instances where the piano accompaniment was placed on the music’s beat, instead of using it to anticipate alternating beats, which marked a weakness in many of the performances. In some performances, like I anticipated all the performances to be played, the chords were played in staccato-against on-the-beat music lines, which were used effectively, to create the musical yin and yang characteristic of the swing feel. The style was very effective in cultivating the interest of the audience and demonstrating its artistic nature. As expected from the performances, most artists used modified block chords – which they employed, when comping with the melody of a walking bass (Cone 42).  

Wrongful and Unfair Dismissals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wrongful and Unfair Dismissals - Essay Example The WTO helps in solving disputes which arise between countries, when there is money involved it becomes quite obvious that there will be disputes between the countries. When so many countries participate in global trade, every country will make sure that they make the most of this opportunity and in doing so they often ignore the interests of the other member countries and this is how a dispute arises. But WTO very efficiently resolves all the disputes. The disputes are solved by arriving at a neutral judgment. This neutral judgment is arrived at based on a legal foundation; this is how an issue is resolved. WTO was found in the year 1995, so it’s relatively a new concept but a concept if capitalized upon can reap sweet results for the countries interested in strengthening their Economy. There is a very strict principle which the WTO adopts which is that it treats every member country equally, no priority of any kind is shown towards any country be it America or Russia or for that matter any other country. WTO as an organization can be better understood with the help of a graph.... However, if the employer breaches any term of the agreement, an employee is at liberty to resign and seek compensation for constructive dismissal. Every contract of employment has an implied mutual duty of trust and confidence. Recently tow cases were considered to determine whether a claim for damages can be pursued in the courts where a dismissed employee claims to have suffered psychiatric injury and consequent financial loss as a result of an employer's behaviour and when the employee has already won a case in employment tribunal for unfair dismissal The House of Lords heard appeals in the cases McCabe v Cornwall County Council and Eastwood and another V. Magnox Electric Plc. There was difficulty in deciding the case given the decision given in earlier cases of Johnson v Unisys Ltd. A Majority of their lordships held that an employee could not use a breach of the implied terms of trust and confidence to claim damages for psychological injury if the damage arose because of the manner of the dismissal itself. The employees in the conjoined appeals claimed that events prior to their actual dismissals were the cause and therefore the basis for their respective legal actions. Looking at the facts of McCabe, she was a teacher at Mounts Bay School in Cornwall. Following complaints of inappropriate behaviour made against him by female pupils, he was suspended. While on suspension he was required to attend a disciplinary hearing. Meanwhile he began to suffer psychiatric illness. Over the next three years there were further disciplinary hearings and in 1996 his dismissal was confirmed. In December the same year Mr. McCabe won a case of unfair dismissal and was awarded

PathGoal Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PathGoal Theory - Essay Example The articles are different in the way that Chester A. Schriesheim and Linda L. Neider provide more research and literature review on the theory while Jim Bolt discusses the modern leader and importance of changing the dimension of a modern manager's role in the company. Schriesheim and Neider begin their article by mentioning the developers' definition of a leader and the functions that are supposed to be held by a modern manager of an organization. They stress that, the function of a leader is to increase "personal pay-offs to subordinates for work-goal attainment and make the path to these pay-offs easier to travel by clarifying it, reducing road blocks and pitfalls, and increasing the opportunities for personal satisfaction en route" (House, 1971, p. 324). Effective leaders assist employees in their career path that is aimed at individual fulfillment of employees and organizational benefit. Most of the investigations of House's path-goal theory have concentrated on exploring relationships between leadership behaviors (e.g., consideration and initiating structure) and outcome measures (e.g., satisfaction) while studying the impact of different moderator variables (such as task structure). House (1971), for example, found preliminary support for t he contention that situational variables may moderate the relationship of perceived initiating structure as well as consideration and such effectiveness measures as subordinate job satisfaction. The authors of the article cite Bass (1990) noting that the leader "needs to complement only what is missing in a situation to enhance the subordinate's motivation, satisfaction, and performance" (p. 627). Mentioning about over 100 studies published on the theory of path-goal leadership, Schriesheim and Neider continue the article by outlining the findings of few studies. The results of a meta-analysis of over 40 studies, Resulted in a support for the basic propositions of the theory, particularly with respect to the role of initiating structure, moderated by taskcharacteristics, on employee satisfaction. The results with respect to performance as an outcome variable and with respect to leader consideration behaviors appear to be far less consistent, and this may account for the removal of subordinate performance from the most recent statement of the theory. Another study provided by Szilagyi and Sims (1974) found that "while task characteristics moderated the relationship between initiating structure and employee satisfaction, the same was not true with respect to the relationship between initiating structure and performance". Further, Schriesheim and Schriesheim (1980) found that perceived consideration appears to be strongly related to employee satisfaction levels regardless of situational characteristics. Specifically, supportive leadership explained 63% of the variance in supervisory satisfaction scores, even after instrumental leader behaviors were paialled out. This finding is also consistent with the meta-analyses conducted by Fisher and Edwards (1988) and Wofford and Liska (1993), both finding support for a positive relationship between leader consideration and subordinate job satisfaction. Both of these meta-analyses also, however, provided only mixed results regarding the theory's proposed moderator relationships. In contrast to Schriesheim and Neider, Bolt does not refer to any studies in his article but