Book Report On the Novel "Fifth Business" by Robertson Davies. Title Is "Fifth Business Essay"

In Robertson Davies' novel, "Fifth Business", through the lives of his main characters, Davies makes a comment on the idea of change. Davies through the characters of Percy Boyd Staunton, Paul Dempster, and of that of his main character Dunstable Ramsay, shows the progression of their changing identities to illustrate his idea of change. Davies makes it clear that he believes people can change their exterior persona, their identity as the world sees it, but can never escape their true identity as is made apparent both in childhood and in senility or old age. I agree with Davies idea that one can, during the course of their life, adopt a new identity but can never truly abandon their true identity or characteristics developed in childhood. …