Various religions possess the notion of being twice-born or reborn as a way to signify a new life and beginning. Hinduism believes in reincarnation, which is the belief that the behaviour in one’s previous life will determine his or her social status in the next life. Christians believe in the idea of baptism, which is a public declaration of faith, also known clean slate. In the novel Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, Davies uses the three Deptford boys’ name changes to illustrate rebirth and public declaration to starting anew. It is clear that Dunstable Ramsay, Percy Boyd Staunton and Paul Dempster are twice born due to each character’s significant name change; Dunstable shapes his individuation, Percy becomes a successful, powerful entrepreneur, and
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Having changed his name by casting aside “Percy” and dropping the “d” of the name that remained, he became Boy Staunton. Boy used this name change to escape the past and to strive a highly successful similar to the Prince of Wales. Boy utilized his youthfulness, and knowledge in the stock markets to begin to begin building a lavish life. By establishing his own confectionary sugar business, Boy surpassed above and beyond his father in terms of wealth. Also achieving the position of Chairman of the Board of Governors Boy was no longer in anyone’s shadow. This drive and love for materials and status in the visible reality ultimately led Boy to becoming insufficient with life (Monk 40). Boy did not know how to grow old as which led him to wanting to “…drive away from it all” (Davies 242). Boy lived to the fullest in terms of the materialistic aspect of life and this prevented him from ever delving into the invisible reality. Boy’s transformation came at a cost to repress the memories of the past and to use material goods to satisfy his hunger for deeper meaning of life. As a result in Mary Dempster’s simpleness Paul Dempster had a premature birth. His mother’s simpleness ultimately, was the reason
Having changed his name by casting aside “Percy” and dropping the “d” of the name that remained, he became Boy Staunton. Boy used this name change to escape the past and to strive a highly successful similar to the Prince of Wales. Boy utilized his youthfulness, and knowledge in the stock markets to begin to begin building a lavish life. By establishing his own confectionary sugar business, Boy surpassed above and beyond his father in terms of wealth. Also achieving the position of Chairman of the Board of Governors Boy was no longer in anyone’s shadow. This drive and love for materials and status in the visible reality ultimately led Boy to becoming insufficient with life (Monk 40). Boy did not know how to grow old as which led him to wanting to “…drive away from it all” (Davies 242). Boy lived to the fullest in terms of the materialistic aspect of life and this prevented him from ever delving into the invisible reality. Boy’s transformation came at a cost to repress the memories of the past and to use material goods to satisfy his hunger for deeper meaning of life. As a result in Mary Dempster’s simpleness Paul Dempster had a premature birth. His mother’s simpleness ultimately, was the reason