Dunstable Ramsay, later Dunstan, is an intriguing, multi-faceted character with a diverse array of specialties. Though these specialties and abilities do not come to Dunny naturally, he does well to teach himself the knowledge of saints and magic, which brings him to all new understandings of life and leads him to places which greatly determine the course of events in this novel. Dunny’s involvement and interconnectedness with all of the significances within the story are what make him an interesting character, as well as his intellect and thirst for knowledge. Dunny’s obsessions and passions, adventurous nature and intelligence subsequently lead to the death of Percy Boy Staunton. Dunny displays his obsessive and passionate tendencies
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However, this great personal excellence makes him Boy Staunton’s prized “side-kick”. Boy takes every opportunity to boost his own ego through presenting Dunny as his lower status showpiece. Dunny becomes like “…a Raeburn on the walls…” (Robertson Davies, 173). He is constantly subdued in social situations by Boy’s overshadowing and dominating character, though gains reputation of his own as one of Boy’s entourage. Nevertheless, Dunny finds academics and study as the area in which he can outshine Boy intellectually. Most supportive of his intelligence are his achievements as a hagiographer, which attracts the attention of the Bollandists who agree to publish his work on saints. As a schoolmaster, Dunny is able to express his intellectual eccentricity and knowledge in the field of history. Boy dethrones Dunny from his position as Headmaster of Colborne College, an event which is permissive only by his intellectual prominence. This sets in motion the course of events which will lead to the end of Boy Staunton’s …show more content…
The First World War ensues, and Dunny finds himself immersed in the fighting in Europe. While in the Third Battle of Ypres, Dunny clears a German machine gun nest, though badly injures his leg. While lying on the ground in peril, Dunny looks up and sees Mary Dempster’s face in that of the Madonna’s “…about ten or twelve feet…” (Davies, 70) above him. Dunny later returns to the battlefield in France to find that fateful statue which brought him the comfort of home in a time of great fear, though finds that the statue is missing from the site of his original sighting of the Virgin and Child. He later discovers that the statue is now on display in a museum in Salzburg. While investigating a shrine in Austria, Dunny discovers that the magician who appears on stage at Le Grande Cirque de St. Vite is none other than Paul Dempster, shrouded in secrecy under the cloak of his alias “Faustus Lagrande”. Missing his wallet after the show, Dunny safely assumes that Faustus was the thief of his wallet- an assumption that is later proven appropriate. Dunny finds his next great adventure when he travels to Holland to meet the Bollandists, which proves to be a journey in which he finds further enlightenment and knowledge of saints. However, it is Dunny’s decision to travel to Latin America which has the greatest ramifications of all his
However, this great personal excellence makes him Boy Staunton’s prized “side-kick”. Boy takes every opportunity to boost his own ego through presenting Dunny as his lower status showpiece. Dunny becomes like “…a Raeburn on the walls…” (Robertson Davies, 173). He is constantly subdued in social situations by Boy’s overshadowing and dominating character, though gains reputation of his own as one of Boy’s entourage. Nevertheless, Dunny finds academics and study as the area in which he can outshine Boy intellectually. Most supportive of his intelligence are his achievements as a hagiographer, which attracts the attention of the Bollandists who agree to publish his work on saints. As a schoolmaster, Dunny is able to express his intellectual eccentricity and knowledge in the field of history. Boy dethrones Dunny from his position as Headmaster of Colborne College, an event which is permissive only by his intellectual prominence. This sets in motion the course of events which will lead to the end of Boy Staunton’s …show more content…
The First World War ensues, and Dunny finds himself immersed in the fighting in Europe. While in the Third Battle of Ypres, Dunny clears a German machine gun nest, though badly injures his leg. While lying on the ground in peril, Dunny looks up and sees Mary Dempster’s face in that of the Madonna’s “…about ten or twelve feet…” (Davies, 70) above him. Dunny later returns to the battlefield in France to find that fateful statue which brought him the comfort of home in a time of great fear, though finds that the statue is missing from the site of his original sighting of the Virgin and Child. He later discovers that the statue is now on display in a museum in Salzburg. While investigating a shrine in Austria, Dunny discovers that the magician who appears on stage at Le Grande Cirque de St. Vite is none other than Paul Dempster, shrouded in secrecy under the cloak of his alias “Faustus Lagrande”. Missing his wallet after the show, Dunny safely assumes that Faustus was the thief of his wallet- an assumption that is later proven appropriate. Dunny finds his next great adventure when he travels to Holland to meet the Bollandists, which proves to be a journey in which he finds further enlightenment and knowledge of saints. However, it is Dunny’s decision to travel to Latin America which has the greatest ramifications of all his