Opera

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Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and
musicians perform a dramatic work combining text
and musical score. Opera is part of the Western
classical music tradition. Opera incorporates
many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as
acting and costumes and sometimes dance.
Soprano
Tenor
Contralto
Basso
Baritone
or Fifth Business
The villan or rival to the tenor.
The odd one out because he has no rival, but he
is the one who carries the twist in the plot.
Plays the lover to her.
Who rivals the soprano
Heroine
Although the soprano, tenor, contralto, and the
basso get the fabulous music, the baritone is
essensal to the story plot, because he knows a
secret that the others do not.
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Fifth Business

• Robertson Davies (1913-1995)

http//blog.syracuse.com/shelflife/2008/08/davies.
jpg
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Plot summary..

• In Robertson Davies' novel Fifth Business, the
  author uses the events that occurred in Deptford
  as a Canadian Allusion to reveal character
  identity. Fifth Business is the story of three
  main characters. Dustan, Percy and Paul. The
  three boys are connected by one event in their
  childhood (Percy throws a snowball, meant for
  Dunstan, but instead causes the premature birth
  of Paul), and the novel move between the three
  characters perspectives and different points in
  their lives.These three characters in the novel
  from Deptford Boy Staunton, Dunstan Ramsey and
  Paul Dempster, leave Deptford to embark on a new
  identity to rid of their horrid past. The three
  main characters of the novel, all of whom to some
  extent try to escape their small town background,
  change their identity to become people of
  consequence. All in some way take on a new
  identity. Imbedded in this transformation is the
  assumption that one's original self, especially
  one's small town origins, must be discarded
  before one can become significant in the world.
  Dunstan ran from his guilt, Percy for his status
  and ego and Paul from his challenges as a misfit
• It was what seemed to be instilled within them
  like, the theory that the first five years of
  childhood shape the personalities of individuals.

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A short biography of the author

• born in thamesville, ontario
• a  august 28th, 1913 - dec 2nd 1995
•  Upper Canada College 1926-32 Went as a
  Non-Degree student (Paul)
•  Attended Queen's 1932-35 not looking for a
  degree 
• Also attended University of Toronto (much
  like Dunstan...coincidence? I think not !) - AJ
• DafDavies father became a  newspaper owner and
  senator, also Dunny's father is a News paper
  owner.

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A short biography of the author

• Robertson Davies was born in 1913 in a small
  village in southwestern Ontario, Canada, called
  Thamesville, which would eventually be transmuted
  into the root scene of his most well known and
  acclaimed novel, Fifth Business. He spent six
  years there, during which time important
  influences and ideas shaped his conscious and
  unconscious life, remaining with him until his
  death. The important, ineluctable and ambiguous
  relationships that exist within a family were
  first impressed on him at that time,
  relationships that not only comprised the present
  familial unit, but reached far back (and, by
  extension, forward) to the family's spreading
  histories. His parents' ancestors, from Scots,
  Welsh and Canadian pioneer stock, were living
  presences that colored the daily life and
  development of the Davies household, that would
  eventually find their way as dominant players
  into Davies's late novel, Murther and Walking
  Spirits.  

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Themes

• Religion - more specifically hagiology
• Materialism vs. Spirituality
• Roles of Men and Women
• Guilt

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Religion (Try adding what you know)
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Materialism vs. Spirituality (try adding)
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Roles of Men and Women

• Oh no! I only did what I could, said Dunstans
  mother (17).
• what we offer is innocent-just an entertainment
  in which a hungry part of the spirit is fed,
  said Paul (211).

This shows how it is superior to have both man
and woman run society together.
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Guilt (try adding)
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Character in beginning and the end.

• we have all rejected our beginnings and become
  something out parents could not have foreseen,
  said Paul (268).
• Paul(Eisengrim) was a Disable child and became a
  Magician at the end.
• Dustan Ramsay had no idea what he was doing(try
  putting something)
• Percy Staunton became a business man(try putting
  something)

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• What effect would it have on the story if Dunstan
  had told his parents as well as Mr./Mrs. Dempster
  that Percy had thrown the snowball?
•  I personally believe that if Dunny had told
  everyone that Percy had thrown the snowball, we
  would be following Percy's story rather than
  Dunny. As far as I've read, Dunny is responsible
  for taking care of Mrs. Dempster, but had
  everyone known that Percy threw the snowball, I
  feel he would be responsible for taking care of
  Mrs. Dempster.
•  
• I personally think that if Percy was the main
  character then the story would have stayed the
  same, because Paul would still born disable and
  hopefully Percy will take care of him. The only
  difference I can see is that then Percy and Dunny
  will both take care of Paul and Mrs. Dempster.
•  
• Not only that, but also due to the fact that
  Dunstan also feels responsible, I am pretty sue
  that h wouldnt turn percy over. Only he is to
  blam for his 'guilt-ridden' childhood days.

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• What effect does the first person narration have
  on the story? How do you feel it has affected
  your view and understanding of the novel?
• At first I found the story quite difficult to
  understand, I didn't appreciate until a little
  later on in the book the style of writing the
  author had used. The story isn't written in first
  person, but rather a memoire, in which a person
  reflects on his or her life. 
•  I found I was looking back a lot in the first
  few pages just to keep up with all that was
  happening but it has started to slow down in
  my opinion.
• I believe that the first person narration makes
  the story more believable.
• I believe that the first person narative adds a
  'personal' touch to the story. (-AJ)

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• There are many themes incorporated into this book
  by the author. What are the main themes of this
  novel, and how do the minor themes contribute to
  the story?
• I feel the main theme so far is regret, many of
  the things that happen as far as I have read
  Dunny reflects on how it would be different if he
  did just get hit with the snowball and prevented
  the premature birth of Paul. 
• I believe that there are numerous themes in this
  novel, but Dunsan's guilt and its debilitating
  effects seem to be the epicenter of most of the
  events that have taken place (at least so far).
• Honestly guys this novel changes direction after
  every 3-5 pages therefore it is hard to
  understand what the theme is?

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• Farther into the book, we've learned that the
  ongoing struggle between Percy and Dunny is no
  longer just a rivalry between social classes, the
  Proletariat, and the Bourgeoisie classes. How
  will this allow the book to progress?
• It can only make the conflict even more heated.
   Considering many conflicts find the basis in
  this relationship I cannot wait to see what
  happens! Davies is setting us up for something
  big I think!
• I think the class differential will put a dark
  spin on the story. After Davies uses such biased
  religious opinions, adding the spin of class
  differential on top of it can only make the story
  twisted. While we see conflict between Dunny and
  Mr. Dempster because they are of different
  religious backgrounds, we also have begun to see
  discriminatory remarks against class.

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Rhetorical and Literary devices

• Flashback Milo and Dunny having a conversation
  about the past from Page 101-105.
• Not since his trouble you remember? Sure you do!
  We used to see you skin over there after school
  and climb through the wimdow to see her and Paul.
  Nobody ever thought.., said Milo (104)

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Find some quotes and add them

• Comparison Comparing similarities between
  Dunny's mother and Diana. How are they both
  helping the society in a similar way?
• Pathos The reader feels sympathy on the
  situation of Mrs. Dempster, the way she lost her
  child. The reader also feels sympathy on the
  situation of Leola the condition in which she
  died.
• Point of view I think it is the first Person.
•  
• Foreshadowing Dunny teaching Paul tricks and
  then Paul turns out to be a magician, doing
  tricks with cards.
•  
• Davies masterfully intertwines literary devices
  into the novel to enhance his story. AJ

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Resources

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera
• http//wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_definition_of_Fi
  fth_business_in_the_novel_by_Robertson_Davies
• http//www.athabascau.ca/writers/rdavies.html
• http//www.nwpassages.com/bios/davies.asp