Fifth Business

Published in 1970, Fifth Business is Canadian author Robertson Davies' first part of the Deptford Trilogy.

The novel begins with the childhood incident that shapes Ramsay's life. As a young boy, Ramsay witnesses a traumatic event involving his schoolmate Percy Boyd Staunton and another boy named Mary Dempster. This incident sets off a chain of events that reverberate throughout Ramsay's life.

Ramsay becomes what he refers to as the "fifth business" in the lives of the people around him. He is not the hero or the villain but plays a crucial supporting role, much like the character in traditional drama. The story follows him as he navigates his relationships with various characters, including Staunton and Dempster, and explores the consequences of his actions and the impact of the past on his present.

Through Ramsay's narrative, the novel delves into themes such as the search for meaning, the nature of personal identity, and the influence of the subconscious and Jungian psychology. It also incorporates elements of mythology, drawing on the concept of the "mythical fifth business" to explore the hidden forces that shape human lives.

This novel reminds me of William Boyd's Any Human Heart, which also follows a character through his life stages.