The Ordinary Man

Fifth Business by Robertson Davies

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


An ordinary man's life cannot really fit into a paragraph - and Ramsay sets himself to fleshing out a tossed-off tribute in honor of his retirement that offended him by its lack of depth and revelation.  He writes his life history to the headmaster of the school for boys where he taught all his adult life.  Ramsay is what Davies refers to as "the fifth business": not the lead or antagonist, but a character in dramatic works who carries an essential piece of the plot.   
In essence, then, Ramsay's narrative is a tragedy from this fifth business's point of view.  He became obsessed with a neighbor's wife as a child because he dodged a snowball that caused a premature birth and the woman's descent into a gentle madness.  All his life he is burdened with the responsibility for her child, Paul, and for her.  In his eyes she has worked miracles and he comes to think of her as a Fool-Saint.  This leads him to research and write hagiographies, although he was brought up as a dour Scots Presbyterian. 
I didn't find the saint business that interesting, but Davies does a wonderful job of depicting life in a Canadian town, the horrors of the trenches of WWI, and developing characters.  Ramsay is self-deprecating in that stereotypical way we associate with Canadians.  His antagonist/best friend, "Boy" Staunton, becomes rich and influential from the most mundane of businesses: sugar.  He also takes Ramsay's "girlfriend" away from him, saving him the trouble of dumping her himself - but he is unable to disentangle himself from their friendship.  Even amid the tragedies there are some laugh-out-loud moments.  I am tempted to continue the series, if only the third book which may pick up where this left off.





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