Fifth Business

Summary

At the beginning of the novel, Dunstan Ramsay is a young boy, playing with a friend and enemy. A snowball that was meant to hit him hit Mary Dempster, which caused her to give birth to her son prematurely, causing the baby boy to be weak. For the most part, this novel deals with the guilt he felt from this event, as well as the repercussions he faced due to this event. Ramsay later goes to war, comes back and enrolls in university, where he takes up a liking of Saint- like figures. He spends much of his time researching this, and it seems as if he considers Mary Dempster a saint. On many occasions, he encounters Paul Dempster, and one particular encounter near the end of the novel causes a revelation for Dunstan that he is in fact the "fifth business", or the person in everyone's story, but doesn't really have a story for him/herself.

Basics

Fifth Business is a novel written by Robertson Davies. It is uniquely in first person, telling the story directly from Ramsay's point of view. It takes place starting in 1908 up until after World War II. It takes place in in Canada, Mexico, as well as on the fronts of World War II.

Main characters

Ramsay: He is the main character of the book, a fifth business to everyone else's stories within the novel. Although the novel centers around his thoughts, his thoughts are centered around the other characters, none of which he plays a gigantic role in.

Mary Dempster: Mary is sometimes compared to Saint Mary because they have many similar traits. She is the mother of the prematurely born baby, and is often in the company of Ramsay. She is the loner of the town, which shows when there is a lack of audience for Mary.

Paul Dempster: the son of Mary, who was born prematurely due to Ramsay. At certain points, Paul is considered the weakest boy in town, although his internal power seems to be quite large as well, shown through Ramsay's visit to the circus.

Narrative Voice

The author writes in first person, which is rather rare. for a novel such as this. The author writes with a relatively neutral tone, although it is biased towards Ramsay due to its first person nature. The tone of the author is a tad bit childish at points, although it matures as the novel moves forward. The imagery used is quite vivid, as Davies provides details for many of the aspects of the setting (such as inter-character relations), and many symbols are used, such as the rock (which stands for synchronicity, fate, and karma), as well as the name changing (changes in personality/character), and going south.

Quotes

"Who killed Boy Stauton?" (251).

This quote is simple, but it is a key question near the end of the novel. It is the catalyst for Ramsay's epiphany, as he then realizes his role as the "fifth business" in everyone's life. Also, this question evokes many further questions about Paul Demster and the meaning of the rock in the story as a whole.

"Who are you? Where do you fit into poetry and myth? Do you know who I think you are, Ramsay? I think you are Fifth Business. "

This quote is the starting point at which the title is mentioned with meaning in the novel. Liesl mentions that Ramsay might be the fifth business, but he doesn't take it to heart until he himself realizes it. Not only does it show part of Ramsay's personality, it can be used to argue that everyone is a fifth business (like Liesl's role at this part), not just Ramsay, and that it is what they make of their lives that really matters, not what they do as the fifth business.

Theme

Humanity is the author if its own story.

This means that people write out their own lives, and that outside forces do not write it for them. What one makes of their lives is how their lives will be. Depending on the perspective, one may or may not be the 5th business person (such as Ramsay was). Also, humans often attribute to God the miracles that come from the power of the human psyche. It often manifests in stories and archetypes that repeat themselves throughout time.

Hamlet

Summary

Hamlet starts out with a dreary night, in which the night guards see a ghost of the old King Hamlet. The young Hamlet has returned for his father's funeral, which is dangerously close to his uncle, the new King Claudius's marriage with his mother. One night, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, who tells him that King Claudius murdered him. This sends Hamlet on a mad spree to take revenge for his father's death. This also causes a riff between his relationship with Ophelia, leading to Ophelia's eventual madness and suicide. Throughout the play, Hamlet has many opportunities to murder his uncle, but decides against it. In the process however, he kills Polonius, causing his son, Laertes, to want revenge on Hamlet. While in the end Hamlet does avenge for his father, his mother, Ophelia, Guildenstern, Rosencrantz, as well as Laertes' death.

Basics

This play was written by Shakespeare in the 1600's, but is set in Denmark.

Main Characters:

Hamlet: A young man, the son of the previous king of Denmark. He is out to get revenge on his uncle who murdered his father. He is the love interest of Ophelia, but eventually drives her insane due to his constant pondering about revenge and death.

Claudius: Hamlet's uncle who killed his own brother, Hamlet's father, and married his wife. He has done many immoral acts, but goes to pray to repent his sins. It is unknown if his prayers were sincere. Claudius is the center of many troubles in Hamlet, and he manages to escape death on multiple occasions.

Ophelia: Polonius' daughter who is Hamlet's love interest. She is used by her father and the king to see what Hamlet is up to, but is found out soon enough. She is soon driven crazy, party on Hamlet's fault, party on her father and brother's fault, and party her own fault, and commits suicide.

Old King Hamlet: Hamlet's father, who is killed shortly before the start of the play. He was a kind and caring king, and the young Hamlet vows to avenge for his father. His ghost appears sporadically, guiding Hamlet towards the path to getting revenge.

Gertrude: Hamlet's mother who marries her brother in law. Although she cares about her new husband, she cares more for her son, and eventually sides with her son when he tells her about Claudius' previous sin of killing the old King Hamlet.

Narrative Voice

The point of view of Hamlet is quite neutral, as it follows around different characters at different points. However, it is more heavily centered around the title character Hamlet, as well as Ophelia and Gertrude. While Shakespeare's writing lacks stage directions, his imagery is plentiful, as he often uses characters' speech to describe the stage directions. The tone of this piece is rather melancholy, due to its focus on life vs. death. However, symbolism is not commonplace in Hamlet, and I was unable to find any immediate symbols.

Quotes

"To be or not to be, that is the question..." (Act III Scene 1).

This long soliloquy of Hamlet's is a key quote in the scene. Hamlet is wondering about what would be better, life or death. He contemplates suicide, showing that times are desperate and death might be even better than life. With this in mind, it shows that Denmark is in trouble. This can be used to prove that when times are tough, suicide does become a viable alternate to life.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" ( Act I Scene 4).

Most importantly, this quote foreshadows all of the future mishaps and tragedies, such as suicide, murder, and the failure of a country in general. However, it also has another meaning. When someone says "Denmark", they often are referring to the king himself. By saying that something is rotten in Denmark would be saying that something is rotten with the king, which would be more than true, as Claudius had just unjustly become King of Denmark by killing his own brother.

Theme

Although revenge might feel worthwhile at first, it will be apparent later on that it hurts more people than those it intends to hurt.

This can be seen through the plot, as Hamlet's only goal is to get revenge for his father on King Claudius. He only intends to hurt Claudius, but in the process, his mother, Polonius, Laertes, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern also get hurt. He first started to hurt others unintentionally when he started to act mad, but this progressed throughout the play and ended up with the death of most of the main characters. The author's tone also propels this theme, as it provides for a dreary feeling whenever Hamlet attempts to kill Claudius.

Pride and Prejudice

Summary:

The Bennet family is a middle class family living in the 1800's with daughters Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia. Mrs. Bennet is hoping to get her children married off to rich men, and got lucky when a rich handsome man moved into town. This man, Mr. Bingley, takes a liking to Jane, while his friend Mr. Darcy, who seems to be polar opposites with Mr. Bingley, gets into a heated verbal argument with Elizabeth. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth and Darcy have an ongoing quarrel in which they insult each other or question each other's ethics and education. They slowly fall in love with each other, albeit the many complaints of Mr. Bingley's sister, Caroline. Just as things seem to be heading towards a positive direction, Mr. Wickham runs off with Lydia to marry her, which causes a stir in the family. Mr. Darcy had also made a mistake with the Bennet family, as he convinced Mr. Bingley that Mrs. Bennet (and thus Jane) was only after his wealth. While Mr. Darcy realized his mistake, Elizabeth was not readily forgiving. However, with Mr. Darcy's help, the family is able to reconcile with Wickham and Lydia's mistake, and Elizabeth and Darcy make up while Jane and Bingley reunite. All three sisters end up married, although some are better off than others.

Basics:

This novel was written by Jane Austen in the early 1800's, and can be considered a satire in some ways. It is set in the early 1800's in England, starting out at Netherfield house, as well as Pemberley and many other places.

Main Characters:

Elizabeth Bennet: A headstrong young woman who has strong opinions, and is quite knowledgeable for a woman of her day and age. She is witty and can stand her ground, and her father often supports her.

Jane Bennet: Elizabeth's older sister who is a perfect gentlewoman. She is quiet and polite, attracting the attention of Mr. Bingley. She represents the typical woman during that time period.

Mr. Darcy: Elizabeth's love interest, someone who is just as hard-headed and stubborn as she is. He has both pride and prejudice, but is a kind hearted man and doesn't mean to harm anyone. He is very well educated as well, and is quite honest with everyone.

Mr. Bingley: Jane's love interest, who is a wealthy gentleman. He is polite, like Jane, and is the opposite of Mr Darcy, as does not act rashly, and takes time to think things through before he acts.

Bennet Family: Consists of Mrs and Mr. Bennet, Jane, Elizabeth, Lydia, Mary, and Catherine. Lydia runs off (and scammed) with Mr Wickham to get married, while Mary does not marry. Catherine sees the faults of Lydia, and decides to be more careful before getting married. Mrs. Bennet is a materialistic woman, while Mr. Bennet is the voice of reason within this female dominated household.

Mr. Wickham: A scam of an officer who tells Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy treats him poorly, and manages to convince Lydia to run off with him to get married.

Narrative Voice:

The author's style is similar to many romantic novels. There is no specific point of view, although it does focus the most on Elizabeth's relationship to those around her, and also explores Jane's relationships. The tone is considerably lighthearted, as compared to the other novels and plays that we have read before. Austen also uses detailed imagery to explain the setting and inter-character relationships, but does not use imagery to delve into the more superficial elements, and instead relies on dialogue. There is not much symbolism in this novel, but the different settings do represent the different social classes and the complicated relationship between people of different classes.

Quotes:

"In society so superior to what she had generally known, her improvement was great. She was not of so ungovernable a temper as Lydia, and removed from the influence of Lydia's example, she became, by proper attention and management, less irritable, less ignorant, and less insipid" (366).

This quote not only shows Kitty's maturation due to the hard times that the Bennet family had faced, it also shows that she is learning from the past, and she knows that mistakes made in the past should not be repeated, and should be looked upon as valuable lessons. This not only applies to Kitty, but also to society as a whole. Society should look upon past mistakes not just as a past event, but something to learn from to prevent in the future.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" (3).

The first line of the novel, this quote is a good example of prejudice. Not every single man in possession of a fortune wants a wife, so it cannot be a universal truth. In the case of the Bennets, this is what Lydia and Mrs. Bennet seem to think, although Jane and Elizabeth do not seem to agree with this entirely. Also, it can represent the pride. It is not a universal truth, so to claim it as a universal truth would be pride in knowledge, thus explaining many of the motifs of this novel.

Theme:

To love is to overcome pride, prejudice and social class to see what is truly inside a person and to accept that person for who they really are.

Both Darcy and Elizabeth have pride and prejudice, which they do not want to admit to. However, when they overcome their differences, they fall in love, showing that what is truly underneath the facade is who they truly are, and that is what matters. They are also able to overcome the social class issue that is set upon them by society, showing that true love overcomes all adversities. Similarly, Jane and Mr. Bingley also overcome the social class issue when they fall in love.

Ceremony

Summary

Tayo is a man who has just returned from World War II, down with post traumatic stress disorder. His cousin and friend, Rocky was killed in the war, one of the reasons he feels guilty throughout the novel. His aunt, who is still partially grieving, blames Tayo. Tayo then travels the path to recovery, overcoming many adversities, such as racism and peer pressure. Although there are many failed attempts at helping him recover, one medicine man, Betonie, who is also half Indian, eventually succeeds in bringing Tayo to recovery by using a combination of Native and Western techniques. Laced between the larger plot are many small short stories of the Pueblo culture, all of which can be linked to part of the novel as a whole.

Basics

This novel was written by Leslie Marmon Silko, who is part Indian herself. It takes place on a Pueblo reservation for the most part. There are slight mentions of other cities and places (such as the mountains), and it is set during a period after World War II. There also a few mentions of California (where the hospital was), and Mexico (in many tales and flashbacks).

Significant Characters

Tayo: A half-white, half-native World War II veteran who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the beginning of the novel and is on the road to recovery. With the help of medicine men and women, especially Betonie, he starts to recover, and later discovers his true self.

Auntie: Tayo's aunt, who is ashamed of being related to the mixed-blood Tayo. She gossips quite a lot, and may be a little childish at times. She is grieving over the loss of her son, Rocky, and has no hope for Tayo's recovery, although she makes many attempts to cure him. Although Auntie never shows her soft side, it does exist.

Betonie- A medicine man who helped Tayo to overcome his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Like Tayo, he is of mixed blood, and is only half Indian. Thus, he can relate to Tayo in many ways, and is able to use a fusion of western and Native ways to help Tayo recover.

Narrative Voice

Silko uses strong imagery (such as colors and cardinal directions) to voice her characters' inner thoughts. Although it is written in third person, it is done through Tayo's point of view, following his every step. The tone is rather somber, often flashing back to the wartime, as well as to the calm before the war. The Pueblo stories that are told are also thought provoking in nature, and are not biased in any way. Symbolism in Silko's novel include colors and cardinal directions, both of which represent different ideas (such as white representing death and witchcraft). Another symbol used to propel the voice of the novel is the constant puking of Tayo. Regurgitating represents the stories coming out of Tayo's stomach (storytelling), as well as the disgust for society.

Quotes:

"It seems like I already heard these stories before... only thing is, the names sound different" (242).

This quote may be simple, but it can be quite useful in many ways. Grandma's insight on Tayo's situation is correct. On the surface level, it can be interpreted that the things that Tayo had just gone through in many ways reflected the Native stories that had been passed on for generations. On a deeper level, though, it represents the fact that history repeats itself over and over again, and while the human race seems to have learned its lesson, it is doubtful that it really has.

"Jungle rain had no beginning or end; it grew like foliage from the sky, branching and arching to the earth, sometimes in solid thickets entangling the islands, and other times, in tendrils of blue mist curling out of the coastal clouds" (10).

The jungle in Tayo's case was a prison, one which was impossible to fight his way out of. Somehow though, he did, but Rocky didn't. This quote can be used to explain the reason behind Tayo's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as the entrapment of Tayo's mind in a foreign place. Although there were some aspects of the jungle that were positive (such as the exploration), for the most part, it was quite negative.

Theme:

It is important to overcome cultural barriers, such as racism, to accept people for who they are so that society can advance and become integrated.

Much of the hatred and disgust that Tayo receives is due to his mixed heritage, and throughout the entire novel, it is shown that Tayo acts and thinks in a more Pueblo way than does his so-called friends who are only Pueblo. Also, Auntie sends them to an American school to get integrated, but treats Tayo like dirt because he is half white, showing the irony of the situation. Also, through his interactions with Betonie, it is shown that there are many problems with racism in today's culture, but integration is key, and not completely impossible.

Death of a Salesman

Summary:

The Loman family is a family of four, including Biff, Happy, Willy, and Linda. Willy is a businessman. In the beginning, Willy comes home after crashing his car, and his sons, Biff and Happy, are home. Biff seems to have a strained relationship with Willy, and they constantly fight throughout the play. Happy seems to want to follow his father's dreams of having a son in the business world, while Biff wants to pursue his own dreams. Willy constantly has flashbacks to the past, where everything was going well in his perspective, although in reality, it was not. He also has visions of his brother Ben, whom he admires a lot. Ben "went into the jungle" (took a risk, that is), and came out rich. Willy often asks the visions about his current life problems. Still dwelling in the past perfect life of his, Willy keeps trying to force Biff to follow Willy's own dreams. Biff manages to convince Willy that he does love him, despite not pursuing his father's dreams. Although Willy interprets this as Biff wanting to go into business, Willy goes out in the darkness and crashes the car, hoping that the compensation money will be enough to help out his family. Even after his death, Biff still refuses to become a salesman, but Happy is more than willing to follow his father's steps.

Basics:

Written in 1949, Arthur Miller sets his play Death of a Salesman in what seems to be Brooklyn, New York City. It is set in the present, although there are constant flashbacks to the "perfect" past that they lived.

Important characters include:

Willy Loman- the father of the family, who works as a salesman. He makes many mistakes in the play, but one cannot help but feel bad for him when he sacrifices himself for the good of the family. He is desperate to thrive as a salesman, but he does not have such skills, so he turns to lewd ways to get what he wants.

Linda Loman- the mother of the family, who works at home taking care of Biff and Happy. She nurtures her family, and can be argued as a mother figure for Willy as well. She is a voice of reason within the novel, and is very sensical.

Biff Loman- Biff is the elder son, who has dreams of exploring the west. However, Willy hopes for Biff to become a salesman, which causes many problems between the two. He is the favorite son, and he was a star football player.

Happy Loman- Happy is the younger, less favored son. He looks up to his brother just like Willy looks up to Ben, and tries to be just like him, only to be overshadowed. He seems to listen to his father more than Biff, but he has a bad habit of stealing women.

Ben- Ben is Willy's older brother who had a much more successful career than Willy did. He often tells Willy to "go into the jungle", or take a risk, just like he did. Ben and Willy's relationship mirrors Biff and Happy's relationship.

Narrative Voice:

In general, this play shows the imagery through the detailed stage directions. The point of view, although in third person, is more shifted towards Willy. Although the play does not follow his each and every step, most of the flashbacks are his flashbacks, are as his dreams and visions. Arthur Miller's tone is not 100% clear in this play, but it is edging towards being slightly somber and melancholy. He uses words with a negative connotation, creating this tone, and emphasizes it with the plot. Miller utilizes many symbols, such as Ben, the music, as well as stockings. Ben represents the American Dream, the music represents the past, and the stockings represent Willy's infidelity.

Quotes:

Ben: "One must go in to fetch a diamond out" (196).

This quote could be used in many contexts, but can most directly explain the motif that one must work in order to reach their dreams. However, diamonds cannot be found anywhere, which parallel's Willy's case; Willy's dream of being a salesman cannot come true, as hard as he tries, because the "diamond" cannot be found. This quote can also be used to explain Happy. He is not a bad person, but he is constantly overshadowed (hence, a diamond in the rough). One must dig through him in order to find the true value in him.

"Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground."

This quote was referring to the garden, but in reality, this refers to much more. It also refers to having nothing planted in the ground as a family -nothing is stable in the family. Having something planted is like having something set in stone, and unfortunately for the Lomans, this is not happening, as Willy's job is not actually stable, and their income is low. The family dynamics are also referenced, as it is unstable as well. Linda treats Willy more as a son than as a husband, and Biff has a strained relation with Willy. He tries to follow Willy's dreams, but he secretly detests this. Happy then follows everything Biff does, which could be good or bad (in the case of stealing, it would be bad). This dysfunctional family truly has nothing planted firmly in the ground.

Theme:

The American Dream is not something that can be obtainable by everyone, and it is often very far from the reality of life.

This entire plot revolves around this theme. Willy has a dream of becoming a successful salesman, but it is far from his lackluster salesmanship, and through the flashbacks, it is shown that Willy lacks the potential that his brother Ben had. The title relates to this theme because the death of Willy Loman ended his suffering, but also brought about new opportunities for his family's "American Dream". Through the melancholy tone, the author portrays that this novel and Willy's situation are not quite the best situations, and that his American Dream was not obtainable since the beginning, and through the family dynamics, it shows that not only did Willy's dream fail, it also created a riff between the entire family, proving the ultimate failure of the Loman's dream.

The American Dream- Edward Albee

Summary

The American Dream by Edward Albee is a play that explores the lives of the two main characters, Mommy and Daddy, and their struggles to meet the so called "American Dream", as well as a seemingly crazy Grandma. Throughout the entire play, Mommy emasculates Daddy while Grandma criticizes the both of them, creating a tense setting. The play is set in the present, but often references events that happened in the past, such as the baby boy Mommy and Daddy adopted and mutilated. Near the end of the play, the Young Man appears, a hallow but superficially "perfect" character that is in search for a job. After much realization, he is the twin of the baby boy that Mommy and Daddy had adopted. Dubbed the "American Dream" by Grandma, the Young Man becomes Mommy and Daddy's replacement for the baby boy, and is their way of living out the American Dream.

About the Play

The American Dream was written by Edward Albee, first staged in 1961. It takes place in Mommy and Daddy's apartment during an unspecified time period. Some significant figures include:

~ Mommy and Daddy, a married couple who live with Grandma. Mommy is a stubborn character who often doesn't listen to her husband. Daddy is often emasculated by the other characters, and hardly shows any sense of strong will.

~Grandma, who is Mommy's mother and is very witty and thoughtful, although Mommy and Daddy often chose to ignore her comments.

~Mrs. Barker, an omnipresent member of society who is acquainted with Mommy, and seems to have bad memory.

~ The Young Man, the twin of the baby that Mommy and Daddy mutilated a while back. He is superficially perfect but has a hallow life.

Narrative Voice:

Albee uses simple sentences for the most part. They range from one word lines to a few words, but it is written in a way that makes the characters' tone seem childish and uneducated. The entire play is in third person, so it is a bit more difficult to see inside each character. There is not much imagery used in this, as it is a play and not a novel. The imagery that is given is through the stage directions, which give a specific setting to the play (ie. "A living room. Two armchairs, one toward either side of the stage, facing each other diagonally out toward the audience...."(11). ) The symbolism in The American Dream includes many things, including but not limited to the hat, the Young Man, and Grandma's boxes. Through this, it is seen that Albee is a writer who favors a simplistic outward appearance while having a deep and meaningful truth.

Memorable Quotes:

Grandma: "Well, I got satisfaction" (16).

This quote may be simple, but it can be used to justify and explain many different motifs and themes, such as materialism vs. true satisfaction.

Grandma: "...So let's leave things as they are right now... while everybody's happy... while everybody's got what he wants... or everybody's got what he thinks he wants..." (93).

This quote is a great example to sum up the entire play. Mommy and Daddy think they know what they want in the end, but is it truly what they wanted? Grandma also brings out that this situation could apply to just about anyone.

Theme:

The American Dream is an unobtainable, unreachable, and far-off hope that many families have, and while they may think they have obtained it, they are often far off from the dream reality.

The plot centers around this theme, and the character of Grandma helps to propel it. Grandma makes many remarks that seem senile and strange, but digging into the deeper meaning, Grandma is actually the most logical character, and she points this theme out to the other characters. However, they rarely listen to her, so it proves that people (Mommy and Daddy) believe that their dream is achieved, although in reality, it has not.

Synthesis of Course Material: Part Four- Multiple Choice

Multiple Choice.

We have done multiple choice questions of many types throughout our years of school. From math to science to history to literature, what makes this multiple choice different from the others?

To start out, it's not easy. That was one of the first things we've learned. The multiple choice section of the AP English test is confusing and difficult, and is separated into different types of multiple choice. Given a passage, test takers will be instructed to understand and analyze the passage of literature and answer questions about it. The passage may be a poem or an excerpt from a novel, play, etc. Some of the questions will be direct (such as 'What happened in this part of this passage?'), some will be inferencing (like 'what can be inferred from the author's word choice in this passage?'), while others will be more conceptual (such as 'The use of this literary technique can be attributed to what symbolism?').

The first type of question is rather simple, and can be directly found in the text. They don't require as much work as the other two.

The second type of question requires a bit more work. Readers must understand the text, and be able to see behind the surface meaning of things (Annotations have helped us develop this skill! See Part 2 of Synthesis of Course Materials). Although this type of question is a bit more tricky than the first, it requires no previous knowledge about the subject, unlike the third type of question.

The third type of question is the trickiest of them all. It requires readers to be knowledgeable about literary techniques, terms, symbols, and such. (This is the type of question the AP Class needs to prepares us for the most!) We've read the bible, as well as the Greek mythology, which all help with these questions. We've also studied literary terms that are commonly used, and how to spot them within a text. These questions are arguably the most important multiple choice questions on the AP test, as they probably make up for the majority of the multiple choice portion!

Well there you have it, the final portion of the Synthesis of Course Material for AP English!