Chapter summary

Chapter1 Mrs. Dempster


•The narrator dates the beginning of his involvement with Mrs. Dempster from December 27, 1908, at which time he was ten years and seven months old. The narrator explains that he recalls the date so clearly because he had been sledding with his "lifelong friend and enemy Percy Boyd Staunton." Percy had been upset because his expensive, new, Christmas sled refused to go faster than the narrator's older, cheaper sled. Percy, the son of the village's richest residents, is already, at ten years old, accustomed to having his own way about everything. The sled's refusal to cooperate angers Percy. The narrator goes home for dinner, and Percy follows him all the way, throwing taunts and snowballs at the narrator's back. Paul does the card tricks perfectly. Description of Paul. Description of Amasa Dempster, he loves Mrs. Dempster on principle. Demspter shouts at Dunstan for teaching his son magic tricks and telling Paul about Saints. Dunstan is Fifteen. Dunstan ill wishes Dempster. Description of Mrs. Dempster and Mrs. Ramsay. Description of Willie. People blamed the actions of the young people on Mrs. Dempster. Village helps Willie and the Ramsay's. Description of people in the villag. Willie dies and Dunstan calls Mrs. Dempster. Mrs. Dempster prays and Willie wakes up. Mrs. Dempster's second Miracle of Raising Willie from the dead.

Interpretation: In this character is entirely set in Deptford, It described Dunny’s boyhood from ten to seventeen years old. This chapter begins with an incident that might make several people feel guilty in order to express this theme in the novel. This chapter also foreshadows the following plot. Have two main point from this chapter, first point is Dunny believed Mrs.Dempster brought his brother back alive. Second point is Dunny didn’t realize it until he met the tramp many years later. Dunstable’s deep guilt towards Mrs. Dempster had also been built up in this part. Since Mrs. Dempster figures most prominently in this section of the novel, part one was named after her.

Chapter 2 I Am Born Again

At the beginning of his military service, Dunstable recalls suffering greatly from homesickness, having never been away from Deptford before. He forms no friendships with the other members of the Second Canadian Division, although he would have liked to have a friend. He suffers from the intense boredom that accompanies the loss of all the pleasures that make life worth living.Dunny talks about the battle he was in at Ypres. This battle was the most terrible experience for him. The field were covered in mud and you couldn't even walk in it. He was in a small group of soldiers who had to crawl across the field and take out the German machine guns. He was injured in the attack as the Germans were expecting them. The last thing he saw before he passed out was a statue of the Virgin and Child. When he woke up he was in a hospital in England. - Paul, Mary's son had ran off and joined the circus and they hadn't seen him since.

Interpretation: This part talked about Dunstable’s life in battlefield and his affair with Diana in England. In this chapter begins with Dunny participating in the First World War in 1915 to 1917. Have two main point from this chapter, The first point is his escape from death on the battlefield. The second point is his rename by Diana, which symbolized him born twice. This chapter also foreshadows Dunstan’s visit to Mrs.Dempster and his development of relationship among Boy and Leola.

Chapter 3 My Fool-Saint

It was 1919 and Dunny entered University College in the University of Toronto.- He studied history. He sold his family home and business and Percy helped him invest his money so he could make a profit. Percy Staunton decided to go by Boy Staunton when he was in University. Percy was the big man on campus and made alot of money with his investments. After university Dunny took a job schoolmastering at Colbourne College. Mr. Surgeoner show Dunny what prayer got people to bring to the mission. Dunny discovered that Mr. Surgeioner was the same man he saw with Mrs. Dempster. Mr. Surgeioner told Dunny he didn't rape Mrs. Dempster. Dunny went back to Deptford and found out the name of the Aunt who took Mrs Dempster after Mr. Dempster died.- Mr. Mahaffey told Dunny Miss Bertha Shanklin took her to Weston to live.- Dunny went to see the priest while he was in Deptford. They discussed his past and his new interest in saints. The priest called him a fool-saint.- Dunny went ot Weston to see Mrs. Dempster. Miss Bertha Shankin was a very small lady of an unguessable age. - Dunny talked about why he had come to visit and of the concern he had for Mrs. Dempster. Mrs. Dempster didn't remember the past. Bertha Shankin asked Dunny to come back and visit and get to know Mrs. Dempster over again as her friend. Paul now went by Faustus Legrand.He didn't want to discuss his past. When Dunny left he realized Paul had stolen his pocket book.

Interpretation: this chapter This part focused on Dunstan’s study on history and saint. The priest while he was in Deptford claimed Mrs.Dempster as a Fool-Saint.He saw Paul Dempster in the circuit and learned Paul didn’t want to mention about his past because he felt guilty. However, he has been told if Mrs. Dempster was anything, she was a “fool-saint”.

Chapter 4 Gyges and King Candaules

Boy made a lot of money during the depression.He would buy any business that was in trouble financially and then make it prosperous again.- He had business in coffee, donuts, breads, sugars etc. Dunny spent his time teaching and watching Boys distruction of Leola as well as taking care of Mrs. Dempster.Dunny visited Mrs. Dempster forty Saturday's a year.- He visited less and less often because the patients begged him to take them out of there. Dunny visited Mrs. Dempster forty Saturday's a year. He visited less and less often because the patients begged him to take them out of there. They hated it there. Dunny finished his first book called "A Hundred Saints for Travellers". He also wrote for Analecta and the Royal Historical Society. She wanted Dunny to kiss her like he loved her and when he wouldn't she was very upset. She was in a deep depression and finally ended up trying to kill herself on Christmas Day. She left a suicide letter to Dunny saying she always loved him.

Interpretation: In this chapter, Boy Staunton’s materialism has led to huge consequences. He forced Leola to become the perfect executive’s wife because he thought Leola was not good enough to match his status. It began with Boy Staunton’s financial success in the Great Depression, and talked about the family struggle in the Staunton family. Since Dunstan was a very close friend to this family, he was kind of involved in the conflict.



Chapter5 Liesl

During the Second World War Boy became the Minister of Food in the coalition Cabinet. So most of his time was spent in Ottawa.He was in Guadalupe checking the churches for saints. He say a brochue on a magic show and book a seat. Dunny became a member of Magnus eisengrim's entourage. They discussed the plans they had for the show and how they wanted to make it unique.Dunny spent his time teaching and watching Boys distruction of Leola as well as taking care of Mrs. Dempster. Dunny became involved witht he Bollandists.The Fifth Business is the odd man out, the person who has no opposite of the other sex. And Dunny was because he is the one who knows the secret of the hero's birth(Paul), or comes to assist the heroine when she thinks all is lost(Leola), or keeps the hermitess in her cell (Mrs Dempster), or may even be the cause of somebody's death.

Interpretation: This character is mainly talked about Dunstan’s life with Magnus Eisengrim’s magic show in Mexico. Dunstan met his true love Liesl in the novel at the age of fifty. She developed Dunstan’s life to a new stage because she completed Dunstan’s life physically by his first sexual experience and she also stated Dunstan was a fifth business of his memoir.

Chapter 6 The Soiree of Illusions

Dunstan completed the Autobiography of Magnus Eisengrim and it was a great success.Liesl insisted that Paul sign a banker’s note to support his mom monthly. At the end of the war Dunstan had Mrs. Dempster transferred to a private hospital.

Boy Staunton was found dead in his car in the Toronto harbour. Dunstan tells of his meeting with Paul, Boy and himself when they discussed the past and what happened to Mrs. Dempster. Boy insisted he didn't remember any of it. Dunstan kept the rock in a box with the engraving. It mysteriously disappeared and was found in Boys mouth when he died. Dunstan went off to Switzerland and joined the Basso and the Brazen Head.

Interpretation; This chapter is the ending of the novel, which basically gave a resolution to every conflict through out the novel. The theme “guilt” was expressed in two ways. Dunstan felt extremely guilty for Mrs.Dempster’s death because he blamed himself on telling her about Paul Dempster.