Fifth Buisness Character Name Change
             WhatÕs in a Name?
             In Fifth Business, many of the characters change their names as their lives develop. Those who change their names are Paul Dempster, Percy Boyd Staunton, and Dunstable Ramsay. They all change their identity to suit their new names in a way. Paul Dempster becomes more powerful as Magnus Eisengrim, Percy Boyd Staunton stays forever youthful as Boy, and Dunstable becomes more spiritual as Dunstan. They have all taken on qualities that most humans long to have, power, youth and spirituality.
             Paul Dempster was a baby who was born prematurely. His father, Amasa Dempster was a Baptist minister and his mother Mary Dempster was somewhat of a tramp. That right there is enough for anyone to want to change their identity. As the story continues, Paul feels immense guilt that his mother is that way as a result of his premature birth. When PaulÕs father dies of a flu epidemic when Paul is nine, Paul runs away to join the circus which is called Le grand Cirque forain de St. Vite. There he meets Willard the Wizard, a thief who teaches Paul magic, in return Paul must do sexual favors. Paul now changes his name to Faustus LeGrande, which could be roughly translated into french as The Big Phony or possibly The Big Trickster. Faus-tus Le-Grand, Faus or Faux meaning False and LeGrand meaning The Big. This obviously links into his magic, for using the word ÒfalseÓ in his name ties in to the sense that magic is not real, it is simply an illusion. Faustus LeGrand is someone who can do tremendously clever card tricks. When the circus group separates slightly before World War Two, Paul meets Liesl. Liesl then renames Faustus LeGrand, instead she names him Magnus Eisengrim. Eisengrim means wolf. Perhaps by naming him wolf, he takes on the characteristics of a wolf, sly, and conniving. Magnus Eisengrim and Liesl form a magic company...