Defoe, Daniel - Robinson Crusoe, analysis

Was Born in

His novels are "Fictional" autobiographies. A series of episodes and adventures, unifying presence of a single hero and lack of a coherent plot with a retrospective first-person narration (autobiographical diary). The author's point of view coincides with the main character's and the characters presented through their actions and not by a description.

Journey and Shipwreck of Robinson

was a Young man born in York in a middle class family who left home at the age of 19. He travels around the world to make his fortune. He becomes the owner of a plantation in Brazil which makes him rich and starts a voyage to Africa to get more slaves. During this journey he is shipwrecked on a desert island where he will remain for 28 years (realistic novel). Most of the plot is around his life on the island and is written in the form of a autobiography. On the island he meets Friday, a native person who already lived there.

It’s the ideal place for Robinson to prove his qualities and demonstrate he deserved to be saved by

Characteristics of Robinson

1- Robinson has become a legendary figure thanks to his hard work, creativity and determination, he manages to organize his daily life perfectly. He belongs to the middle class, his character is restless and he desires to find his own identity, in fact he disobeys his father and starts a voyage to make his fortune. He is pragmatic, has an individualistic attitude and a rational approach to reality. His life on the Island develops the issue of the relationship between the individual and society.

Representation of Friday

2- Friday is the first native character portrayed in the English novel. Robinson rescues him, gives him a name (to remind him the day in which he was rescued), he teaches him only a few words: yes, no and master. r and to read the Bible. So Friday becomes the symbol of the colonised and Robinson is the coloniser, who impose his culture without respecting their diversity.
The novel is narrated in the first person and provides a realistic description of everyday life through clear and precise details. Defoe concentrate his description on the primary qualities of objects (extension and number rather than color and flavour).The language is simple and concrete to reinforce the impression of reality.

Robinson Crusoe is regarded as the first modern novel, it's based on a true story of a Scottish Seamen. The main themes are:

1)Individualism and pragmatism are the main themes because Crusoe’s goal was to reproduce English society on the island, and individualism and pragmatism are the most important values of English society of that time.

2)Religion is another important theme because this novel is full of religious references to God, sin, Providence and salvation, the hero reads the Bible to find comfort and guidance and this gives to the novel a moral tone. Defoe explores the conflict between economic motivation and spiritual salvation.