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A review by courtneydoss
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
3.0
"Robinson Crusoe" is an epic survivalist adventure wherein a shipwrecked European does whatever possible to make a life for himself on a deserted Caribbean island. The titular character, Robinson, defies his father's advice to stay home and be content with what he has, resulting in a few ill-fated voyages and ultimately ending with his isolation on an island for nearly 30 years. Whilst stranded on the island, Robinson faces the overwhelming challenge of survival with few resources and no other people to help him. It is a genre defining story, retaining its popularity for 300 years.
With that said, as a 300-year-old book, it does have a few issues; not the least of which is the rampant racism. While I won't waste too much time on this topic, for fear of sounding like a broken record, I will say that Robinson is greatly diminished as a character by his disgusting, imperialistic views. It is hard to like him when his response to meeting literally anybody on the island is the enslave them, no matter how grateful for the service Daniel Defoe portrays said people to be.
Beyond the obvious flaw of racism, Robinson can sometimes be a little hard to like. In the beginning of the novel, he is an impetuous young man who literally CANNOT take a hint. Like, seriously? How many times do you have to have terrible, terrible experiences while sailing before you stay out of the freaking ocean!? At a certain point, Robinson manages to make something of himself in Brazil (through, once again, enslaving people), and it is his hunger to get more slaves for free that urges him to leave it all behind for a long distance voyage to Africa. Proving that there is a God, he is halted in his progress by a terrible storm that overturns his ship and mercifully kills every other crew member, lest they have to listen to Robinson's ramblings for 30 years.
Robinson isn't all bad. I quite admired his resourcefulness, and his sheer power of will. He was desperate to survive, and tackled tasks that a lesser person would have probably just given up on right away. He exercised an admirable amount of patience through his commitment to trial and error, and made a life for himself that he was happily content with. That has to count for something.
The theme of being happy with what you have is prevalent throughout "Robinson Crusoe". It is the first piece of advice that he is given, and throughout it is something that Robinson grapples with. It is hard to be happy with your life when you're stuck in isolation on an island, but he tries his hardest. Throughout his thirty year stay on the island, he finds God and in that way finds a way to be content with all that he has. Only then is he gifted with more, in the form of companionship and eventually escape.
As I was reading, I noticed some similarities in the themes of "Robinson Crusoe" and "Moll Flanders". While one book centers around a desert island, and the other around a deceitful, money grubbing whore (literally), there is a commonality in their situations. Just as Robinson must struggle to survive in the wilderness, Moll must struggle to survive in the rough and tumble world of the city. While Robinson would certainly turn his nose up at the immorality of Miss Moll, I think that they are both, in a way, much the same in their circumstances. Moll is just as isolated by her circumstances as Robinson is, though Moll is technically surrounded by people. The difference is in their attitudes and reactions toward it, or perhaps more aptly, in Daniel Defoe's attitudes and reactions toward the two characters.
"Robinson Crusoe" is, undeniably, a classic. Although a bit dated, it is one of the few books ever written that has infiltrated the lexicon of pop culture to the level that 300-years-later we still know what it is about. Over three centuries, it has inspired countless men and women to create their own adaptations, using Daniel Defoe's greatest work as a launching pad for queries into the psychology of isolation, and the great battle of man versus nature. While not a personal favorite, I can appreciate the power that this singular novel has held over the imaginations of countless people since its release.
With that said, as a 300-year-old book, it does have a few issues; not the least of which is the rampant racism. While I won't waste too much time on this topic, for fear of sounding like a broken record, I will say that Robinson is greatly diminished as a character by his disgusting, imperialistic views. It is hard to like him when his response to meeting literally anybody on the island is the enslave them, no matter how grateful for the service Daniel Defoe portrays said people to be.
Beyond the obvious flaw of racism, Robinson can sometimes be a little hard to like. In the beginning of the novel, he is an impetuous young man who literally CANNOT take a hint. Like, seriously? How many times do you have to have terrible, terrible experiences while sailing before you stay out of the freaking ocean!? At a certain point, Robinson manages to make something of himself in Brazil (through, once again, enslaving people), and it is his hunger to get more slaves for free that urges him to leave it all behind for a long distance voyage to Africa. Proving that there is a God, he is halted in his progress by a terrible storm that overturns his ship and mercifully kills every other crew member, lest they have to listen to Robinson's ramblings for 30 years.
Robinson isn't all bad. I quite admired his resourcefulness, and his sheer power of will. He was desperate to survive, and tackled tasks that a lesser person would have probably just given up on right away. He exercised an admirable amount of patience through his commitment to trial and error, and made a life for himself that he was happily content with. That has to count for something.
The theme of being happy with what you have is prevalent throughout "Robinson Crusoe". It is the first piece of advice that he is given, and throughout it is something that Robinson grapples with. It is hard to be happy with your life when you're stuck in isolation on an island, but he tries his hardest. Throughout his thirty year stay on the island, he finds God and in that way finds a way to be content with all that he has. Only then is he gifted with more, in the form of companionship and eventually escape.
As I was reading, I noticed some similarities in the themes of "Robinson Crusoe" and "Moll Flanders". While one book centers around a desert island, and the other around a deceitful, money grubbing whore (literally), there is a commonality in their situations. Just as Robinson must struggle to survive in the wilderness, Moll must struggle to survive in the rough and tumble world of the city. While Robinson would certainly turn his nose up at the immorality of Miss Moll, I think that they are both, in a way, much the same in their circumstances. Moll is just as isolated by her circumstances as Robinson is, though Moll is technically surrounded by people. The difference is in their attitudes and reactions toward it, or perhaps more aptly, in Daniel Defoe's attitudes and reactions toward the two characters.
"Robinson Crusoe" is, undeniably, a classic. Although a bit dated, it is one of the few books ever written that has infiltrated the lexicon of pop culture to the level that 300-years-later we still know what it is about. Over three centuries, it has inspired countless men and women to create their own adaptations, using Daniel Defoe's greatest work as a launching pad for queries into the psychology of isolation, and the great battle of man versus nature. While not a personal favorite, I can appreciate the power that this singular novel has held over the imaginations of countless people since its release.