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Book Review – Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Introduction
No doubt, the book Robinson Crusoe written by Daniel Defoe and first published by Penguin Classics in 1719, is undoubtedly a piece of literature that can be categorized as a classic masterpiece. The novel delivers us an intriguing plot about Robinson Crusoe’s names, young man’s life, and experiences. Ever wondered what one would do if they get washed up on the shores of a deserted island? Daniel Defoe dramatizes such an incident in his novel. Stranded on a deserted island for 28 years after a shipwreck, Robinson Crusoe eventually gets to build himself a kingdom through hunting and gathering, taming animals, and cultivating crops. Throughout the novel, the reader is captivated by the different sorts of adventure, ranging from cannibals, mutiny, and pirates.
Historical aspects
With the story being based on the real-life adventures of a Scottish man named Alexander Selkirk, the book offers the readers a rich history about the way of life about 300 years ago. Nevertheless, historians have singled out this book as the first piece of art of a realistic English novel. The book inspires revelations about our own time even though it was written long ago. For instance, the experiences of a young Robinson Crusoe who defies his parent’s advice of not setting out to sea relates to the current generation often ignore their parents’ advice and choose their paths. As often the outcome would be, Robinson ends up shipwrecked. But instead of swallowing his ego and returning to his parents feeling sorry, he decides not to let his parents have the last laugh. Instead, he finds it relatively comfortable to start a new life without any support, and through determination, he makes it. The novel certainly provokes questions from the reader at this time, questions such as, is it sometimes in the best interests to go against parents’ advice? If one does that and ends up in a mess, should they go back to their parents like the prodigal son and apologize, or should they carry their own crosses? These historical aspects make Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe a great book.
Literary aspects
The book’s theme is well articulated in the turning of events that make up the story’s plots. The story’s setting also helps deliver the best and captivating experiences to the reader of this novel. Daniel Defoe brings out the theme of loneliness and human experience in this novel. The theme of loneliness and human experience is nicely brought out in this book as Robinson Crusoe is a tale about a lonely man who can survive for many years without any companion on a deserted island. The book is about the many different ways that men have to cope and deal with hardships and still can endure.
The second theme evident in Daniel Defoe’s novel, Robinson Crusoe, is adapting. The man can create his reality and ends up making his kingdom out of the untamed wilderness. The author of the book also uses allusion as a literary device in the novel. It is evident how the story imitates the parable of the prodigal son in the bible. The story was about a young man who runs away from home to find calamity and disaster where he went searching for adventure. The story of Job from the bible is also recurrent in this novel, where during his illness, Robinson has to cry to the Lord asking for help, “Lord, be my help for I am in great distress” (Defoe 88). He goes further to question God by asking, “Why has God done this to me? What have I done to be thus used?” (Defoe 89). In the end, he finds peace and continues with his solitary existence without anyone to comfort him.
Philosophical aspects
The novel Robinson Crusoe portrays philosophical aspects of self-construction as well as the destruction of authority. From the Lockean philosophy perspective, the story describes the destruction of authority as Robinson Crusoe disobeys his father’s warnings against going into the sea. That disobedience echoes Locke’s ideologies of self-decision and patriarchism (Watt 165). The book revolves around Crusoe’s sensual experiences and the character’s internal self-contemplation, in which those two aspects are critical arguments by Locke (Watt 151). However, the novel ends with Crusoe achieving his self-construction and finding inner peace, “and I must testify from my experience, that a temper of peace, thankfulness, love and affection, is much more the proper frame for prayer, than that of terror and discomposure” (Defoe 153). The story provokes thoughts and questions on the credibility of going against the authorities and laws. Does it mean sometimes it is wise to stand up against the regime as long as one thinks they are doing the right thing to fulfill their desires? The reader also gets torn between deciding which is best, achieving self-construction or social construction.
Opinion
I enjoyed reading Daniel Defoe’s novel, Robinson Crusoe. I found it amusing and fascinating how I kept guessing about the next incident or what would happen next. Also, I liked how the words are put in the story; it makes the book a thrilling experience to read. Furthermore, given that the book is written in old English makes it more interesting to read as I got the opportunity to experience how English was back in those days. The development of the plot, not to mention the setting, is also remarkable. For a long time, people have wanted to know how one would survive in the world alone just if something happens and they are the only survivors. The book brings this reality as it is all about persevering and curving one’s world out of nothing.
However, the book had its dislikes too. For instance, the theme of slavery is expressed heavily in the novel. I would not say I liked how Robinson Crusoe would end up oppressing others too at the first chance he got after undergoing so much oppression. The main character ends up imprisoning slaves, which to me seems rather nasty. After acquiring a plantation in Brazil, he lets us know that “the first thing I did, I bought me a Negro Slave, and an European servant also; I mean another besides that which the Captain brought me from Lisbon” (Defoe 40). Another dislike of the novel is how the solitude and monologue of Crusoe’s experiences became so monotonous that I almost gave up reading the book. That was probably due to the time and setting in which the book was written. One last thing that put me off in the book’s storyline is how the book contains many religious references, mostly Christianity, which could put off most people who are not Christian or religious.
Conclusion
I firmly believe that this novel captures all the essential aspects of life during Daniel Defoe’s time in the eighteenth century. The story also takes the reader back to the old times when adventure and explorations were the ways of life that shaped the modern meaning of life and the world. In the story, death is always around the corner at any given time, but the author does not allow Crusoe to die. It is this will to survive that makes this book an all-time classic masterpiece that transcends time. Considering the themes, character development, literary devices used, plot construction, and the history behind this novel, I believe the book should be listed in the Great Books list. Each time a reader would read it, it would feel like the first time.
Works Cited
Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. 3rd ed., Penguin, 2012, p. 315.
Watt, Ian. Myths of Modern Individualism: Faust, Don Quixote, Don Juan, Robinson Crusoe. Cambridge University Press, 1997.