Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe charts the voyages of its title character. The novel begins with an account of Crusoe’s decision to take a voyage out to sea against his parents’ wishes.
Crusoe craves for adventure and has the courage to take dangerous risks. The novel is written as a first person narrative which enables the author to engage with the reader on a personal level. Defoe tells readers about the way in which Crusoe adapts to his situation by becoming a sailor, builder, carpenter, potter, baker, tailor, farmer and governor.
The author examines the issue of identity through Crusoe’s multiple professions.
The most interesting part of the novel is when Crusoe rescues a cannibal from ritual slaughter. He names the cannibal Friday because it was on that day that he was rescued. There is a stark contrast between Friday’s joy at seeing his father again, and Crusoe not even missing his parents. The master-slave relationship between Crusoe and Friday also highlights on a metaphorical level the relationship between colonizer and colonized, and thereby lends itself to a post-colonial interpretation.
The novel tells readers about endurance, courage, adaptability and survival in a harsh world.
Reviewed by Ryhanna Salie