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Daniel Defoe uses the main character, Robinson Crusoe in his novel, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, to share many of his own values and attitudes. The main character, just like Defoe is a Presbyterian, who turns to the sea in search of his fortune. Both individuals face the same discrimination for their beliefs, and Crusoe’s isolation no the island is similar to Defoe’s isolation in political banishment. These parallels allow Defoe to express himself without explicitly including himself on his literature.

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While Defoe was writing, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the world was experiencing the age of imperialism. Defoe’s works reflect this by justifying the subjugation of “inferior” savages, when he writes, “He[Friday] came close to me; and then he kneeled down again, kissed the ground, and laid his head upon the ground… was in token of swearing to be my slave for ever,” (Defoe 119). After saving a native, Crusoe makes him a slave, assuming that the native is inferior, and that slavery is his desired position in life.

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In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the main character Robinson Crusoe is isolated from society, when he becomes shipwrecked on an island. This is similar to the author, Daniel Defoe’s isolation from society and England following his banishment for supporting the political opponent of the king. Defoe shares some of his emotions and feelings of being banished from society through the novel. He also uses the novel to explore the necessity of society and human interaction, when Crusoe speaks of his desire for, “the Society of my Fellow-Creatures,” (Defoe 158).

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Daniel Defoe’s, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, is actually written based off the true story of the life of a shipwrecked seaman. The novel is predominantly believable. However, there are a few instances of extreme coincidence that detract from the believably of the piece, “The same day of the year I was born on - viz. the 30th of September, that same day I had my life so miraculously saved twenty-six years after, when I was cast on shore in this island,” (Defoe 80). These coincidences are used to demonstrate the work of providence in Crusoe’s life, and are meant more for effect than factual detail.

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Robinson Crusoe, the narrator in The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, tells most of the story in retrospect. This narrative style is due to Crusoe running out of ink and other writing supplies, “I shall here give you the copy… as long as it lasted; for having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off,” (Defoe 42). This retrospective narration gives the piece a more reflective and subjective point of view. It allows narrator to be less emotional, and more factual, contributing to the motif of precise facts and details.

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In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the narrator, Robinson Crusoe has a limited perspective, aware of only his thoughts and feelings. This is especially evident when Crusoe talks about his reaction of extreme fear to a relatively ambiguous footprint in the sand (Defoe 95). This limited perspective allows the reader to identify with Crusoe, and better understand his emotional state. The purpose of this point of view is to allow the reader to see the development of Crusoe as a character, and to see how his beliefs and attitudes are affected by his experiences and perceptions of those experiences.

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The character that I as a reader am most intrigued by is Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is characterized as a persistent, hardworking, and practical individual that experiences a change in religious belief, and undergoes a major character change over the course of his time shipwrecked on an island. Daniel Defoe uses plot and characterization to create Robinson Crusoe’s identity. Defoe shows the true character of Crusoe to the reader by having Crusoe share his feelings and thoughts about his experiences. This almost explicit self-characterization allows the reader to easily see the creation and development of Robinson Crusoe as a character.

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In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the protagonist Robinson Crusoe experiences a vision/hallucination while suffering from illness. Crusoe saw a man descend from a cloud and say, “Seeing all these thing have not brought thee to repentance, now shalt thou die,” (Defoe 54). Robinson Crusoe interprets this experience as message sent from God to him, as a final warning to repent. From this point on in the novel, Crusoe believes in God and Providence. This religious epiphany affects Crusoe’s perspective on his situation. He is much more optimistic, and seeks out the positives in his situation and experiences.

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I identified most with Robinson Crusoe, and his imperfect “human” nature. When Crusoe first arrives on the island he has the chance to scavenge the shipwreck for supplies. However, he comes upon some money while on the ship, “’O drug!’ said I aloud, ‘what art thou good for? Thou art not worth to me’… However, upon second thoughts, I took it away,” (Defoe 34-35). Even though Crusoe realizes that the money can’t help him, he still takes it. Crusoe’s mistake,  allows the reader to identify with him, an average person, with his own faults and vices.

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In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe uses both fast and slow paces to tell the story. Over the course of 320 pages Robinson Crusoe narrates about 50 years of his life. At some points while living on the island Crusoe will describe a specific event in extreme detail. However, at other times he will describe multiple years using a single paragraph. This variance in pace keeps the reader entertained by emphasizing important events, and skipping over uneventful periods of time.

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In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, time passes in chronological order. Robinson Crusoe narrates chronologically, with specific detail to dates, and time in relation to major events, such as his shipwreck. Crusoe’s almost neurotic attention to detail especially with time and dates, leads the reader to question his motives. Crusoe is not just trying to keep an accurate record, he is using details and dates to tether himself to the past, and society. Crusoe fears losing track of time because it implies he will never be rescued, and that everything occurring before his shipwreck didn’t even matter.

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Throughout The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe writes following chronological order, rarely altering the flow of time. However, when Crusoe is describing his attempts at basket weaving he uses flashback, “when I was a boy, I used to take great delight in standing at a basket maker’s, in the town where my father lived,” (Defoe 64). This interruption in the flow of time reveals something about Robinson Crusoe. He is struggling to orient himself in time, and stay anchored in reality. He uses this flashback to connect his present situation with his past, unifying his life in one constant existence.

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Over the course of the novel, The Life and Adventure of Robinson Crusoe, the protagonist, Robinson Crusoe undergoes significant character development. He begins the story as a restless, naive youth, drawn to the sea in search of wealth and adventure. Over the course of the novel Robinson Crusoe becomes an experienced sailor and survivalist, and develops a strong faith in God and Providence. However, even after countless interpersonal interactions, Crusoe still lacks the ability to form and have meaningful and emotionally invested relationships with others.

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During the novel, The Life and Adventure of Robinson Crusoe, the main character, Robinson Crusoe, experiences multiple defining events. The most influential of which include his shipwreck, a “vision” he has, his rescue and interaction with Friday, and his eventual rescue. Each of these experiences progress his religious development. He begins a passive believer, quickly forgetting the “miracle” of his survival of a shipwreck. Following a traumatic vision, Crusoe turns to God. His faith grows when he teaches Friday about God. Finally when, “by Providence,” he and the English captain save each other, his belief in God solidifies and he becomes a devout Christian.

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There are two central conflicts that occur simultaneously throughout the novel, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. One being the internal conflict between good and evil, and religion and atheism. The other being Crusoe’s struggle to survive and prosper on the island. These two conflicts work together to change Robinson Crusoe as a character. He is forced to develop and follow strict beliefs in order to stay sane, and must learn to adapt to survive on the island.

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Passage: “I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the circumstances I was reduced to; and I drew up the state of my affairs in writing, not so much to leave them to any that were to come after me — for I was likely to have but few heirs — as to deliver my thoughts from daily poring over them, and afflicting my mind; and as my reason began now to master my despondency, I began to comfort myself as well as I could, and to set the good against the evil, that I might have something to distinguish my case from worse; and I stated very impartially, like debtor and creditor, the comforts I enjoyed against the miseries I suffered, thus:-“ (Defoe 40).

In this passage, Daniel Defoe uses juxtaposition and comparisons to draw attention to a truth. In any circumstance one can focus on either the positive or negative aspects of their situation. Defoe uses Crusoe to exemplify this, when after landing on the island Robinson Crusoe creates a list of all the goods and evils of his circumstances. Crusoe focuses on how in comparison to how his situation “could be,” he is quite well off. This positive and grateful attitude allow him to endure through his struggles on the island, and eventually prosper.

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Passage: "He bade me observe it, and I should always find that the calamities of life were shared among the upper and lower part of mankind, but that the middle station had the fewest disasters, and was not exposed to so many vicissitudes as the higher or lower part of mankind; nay, they were not subjected to so many distempers and uneasinesses, either of body or mind, as those were who, by vicious living, luxury, and extravagances on the one hand, or by hard labour, want of necessaries, and mean or insufficient diet on the other hand, bring distemper upon themselves by the natural consequences of their way of living; that the middle station of life was calculated for all kind of virtue and all kind of enjoyments; that peace and plenty were the handmaids of a middle fortune; that temperance, moderation, quietness, health, society, all agreeable diversions, and all desirable pleasures, were the blessings attending the middle station of life; that this way men went silently and smoothly through the world, and comfortably out of it, not embarrassed with the labours of the hands or of the head, not sold to a life of slavery for daily bread, nor harassed with perplexed circumstances, which rob the soul of peace and the body of rest, nor enraged with the passion of envy, or the secret burning lust of ambition for great things; but, in easy circumstances, sliding gently through the world, and sensibly tasting the sweets of living, without the bitter; feeling that they are happy, and learning by every day's experience to know it more sensibly," (Defoe 3-4).

In this passage, Daniel Defoe raises a philosophical question about desire to improve and contentment. Where is the balance between aspirations for greatness, and contentment with one’s position in life? Defoe partially answers this question through the experiences of Robinson Crusoe. The reader realizes that for one to be happy, they must have some aspirations to improve, but also appreciate where they are at currently. Each individual must find their own balance between these two in order to be happy.

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Passage: “All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have,” (Defoe 78).

Throughout the novel, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe a conflict between greed and gratitude is present. In this simple yet profound statement, Robinson Crusoe addresses the natural human tendency towards greed. Defoe’s uses a simple and profound statement juxtaposed with the convoluted and extensive struggle that is the natural human tendency to want what we don’t have. This statement emphasizes the simplicity and ease of avoiding and preventing greed; one must merely be grateful for what they have.

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Throughout the entirety of the novel, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Robinson Crusoe experiences an internal struggle to discover the purpose of his existence. He doesn’t know why he has certain experiences, or why he finds himself in certain situations. Eventually he finds purpose and comfort in religion. In my own personal life I sometimes struggle to understand the purpose that I have, and just like Crusoe, I turn to religion.

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In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the balance between aspiration, and contentment is brought into question. I find myself often questioning where that balance is in schooling, and found myself identifying with Crusoe as he finds the balance for himself. Through reading the novel I realized that I should always aspire to greatness, but the I must also appreciate my current achievements and situation.

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A specific event from The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe that I connected with was Robinson Crusoe’s attempts at farming. When Crusoe first plants his seeds he lacks planning and knowledge, the result of which is a failed harvest. However, after gaining experience, and using his knowledge to plan, Crusoe’s crops flourish and can feed himself. Many times, in my own life I’ve had similar experiences. I have, just like Crusoe, realized that success comes after persistent effort and hard work.

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In both The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe and Song of Solomon, the protagonist is faced with a dilemma. The individual must choose whether to follow the path their father desires for them, or to create their own way in the world. For Crusoe this was a choice between a simple working-class life, and a life of adventure at sea. Milkman had to choose between taking over his dad’s rental business, or making his own way in the world. In both novels, the protagonist chooses the latter option, and to the reader’s knowledge is better off because of it.

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In both The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe and Crime and Punishment, the protagonist has a strong religious belief. Robinson Crusoe is a Christian that develops faith in God through experiences during his 28-year captivity on an island. Raskolnikov is also a religious man, that through a struggle with morality, the law, and guilt becomes more faithful in God. These characters both develop stronger religious beliefs through trials and challenges. This demonstrates the necessity of struggling with challenges in life in order for one to develop their own personal set of beliefs.

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In both The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe and Hamlet, the protagonist is faced with a question considering the value of living. While Robinson Crusoe is shipwrecked, he experiences feelings of hopelessness due to his position, he questions the purpose of his continued living. After Hamlet discovers the crime of the king, he questions life, and ponders what death is like. These characters both realize that their life has a purpose, and death isn’t the solution to their problems.

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The purpose of the novel, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe is to entertain, while also less explicitly persuading the reader to believe something. The main plot and conflict of the novel are meant to tell the adventures of a man who becomes shipwrecked and must survive on an island. However, the use of allusion, allegory, and symbolism also share their own moral message. The intent is to convince the reader to believe in the existence of a higher being.

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In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe uses various literary techniques, such as; symbolism and allusion to convey one of the meanings of the work to the reader. Defoe uses symbolism, some examples include the sea representing Crusoe’s fickle relationship with God, the cross representing the survival and life of Crusoe on the island. Defoe uses allusion by comparing Crusoe’s life to that of the prodigal’s son, and to the story of Job. Symbolism and allusion both serve to convey the message of the piece, that a greater being exists, and that people should believe in this being. The novel leads the reader to believe in a omnipotent God, that can control the fine details of one’s life in respect to their sins and willingness, or lack of, to repent. Throughout the novel the motif of regular and detailed time keeping and measurements persists.

In The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Defoe also explores the idea of mastery and superiority through plot and motif. In the novel Robinson Crusoe experiences situations where he is the master of another or another is the master of him. These shifts in his position throughout the plot draw attention to roles and mastery in human society. The novel also possesses a persistent motif, the collection and recording of detailed and specific measurements and time. This almost compulsive need to be precise is Crusoe’s way of exerting control and mastery over his situations. These two literary features work together to argue the point that one can become the master of anything or anyone through the absolute control of certain things or aspects of a situation.

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Throughout the novel, the reader is constantly reminded that Crusoe’s main desire is to survive until he is rescued. As Crusoe lives on the island, different events happen, creating a rising action. This rising action in the story makes the reader question if Crusoe ever will be rescued. This suspense keeps the reader engaged in the book, and reading until the climax. Eventually, at the climax Crusoe is rescued, and after a short falling action and resolution the story ends, leaving the reader content with the story.

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Daniel Defoe uses both allusion, and explicit biblical references to persuade the reader to see from his point of view. Defoe and his character Robinson Crusoe are both highly religious Presbyterians. Defoe uses Crusoe’s religious experiences, and “revelation” from Bible verses to persuade the reader of the validity of his beliefs. Defoe’s intent is to convince the reader to believe in God, and the Bible.