For Friday: Defoe, Robinson
Crusoe, pp. 53-103
NOTE: If you have a different edition, this reading ends when Defoe makes it safely back to the island after his treacherous boating adventure. Be sure to get the correct edition, though, since we'll be reading supplementary readings from the Norton Critical edition!
Answer TWO of the
following...
1. Why do you feel Crusoe
is so obsessed about keeping dates, journals, and anniversaries during his time
on the island? Related to this, why
does he make us read his journal, when he’s already narrated many of the
events in its pages? Does the Journal
offer us a different perspective on the events, and/or does it support some
other idea/theme of the book?
2. Discuss the visions and
revelations Crusoe has during his sickness that make him repent. Is the whole book (so far) leading up to
this event? Is it significant that the
visions occur in the Journal and not in his narrative proper? Do we believe his story at this point, or
could this be possible evidence of Crusoe’s unreliable narration?
3. Within a few years,
Crusoe has set up a Country-House and a Sea-Coast-House, has planted crops, and
even learned to create pots and bake bread.
He even remarks that “I was remov’d from all the Wickedness of the
World...I had neither the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, or the
Pride of Life. I had nothing to
covet...I was Lord of the whole Manor; of it I pleas’d, I might call my self
King, or Emperor over the whole Country which I had Possession of” (Norton
94). How does this complicate how we
read his island isolation: is it punishment or providence? Is he now reconciled to live here forever,
safe from sin and envy? Is he drawing
the correct ‘lesson’ from his fate?
- Rocky Moore
ReplyDelete1. I really dont think this has much to do with the character Crusoe but rather the whole idea of making this as real as possible. These journal entries give ethos to this character and make him significantly more real versus his straight on narration. If we didnt make this correlation then we could also infer that having a journal in which events are being written down in real time and saved over time, this makes his stories much more factual and makes his whole journey alone magnificent, especially for a first time novel kind of book that wouldnt have been as great had it been just straight narration.
3. I think this is how he is coping with being in isolation and making it a much more positive thing than it really is. I mean when I watched Tom Hanks in Cast Away it was almost depressing when he spen all that time away from civilization. It is nice to think that you can do all these things for yourself without anyones help for that matter or even free yourself from sin, but its really depressing to think about being all alone on an island. I think this is a facade Crusoe is putting on here.
Yes, the journal is another eyewitness: someone who can attest to the reality of Crusoe's experience (which we might otherwise doubt). It's also proof of his continued civilization. Writing separates "us" from "them" (savages) in his mind. Using language is important to Crusoe, and it's a way of control as well. He can control time, his own person, and his very story by the words he chooses.
DeleteElyse Marquardt
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1: The author gives us Crusoe's journal to make it more believable for the readers. Here we have dates, times, how long something took to do, how he did it, why he did it, where he put it, what he thought about it. Details are crucial to making a story real, and Defoe certainly gives us enough details to pass this novel off as a first-hand account of life on a desert island. Also, despite the fact that Crusoe has already told us a lot of this information in his actual narration, his journal does go more in-depth on his thought processes. We feel closer to Crusoe because we get to read what he "actually" wrote and what "actually" went through his mind. We're not only reading about him; we're reading HIM, the person himself.
Question 2: Crusoe has, or rather is given, a revelation that shows him how he has left God behind for the past several years. This makes him think that this desertion on the island is punishment for his rash behavior towards God, and he repents and begins praying and reading his Bible regularly. I do think that this is a mini climax (not the main one, since we are only 60 pages through the book) in the story, because Crusoe had been frequently hinting that he was a desperate, reckless sinner in need of deliverance. Here we have that deliverance. I like the fact that we read the account of his repentance in only his journal; it makes it much more personal and we can feel with him. I believe his story! He could have just said, "Naw, I didn't need God, I survived on that island all by my own power." But Crusoe chooses to humble himself by giving God credit for saving his life.
Yes, great responses; the journal is a way of reading another 'voice' in his narrative, and it adds a character, in a way, to his story. It's also proof of his story, and a way to control it by showing us certain details and glossing over others. Clearly, the story Crusoe wants to tell is one of repentance and acceptance of God's mercy and providence; however, reading between the lines, we see another Crusoe as well, which makes this a very complex and interesting story.
DeleteDeryk Ronk
ReplyDelete1. I believe that both the narrative and journal are important to this story. The narrative gives the story more of the mental aspect of his adventures. On the other hand, the journal tells of his physical struggles. Together they make the story more believableby adding the little details.
3. I believe that Crusoe is wanting to see the positive side of his struggles, and he doesn't want to upset God by complaining. However, I think it is a mask. I do not think that he is truly happy. If he is then he is already becoming senile. From a religious aspect he is happy, but you can tell that he misses people.
Good responses--we see that he is unhappy and always longing for distant shores, despite his claims of finding peace on the island. Where do you see this emotion/characteristic in the book? Try to use specific examples to illustrate this--it will help you when you write the paper.
Delete1.) From my perspective Crusoe is keeping the journal for 2 reasons. If and when someone finds him, it is possible that should the rescue party arrive after his death they could perhaps find Crusoe's journal and be able to understand his adventure and the adversity he has encountered. The other reason could be perhaps its his way of keeping his sanity. By writing in his journal and keeping such detail he could be subconsciously convincing himself that he will have an opportunity to share his story and he will need to recall precise dates which would keep him moving forward rather than laying over and dying. As we see throughout the first 100 pages, our hero has an uncanny ability to survive.
ReplyDelete3.) Crusoe is a character who plays the cards he is dealt. He makes the best out of each situation and finds a way to overcome these seemingly hopeless times. As we discussed last week, this is an example of Crusoe as a true merchant. He finds the value in each occurrence. I don't believe the isolation to be a punishment or providence but rather the condition he finds himself in. He obviously longs for human contact at times but this feeling is satisfied by his very detailed journal entries. Perhaps he views the isolation as a moment of clarity, a break from the sins of the world and in this time he can gather himself to form a better perspective that could better himself with experience.
Devin Martinez
Great responses; the journal was probably kept with an eye of telling his story and providing an eyewitness (since this was an age of travel liars as well as travel writers!). He is always speculating on making a profit, and a bestselling book would be a great thing to have as you leave the island!
Delete1. I believe that Crusoe keeps this journal to somewhat secure his own sanity, it gives him something to focus on other than being stuck on this island. I also believe that it may be important for him to let people know about his journey if they were ever to find this journal, it makes it more personal for the reader because I imagine if I was on a deserted island, I would want some record of what I went through. I think the journal offers us a look at the pivotal moments in his journey on the island, such as the event that he gave himself to the Lord.
ReplyDelete3. I have mixed emotions about how I read his isolation, in some ways I want to believe that it is good for him but in others I believe that it is making him somewhat cocky. He did turn himself over to the Lord after he had a revelation during his sickness and he does give thanks to the Lord for many things. He even says he now focuses and is thankful for what he does have rather than what he doesn't. But he also sees himself as king of this island and like he could have whatever he wanted. No one else is there to rule him and he knows this. I believe I will understand his position a bit more as I read the book but as of now I have mixed emotions about if he is really true about some of his feelings and revelations.
Great responses; despite the story he wants us to read, another Crusoe emerges from these pages, and he's not clever enough (or Defoe is too clever) to hide it. The journal is an attempt to control his narrative so we only see the details he cares about, but his actions often go against the flow of the story, and suggest that we need to read both stories to determine the real, "third" one.
DeleteCheyenne Counts
ReplyDelete1. To me, Crusoe seems to be so obsessed with recording dates, making journal entries, and observing anniversaries because it keeps him grounded. By knowing how much time has passed and what has occurred to him throughout, he can prove to himself how well he has survived. Also, without knowing how long he had been a resident on the island, he would be at risk for slowly losing his bearings. Additionally, I believe Crusoe never truly gave up hope of being rescued, and what good would that be if he couldn't tell the rescuers just how long he’d been abandoned? The audience is made to read the journal to make this tale seem all the more believable. The journal is offered up as proof that Crusoe actually survived this and recorded it all himself. Crusoe’s journal does offer up a very different perspective than we get from his narration. Through the journal we see only what he accomplished and very few of the strong emotions he was feeling, while the narrative is written after the occurrence of all the events and so Crusoe puts in more description and has a feel of telling less than what it known to the narrator.
2. Crusoe dreams of a man covered in flames that descends from darkened clouds with a spear and aims as if to throw at Crusoe. Although I feel like this is an extremely important event, I didn’t believe that this was what the book had been leading up to. There are too many hints at a deeper theme other than repentance for wickedness. Since the event only occurs in the journal, and our completely ignored by our narrator, it deserves special attention. The narrator is probably unrepentant at the moment he is telling this story, even though he proclaims that he became so. Since he is not repentant now, he feels no need to address a dream that didn't really change him. I do believe this alters our ability to rely in the narrator because his omission shows he’s not revealing every important detail.
Yes, in a way, his repentance comes too quickly to be truly effective, even though he's already had a wild life by page 50. Still, he seems to be trying to convince us of his spirituality more than truly feeling it. What he feels, it seems, is more a sense of amazement, wanderlust, and possibilities that only travel and trade can bring him. However, he knows his story will sell better if he seems more repentant, the way many pirates claimed to be "true Englishmen" when they returned home. Though maybe Crusoe really is repentant and pious--he just can't fight his natural urge to explore?
Delete1.I think that Crusoe keeps his journal and track of the dates not only for the simple reason of being able to tell someone how long that he has been on the island, but also to keep his civilization. It is obvious that in the reading, Crusoe is very proud of his sophistication and has a great fear of losing it. It seems to me that he reads us his journal in order to make the story sound believable as well as giving the story a slight amount of ethos. The journal supports the theme of the book because it is coming from a first person account which makes it seem as though you are right there with him.
ReplyDelete3.Before long, Crusoe has built a country house and one by the shore, as well as learning to cook more than just simple things that show that he has almost a luxurious lifestyle on the island. By spending so much time building his houses on the island, it is evident that he doesn’t really want to leave because he is enjoying living on the island. Crusoe is arguably living better on the deserted island than he was before the shipwreck. It is obvious that he isn’t drawing the correct things from the lessons that he is encountering.
Great responses: Crusoe is definitely proud of his learning and civilization, since he's the prototypical "self-made man." He's done it all himself, and he doesn't want to lose himself to the wild. The journal is a testament to his education and his future as a merchant--and perhaps a writer. If he does make it off, he intends to have a manuscript to sell to the world, a very proper business investment.
DeleteAshley Bean
ReplyDelete1. I think he does it to keep a record of what he does, and also to keep himself sane. He has ink for only a limited time, and he's probably afraid he will slowly become less and less human once he's been there for a while without any other human contact. Something as simple as writing helps him feel more human and keeps his language intact. He wants to make someone will read it, and Defoe probably did this to make it more believable. "Look, here's the actual journal!" That seems more convincing than just a narrative account.
3. Crusoe feels that he was punished by foolishly ignoring his father's advice and the warnings of his trial journey. God is tired of his selfishness, and has punished him to a place where there are no material things, which were once his main concern. Crusoe truly believes that although it is a punishment, it is also God giving him a wonderful opportunity. Why was he saved and not the others on the ship? He has taken advantage of this punishment and used it for the best.
Good points here--the journal is an effective eyewitness, since no one would include such a thing in a book of fiction (at the time, anyway). It's a great way of showing, too, how Crusoe tries to shape his life into a story, one he can control and manipulate at will (not so his actual life on the island). It makes him the master, which as we know, he likes to do.
DeleteShelby Pletcher
ReplyDelete1) I think it was important to Crusoe that his readers read these journals for 2 reasons. One because being on island for so long, his days could become meshed together and he could lose some of the details. I think it was important to him that he maintain the description of his time on the island as it was and not allow his cloudy memory to ruin it. Secondly, I think it was equally important to him that his readers get an idea of how long and monotonous his days were on the island and the only way to really depict this was to bring the readers there, day by day, journal by journal. And as we covered today in our discussion, I think he kept the journals to maintain a bit of his sanity and some communication skills. I definitely think having this journals dated, in detail for us offers a more personal account. Robinson becomes more relatable to me instead of just becoming a character in the book, and I think this was specifically important to the author not only for the sake of the story, but for the sake of sales during that time.
2) I'm not sure if his sickness and repentance is the pinnacle point of this story or not, but I do think it's A pinnacle point of the story. His repentance really sets up the narrative of the character for this story and likely what the author was trying to make the driving point of the book in its entirety. The only way in which I think this is just another example of Crusoe's unreliable narrative is that he won't remain repentant for long. He will continue to switch back and forth between contentment and discontentment; belief and unbelief in God's providence and sovereignty over His life. But I think that's just a relatable detail to Defoe, a Purtian himself. It's certainly a mark of Christian life and being human in general, whether or not you believe in a god or just an idea of fate. Regardless, I'm really excited to finish this book and see what Defoe does with this current narrative.
Great ideas: I think these two points go hand-in-hand: the story, as Crusoe sees it, is about salvation...but that doesn't mean that's what Defoe sees in it. Remember, the journal shows us Crusoe trying to shape his life according to an ordered plan, one that makes his life, in some sense, conform to fiction. It gives his life meaning. Yet his own life seems to contradict the one he writes about. Perhaps this is Defoe's comment on those who write about the truth; they are merely writing a first-hand fiction?
Delete1. Crusoe seems to occupy himself with busy work. I think this helps maintain his sanity, but also through his journal he puffs himself up in a subtle way. The journal seems to be his “credible witness” of what a hard working, dignified man he is. The journal gives us a more structured timeline of events. On the other hand it was a little receptive reading him give his account, and then reading his journal of the same details! Almost as if he is saying, “In case you don’t believe me, check my journal.”
ReplyDelete3. Many times in this story his punishment leads him to prosperity. For instance he faces near death escaping from slavery, but ends up in South America with his own plantation! I find a duality in his view of being on the Island. I think his judgment is impaired due to the length of his stay, and being in complete solitude. I don’t think he is forever safe from sin and envy. Sure, Crusoe might “feel” that on certain days, but the next day he succumbs to fear, pride (in his lavish trees, and entire Island that is his), and anxieties. If I had to be a stuck on a distant island I would pick this one for sure; on the other hand I’d much rather NOT be stranded on an island. That’s where I see the duality, it is punishment to be shipwrecked, but a blessing to be on an island that is so supportive of life.
Great responses; the journal helps maintain his sanity and forces him to 'write' his life into a book. This way, he can better see what he's experienced and order it in a way that makes sense. Suddenly, he can see divine providence and salvation, where at first he just saw damnation. Perhaps, like some people, it's easier to think of your life as a fiction that you can shape, edit, and delete at will?
Delete1. I found it odd that he detailed events he had already described in his journal. I feel like the journal helps him stay in shape cognitively and sane. I do think though the story takes a major shift when we start the journal; I found it easier to read for one. I think the meticulousness is a necessity for continuing to live in the somewhat sophisticated way he is accustomed to. Who knows? Maybe the entrepreneur in him thought if he were rescued his story would profit him.
ReplyDelete3. It seemed to me that he is trying to make the best of a obviously bad situation. But, in a way, we do see how he could be displaying greed in his delight of having the whole island. I think that Crusoe makes whatever situation he is in some how benefit him. I think on one level the text shows that he is "learning his lesson" and on another level it shows that he will find a way to still be self-centered even in isolation.
Great idea here: the journal forces him to think about what he's writing, and order his life, in a way the earlier narrative didn't really do. We could argue that the island makes him a writer, someone who has to shape his life into a readable story, whereas before he's just listing experiences and trying to cram it into a moral. Now, we're simply learning how to survive, and though it still has moral elements, it reads more realistically, and therefore, it's more interesting.
DeleteKelsey Tiger
ReplyDelete1. I think he is obsessed with keeping dates, journals, and anniversaries because he wants us to be able to feel and see and in a way experience what he has experienced while on the island. It’s like he wants us to be there in his journey. I think the way he offers the events it shows a little bit of uncertainty about how he really feels being there. It’s hard to tell if he likes it or does want to eventually get off the island.
3. It’s hard to tell if he really wants to get off the island or if he is content with living like a “king” of his island. It’s like he makes enough effort to seem like he is trying to figure out a way to leave, like building a canoe, but yet he builds it inland and makes it huge which causes an issue of how to get it to the shore and in the water. I think in a way he feels safe from sin as there is no one there to judge him or to witness his sin. Although at times he seems to have an internal struggle about his sin and his lessons learned or not learned.
Yes, he uses the journal as a mirror for himself (to make sure he's still civilized) and an eyewitness for others, to prove that everything he said was true. Of course, he's still in control of what story he tells, and it's interesting to see what Crusoe labors details on and what he seems to skim over. We know that there's some of the story we're not getting, while other things might be exaggerated or inflated somewhat.
Delete