For Wednesday: Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, pp.4-52
Answer TWO of
the following…
1. From the
first 50 pages, what kind of novel does Robinson
Crusoe seem to be? Since the novel
was a very new form in his day, it could be virtually anything he wanted it to
be, though he seems to borrow from several traditions (notably travel writing,
as we discussed in class). How would you
classify this novel today? What genre
does it seem to most belong to (besides “classics”) and how might a modern
marketer help sell it today?
2. Does the book
(or the author) seem to punish Crusoe for his “sin” of leaving home and not
accepting his father’s “middle State”? Is
the island his ultimate punishment for refusing, time and again, to be a good
son? Or is this simply Crusoe’s
interpretation that we’re meant to see past, and ultimately, to ignore based on
other hints in the book?
3.
In Monday’s class we looked at Mercator’s map of 1633, which he claimed was created
“the better to profit, the
studious, and carefull of Politick matters and States affairs.” How might Defoe be the ideal audience for
Mercator’s map, based on his initial voyages?
What kind of explorer is he, and why might he be typical of explorers in
his day and age (rather than the more romantic explorers we celebrate in
movies, holidays, etc.)?
4. Remember
that Crusoe is not Defoe, and as far as we know, Defoe never traveled to any of
these locations or experienced shipwreck, etc.
However, which passages read as a realistic, first-hand account of an
exciting or traumatic event? How does
Defoe make these passages ‘real’ to his readers, and why might 18th
century readers have accepted the idea that the book was truly “written by
himself”—that is, written by Robinson Crusoe of York?
- Rocky Moore
ReplyDelete1. This novel definitely seems to be an autobiography about Crusoe the entire time. It starts off about his self and his feelings of leaving home and all of these emotions that come with it, like is he going to be punished or what not. He takes us through every moment that he is going though. If I was marketing the book I would see the person that I am writing about because that will take care of itself, like a book about Michael Jordan or whichever celebrity you choose. Since not many have ever traveled that far during the time of this book, it is already intriguing for the unknown about it.
2. I thought that whole thing about staying in the middle is typically what most people did then, stay out of the way. This is a turning point in history as some are starting to venture out. I think this is a point made by the author that Crusoe is aware of the effects and consequences of leaving but at the same time it is a journey for him that is about time that it is taking place. He needed to venture out and see new things and places like when he experiences the dreadful storms but also witnesses the magnificent beauty of the sun rising on the calm day after the storm.
Yes, this is very much the life of Crusoe, and a work that should be seen in many ways as non-fiction rather than fiction. Defoe took pains to have it read this way, and knowing it's fictional nature puts up a barrier between us and the story. If fiction, it's too easy to assume it's a moral lesson, but if it's his real life, it makes us less likely to seek a simple, overriding moral vision.
Delete2. I think this was possibly meant to be a cautionary tale. Suggesting that greed comes with consequence. Because Crusoe wasn't content with living a mediocre life style, he ended up shipwrecked as punishment. He was headed to gather slaves to work for him on his plantation, maybe if he were traveling for more humane, noble reasons he wouldn't have had such bad luck.
ReplyDelete3. Crusoe's travels were for greed and power, not a romantic view at all. He was a perfect example of the type of people Mercator was marketing towards with his map. His greed made him eager to experience the economic advantages of owning slaves, the reason for the excursion that left him exiled on an island. He may have been able to use Mercator's map to find the prime locations for gathering slaves.
I agree that there are many elements of the cautionary tale/spiritual autobiography, though most of these elements are insisted on by Crusoe himself. And the idea of money/trading being an evil isn't always borne out by the text, or at least by Crusoe's response to these evils. We'll have to keep reading to see if we get true repentance or a mere semblance of it.
DeleteElyse Marquardt
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1: This novel is a very detailed adventure story. The author wants us to SEE what is happening, so that it will be more believable to us. He also throws in Robinson's personal thoughts, because that draws us in and makes us feel like we are part of the story. A modern marketer could classify it as "an in-depth thriller, keeping you on the edge of your seat with suspense." Which would partly be true; but readers nowadays probably wouldn't like it, because it's so extremely descriptive as to be nearly tedious sometimes.
Question 4: Defoe really gets into describing the pirate chase on page 15. He also gives us minute details about Crusoe's escape from his master, telling us how many days he sailed and what went through his mind. He makes it so believable by relaying the exact thoughts he had, the exact amount of bullets and gunpowder used, and the exact words said when the exact actions happened. This would certainly have made it very real to the readers at that time, seeing as they had never read a book like this before.
Yes, I can see how it could be an adventure/thriller, particularly to his own age. It seems real with real stakes involved; he could have died many times over. It seems like a first-hand, white-knuckle account of foreign exploration. Of course, so much description and reality makes a moral allegory (which Crusoe seems to be telling us) unbalanced. It makes him too real, and an allegory needs the people to be types more than individuals. So perhaps it really is more a work of non-fiction than fiction?
DeleteAshley Bean
ReplyDelete1. It seems to be a memoir of his early adult life. It starts where his curiosity really begins to push him and follows through all the way to the island. It has some action and adventure elements as well. He fights unknown creatures, meets foreign people, endures storms, and travels a lot. I would definitely categorize it as a "memoir" of Robinson Crusoe, had he been real. Otherwise, it's an interesting first-person action/adventure.
4. One of my favorite parts was where he encountered the lion on page 22. I doubt many Englishmen had encountered lions before, so in the time where the book was published people were probably fascinated to read about such a real, live fight with a wild animal! He made it seem very real with the delayed success. Some stories like to make the hero successful on the first try, but Robinson Crusoe wasted three bullets on the lion all together. This is much more realistic to me and I could see how people would believe it as being real. Also, all of the sounds that the lion made was another good realistic touch.
Yes, it is a memoir in the sense that we get his story, warts and all. He's not a very effective 'hero' in that he constantly fails and it takes him numerous attempts to do something right (which is very realistic). Defoe could have made him like Beowulf, who is naturally great at everything, but clearly wanted someone like Crusoe, a sinner, yet a calculating, enterprising merchant. He's not a numbskull by any means, but it takes him more than one try to do things right.
Delete2. This story is seems to somewhat allegorical. Just when you think, “No, that won’t happen. That is too predictable…it happens!” His father’s words set the mood from the beginning that he will be sorry for disobeying. His father’s words have remained true throughout Crusoe’s experiences with multiple stations in life (lowly seaman, slave, profitable plantation owner). I do think the island seems to be the ultimate place that is supposed to teach Crusoe a lesson. Considering the fact that he has a modest, but fairly complete set up for living, it is almost forcing him into life in the middle station in a sense.
ReplyDelete3. Everything we see Crusoe doing is for profit. He even sells the poor boy that pledge his allegiance to Crusoe! He does have that wanderlust that we celebrate in romanticized explorers, but he clearly doesn’t mind making a profit while on his adventures. The voyage that landed him on the island shows this. He says that he, “could no more resist the offer than I could restrain my first rambling designs, when my Father‘s good counsel was lost upon me” (P. 31). He seems to be saying that he can’t shake the travelers urge, but he also didn’t turn down the chance to acquire some new slaves while he was tickling his fancy.
Yes, it seems very allegorical--until the incredible detail we get in his travels, and some of the observations that seem to contradict the strict moral message that travel/money is sinful. You might compare this book to a real religious allegorical work like The Pilgrim's Progress, written around the same time. I'll try to bring an example to class sometime; the differences are striking, though at times Defoe does seem to allude to this kind of writing (or perhaps, Crusoe does).
Delete1) This story could be, in its day, a work off adventure and nonfiction. Now it could be used as a form of historical out geographical fiction.
ReplyDelete3.) Without Mercator, Defoe would not be able to use the maps and make his work believable. Mercator made the maps for profit, and a non traveling Defoe sure did profit, making him the ideal audience.
Deryk Ronk
I need to get you beyond 1-2 sentence responses. Try to give some examples to back up your ideas and push yourself more. The more you give here, the easier the papers will be since you'll have already written and thought about the questions. Avoid a response that could have been given without reading the book.
Delete2. In the book, it seems as though Crusoe is definitely punished for leaving home and ignoring his father’s wishes. His time on the island seems to be merely a time out or consequences for not going along with what was expected of someone of the “middle state.” Throughout this book it is evident that Crusoe is a strong believer in fate, so although he was adventurous and arguably brave, he should have known that there would be consequences for his misdeeds.
ReplyDelete4. Although Defoe never traveled to man locations and never experienced a shipwreck to our knowledge, he is still able to make his stories extremely believable because of his extreme use of examples and details. The passage that seemed the most real to me, was when he first was on shore and describing all of the different and unique items that washed up from the wreckage. He described hats and shoes that had no mate and it made it possible to actually feel like we were right there with him on the island and seeing these things for ourselves.
Truly, he should have (and does seem to have) known, so why does he persist in this behavior? Is this showing his far he has to go to redeem himself, or is the spiritual/moral element merely a frame for the 'real' story? Hmm...
ReplyDeleteShelby Pletcher
ReplyDelete1) As we discussed in class today, this novel seems to be leaning heavily towards an autobiography. But I could also see it marketed as a epic piece of literature, specifically in the action/adventure genre. I also almost see it as an early comic book of it's time, much like Beowulf. And it's because of this that I think DeFoe would try to market it as such today. I think if Robinson Crusoe were to be published in 2014, it'd be right up there in the likes of Thor and some other cult classic superheroes.
2) In my opinion, so far in my interpretation of the small portion we've read of this book, I definitely think the author is hinting at the island being a punishment for the sin of chasing after fleeting things, places and experiences. Robinson seems to have such a deep-seeded wanderlust coarsing within it, it drives every action he takes. It's the all encompassing reason of his life, to see things he's yet to see and experience things he's yet to experience. I think the island is a representation of the lesson the author believes Robinson should be taught based on his belief system of contentment in God and heavenly ideals. The lesson being fighting the discontentment of your surroundings and appreciating where you are now because it's where the Lord has placed you. Because Robinson definitely isn't going anywhere for awhile.
1. I think it helps that Defoe wasn’t trying to fit any “mold.” In many ways he was setting the mold! I’m sure authors of today feel pressured now to sit down and say, “Okay I need to write a romance novel, or mystery novel.” Robinson Crusoe incorporates themes of an epic adventure like pirates, battles, death, wild beast, but also mystery; the Island, the birds that he’s never seen before.
ReplyDelete4. I was captivated by the section of the book where he is fighting through the upset sea to make it to shore. The way he described the waves thrusting him into an endless cycle of being pushed out and upward only to be brought back and under the water seemed to be first hand experience. He even calculated the seconds in which he had to gasp for air before being brought under again. Anyone reading this would be left with the impression that this was a first hand account of such a tragic event.
1.) From the first 50 pages of this novel I would categorize Robinson Crusoe as an adventure tale about a clumsy hero who encounters adversity and obstacles sometimes forced by his own faulty decision making. Some would argue that his decisions are not heroic at all and even down right inhumane. Consider the time period it is set and the social context of what the quality of life was during those times, I believe he is an "everyman" doing it what it takes to overcome his struggles. The reader may hope for the protagonist to achieve his success through trial and error and eventually finding his peace and contentment.
ReplyDelete4.) Defoe uses his main character's voice to invite the reader into situations with him attempting to gain validity. By going into such detail, Crusoe offers first hand accounts of traumatic events. For example on pages 33-35 Crusoe describes the fear and anxiety that accompanied him and his shipmates as they were headed for almost certain death. "so we work'd at the Oar towards the Land, tho' with heavy Hearts, like Men going to Execution; for all we knew, that when the Boat came nearer the Shore, she would be dash'd in a Thousand Pieces by the Breach of the Sea."(33) He goes on to tell about his feelings and even movements after waking up to realize he is the only survivor. He tells it in such a way that invites the audience to be with the sailors in the boat as they approached their end.
Devin Martinez
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