The Human Named Crusoe

The reason that the idea of Robinson Crusoe learning anything or changing over the course of the book is so fiercely debated is actually quite simple. Daniel Defoe first pitched this book as a true story, in order to do this he would have to give Robinson Crusoe very detailed human Characteristics, including the characteristic of a “fleeting heart”. To put it simply the reason for this debate was because Robinson Crusoe had his “good days” and “bad days”. To help prove my point rather than giving exact quotes form the book I think that it would be better if I made somewhat of a flowchart to show what I believe to be his progression throughout the story.

At the beginning of the story Robinson is a bit of a brat. He decides that all he wants to do in life is go out to sea to seek his fortune there. This in and of itself is not that bad of a thing to do. However he decides to set out on this journey against his parent’s wishes and without telling them, even though they had lost another son to the sea, worrying them to death.

Later on in the book Crusoe really has not changed much if anything he has changed for the worse. After he was captured and forced into slavery he escapes by backstabbing the man who helped him get out of there. He then finds himself with a dilemma. A little boy named Xury is tagging along with him during his escape. What was Crusoe’s dilemma? “Should I kill the kid or make him work for me?” thankfully he decides to spare the kid but after a few years he sells Xury back into slavery.

Now we fast forward to the time where Crusoe has had some time to himself on a deserted island. He’s conquered a deadly illness and in the process has taken god into his life. Recently he has also been living in fear from some cannibals from a neighboring island. It is here when his biggest change is actually shown that is when he actually confronts several of the cannibals and saves one who is about to be eaten. This shows that he has changed for the better since it can be assumed that the old Crusoe, who had backstabbed people in the back to escape from slavery when it really wasn’t needed, would not have stuck his neck out for a man he did not even know and he considered to be a savage. However this is a very fleeting good deed, since Crusoe turns right around and gives that cannibal a new name Friday and tells Friday to call him “Master.”

Now here is where the biggest change in his personality is seen. After several more years Crusoe finds a way off the island but in order to get off the island he needs to defeat a mutinous crew. He defeats the crew and then actually lets them stay on the island where the law was to take them back to England so that they would be executed for their crimes. So in essence Crusoe has now broken the law in order to spare the people that were his enemy’s just moments before. This shows the most dramatic change in the character so far. After he returns home he finds that he has become quite rich so what does Crusoe do with all the money? He gives most of it away! This is concrete proof that Crusoe is now a changed man.

TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)

Will Pugh