What was robinson crusoes predicament

He places little inherent value in family, and his actions continually contradict the moral and religious values he spends dozens of pages contemplating. In addition, it would explain his thirst for sailing long after his series of shipwrecks and lost crews. While I understand that Defoe certainly never wrote Robinson Crusoe to be interpreted in such a manner, my condition of taking character development for granted compels me to understand it as such.

Many of Selkirk's activities on his island are paralleled by Robinson Crusoe on his island; for example, Selkirk fed on turnips, fish, and goat's meat; he became overrun with cats, and he had to use his ingenuity to survive, all reflected in Defoe's novel. A clue to one of the basic ideas of the novel is given in the first chapter, when Crusoe's father admonished his son to stay "in the middle station" of life — this station being the one which "had the fewest disasters, and was not exposed to so many vicissitudes as the higher or lower part of mankind.

Often during his confinement on the island, Crusoe is reminded of his father's advice and rues his own impulsiveness. Furthermore, the father's pronouncement that his "boy might be happy if he would stay at home, but if he goes abroad, he will be the most miserable wretch that was ever born" becomes a prophetic statement which foreshadows Crusoe's later predicament.

The father's prediction comes true sooner than even Crusoe could expect. His first boat founders and Crusoe makes solemn vows in a time of trouble, but as soon as the trouble is over, he forgets his vows. Thus, we have his first reneging on his word to God. Throughout the rest of the novel, he will constantly contemplate his relationship with God and how much God is punishing him for his "wicked ways. Previous Character List. Next Chapters Removing book from your Reading List will also remove any bookmarked pages associated with this title.

Are you sure you want to remove bookConfirmation and any corresponding bookmarks? My Preferences My Reading List. The captain told them that the island was inhabited and run by an Englishman, Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe advised them to be prepared to be sent to England to be dealt with, all except one, named Will Atkins, who was to be hanged the next day because he was the ringleader.

For safety, Crusoe divided the prisoners into small groups and made sure that three particularly fierce prisoners were in the strongest fortifications. As for the rest, the captain talked to them all in order to determine which ones could be trusted, and he told them that he would ask for a pardon if they would swear their utmost loyalty.

All humbly promised to be faithful to the captain. Altogether, Crusoe was able to believe that twelve men were loyal and trustworthy, and he asked the captain if he were willing to take this group and board the ship. Crusoe tells us that he had to stay behind and guard the other prisoners and watch over his "kingdom. The captain and his men contrived to fool the few men left on the ship by having a man named Robinson yell to them about their difficulties in finding the first crew.

Consequently, the men on the ship thought that they were welcoming back their comrades and, consequently, were taken by the captain and his men. Subduing all on deck, they found the new mutinous captain and fired upon him and his accomplices, wounding all of them. Thus the ship was restored to her rightful captain.

Signaling to Crusoe on the island, they returned with everything well in hand. Crusoe, seeing the ship at his command, nearly fainted with the reality of his impending escape. Crusoe remembered to thank God for his deliverance. In appreciation for all that Crusoe had done, the captain of the ship showered many gifts on Crusoe.

Then the two men discussed what was to be done with the prisoners. It was decided that Crusoe would grant them a pardon, but leave them to shift for themselves on the island. Crusoe ordered the rebellious captain to be hanged on the yardarm as an example to the rest of the men. Crusoe gave the prisoners much useful information and also told them about the sixteen Spaniards who were to be expected.

Crusoe and the rest of the crew prepared to leave the next day. Two of the five men left on the island swam to the ship's side, begging to be taken on board, and complained about the other three.

After being soundly whipped, they were allowed to go along. Crusoe left the island on the nineteenth of December of and arrived in England on the eleventh of June of , having been gone for thirty-five years. Crusoe found the widow, to whom he had left most of his money, still alive, but nearly all of his family were dead. Crusoe resolved to go to Lisbon to find out about his plantation in Brazil; Friday, still his faithful servant, accompanied him. After holding us in suspense for several chapters, Defoe at last unfolds the narrative of Crusoe's escape from his long imprisonment from the island.

Again, he fills these chapters with such details as how much food Crusoe should take on the boat, the planting of seeds, the harvesting, the cutting down of trees, the goats bred for meat, and the drying of the raisins. And here again, Defoe tempts us to believe that escape is easy, if one carefully prepares for it. Yet, in the sequence in which the eleven men disembark from their boat, we fear for Friday's life. The boat appears to be English, and so would not be hostile to an Englishman, even bearded and clothed in skins, as Crusoe is.

Yet Friday is a sensitive man — envisioned both by Defoe and by Crusoe. He is no longer a savage; by Defoe's careful plotting and his strong sense of humanity, Friday has become an acute, alert, and loyal friend to Crusoe.

Unfortunately, the escape and the fighting to gain the English boat is accomplished all too quickly, almost in comic-strip sequence. After Defoe has spent so much time telling us about Crusoe's ordeals of surviving on the island, one wonders why he decided to climax the escape so easily.