Robinson Crusoe

KINNAIRD COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

Introduction to Literature 2
Course Instructor: Ma’am Maham Muzammil
Name: Amtul Saboor (F20bedu015)
Rabia Azeem(F20bedu001)
Semester: 5

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Table of Contents
Title:............................................................................................................................................................3
Author:........................................................................................................................................................3
Genre:..........................................................................................................................................................3
Setting:........................................................................................................................................................3
Historical context:.......................................................................................................................................3
The author wrote this piece to: (author’s purpose):...................................................................................3
The main idea of this piece is:.....................................................................................................................4
The message (or theme) of this selection which the author would like us to “take away” is:.....................4
Did the author use any special literary devices in this selection such as: personification, metaphor,
simile, foreshadowing, suspense, flashback, imagery, irony, humor, poetic sound devices such as rhyme,
etc…? List and give specific examples:.........................................................................................................4
Five key even from beginning, middle and end...........................................................................................6
List the conflicts in this selection (internal and/or external):......................................................................6
 EXTERNAL CONFLICT:.......................................................................................................................6
 INTERNAL CONFLICT:.......................................................................................................................6
If this was a fiction/non-fiction, list the most important parts of the PLOT:...............................................6
Exposition:...............................................................................................................................................6
Rising action:...........................................................................................................................................7
Climax:.....................................................................................................................................................7
Falling action:..........................................................................................................................................7
Resolution:...............................................................................................................................................7
Notes:..........................................................................................................................................................7
References...................................................................................................................................................8

Plagiarism....................................................................................................................................................9

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Read the following novel “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe and evaluate the
ideas and information the author has presented based on the questions given
below:

1. Title: “The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.”

2. Author: The author of Robinson Crusoe is Daniel Defoe who was an English
writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for this novel which was
published in 1719.

3. Genre: The genre of this novel is Adventure Fiction.

4. Setting:
The setting of the novel is England, Morocco, Brazil, an uninhabited island in the Caribbean,
Portugal, Spain, and France, in the mid-to-late 17th century.

5. Historical context:
Robinson Crusoe's journey takes place in the midst of European imperialism and colonialism
in the 17th century, when several nations explored the Americas, founded colonies, and
oppressed native peoples. More particular, Alexander Selkirk's real-life exploits are probably
what most inspired or impacted Defoe. Selkirk was a Scottish man who endured four years of
being trapped on an island in the south Pacific. Upon his return to Europe in 1711, his
incredible tale of survival gained widespread attention (not long before Defoe published
Robinson Crusoe).

6. The author wrote this piece to: (author’s purpose):

The purpose and the nature of adventure stories are obvious, to tell of risky enterprises and
daring feats. Readers who see Robinson Crusoe as an adventure story generally find Crusoe's
moralizing, religious conversion and consequent religious commentary as superficial filler or
as digressions. In the novel Daniel Defoe said “…I kneeled down and gave God thanks aloud
for my recovery from my sickness”. The author, who had previously written many books on
religion, incorporated the idea into his novel of a man who has lost his way. He wanted to
show that faith will lead to a worthy life. Religion as a theme plays a vital role in the author’s
purpose and is seen in this sentence.

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7. The main idea of this piece is:
Progress is one of the main ideas in the novel Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe makes progress in
more than just physical ways but also mentally. During Crusoe's time on the island, he
becomes independent. Some other messages we take from the novel are self-reliance, self-
awareness, civilization, and most importantly Christianity
8. The message (or theme) of this selection which the author would like us to
“take away” is:
The central message, or theme, of "Robinson Crusoe" is survival. In addition to physically
surviving on the island by obtaining food, water, and shelter, Crusoe also build his self-
confidence in order to keep hold out for a rescue. Though, the message of progress is more
significant. The story's turning point is when his life and circumstances change. This is
evident in both his ability to live and the way that he develops as a person. Crusoe transitions
from being a slave to transporting slaves. He is then shipwrecked, starts reading the Bible,
and converts to Christianity. Later on in the novel, he helps in the release of those held
captive by cannibals.

9. Did the author use any special literary devices in this selection such as:
personification, metaphor, simile, foreshadowing, suspense, flashback,
imagery, irony, humor, poetic sound devices such as rhyme, etc…? List
and give specific examples:

Throughout Robinson’s adventures there are plenty of literary devices used to enhance the
story. The most dominant devices used are allusion and foreshadowing.

FORESHADOWING: A prime example of the foreshadowing in this novel would be at the

very beginning when Robinson states “…there seemed to be something fatal in that
propension of nature tending directly to the life of misery which was to befall me” (8). This
is just one of the many events that foreshadow his life to be.

ALLUSION: Most allusions within this paperback allude to the bible and a stupendous
quote would be Crusoe’s first time aboard a ship on which a captain says “…perhaps this has
all befallen us on your account, like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish” (19).  

MOOD: The novel shows various moods; it starts on a happy and optimistic note but turns
out highly somber and dreadful as it moves and ends in a hopeful mood.

MOTIF: Most important motifs of the novel are isolation, individuality, society, and
religion.

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PERSONIFICATION: The novel shows examples of personifications such as,
“The Wave that came upon me again, buried me at once 20 or 30 Foot deep in its own Body;
and I could feel my self-carried with a mighty Force and Swiftness towards the Shore a very
great Way”. (97)
This example shows as if the waves and the sea have the life of their own.

SIMILE: The novel shows good use of various similes as given in the examples below,
 I added a Wick of some Oakum, I made me a Lamp; and this gave me Light, tho’ not
a clear steady Light like a Candle. (67)
 I made me a Cave just behind my Tent, which serv’d me like a Cellar to my House.
(109)
 I went out with my Gun and kill’d two Fowls like Ducks, which were very good
Food. (119)

These are the similes that show the comparison between two things by using the word
“Like”.

METAPHOR: Crusoe's life is greatly influenced by the water because he is a mariner and
traveller. Crusoe is instantly contrite and cries out to God for assistance whenever a storm
hits the sea and forgets all about that religious stuff when the skies are clear and the waters
are calm.

In a word, as the Sea was returned to its Smoothness of Surface and settled Calmness by the
Abatement of that Storm, so the Hurry of my Thoughts being over, my Fears and
Apprehensions of being swallow'd up by the Sea being forgotten, and the Current of my
former Desires return'd, I entirely forgot the Vows and Promises that I made in my
Distress. (10)

Crusoe's inconsistent relationship with God can be effectively used as a metaphor to the
always shifting sea.

SYMBOLISM: The Bible is important to Crusoe's time on the island since it will be his
source of morality and means for spiritual awakening.

…also I found three very good Bibles which came to me in my Cargo from England, and
which I had pack'd up among my things. (56)

Crusoe's relationship with God is symbolized by the bible, which later serves as a resource
for teaching Friday the fundamentals of Christianity.

IMAGERY: Daniel Defoe uses vivid imagery in "Robinson Crusoe" in a number of

different ways. Making the reader feel as though they are on the island with Robinson is
the most obvious technique to help the reader better understands what he or she is going
through. 
An example of imagery is this when Robinson's ship is attacked and he is captured by
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 Moors.  A rather significant lifestyle change would be moving from a fairly successful trader
to a slave, so Defoe really shows you the imagery as if to shout out that something major is
about to happen.

IRONY: In Robinson Crusoe, Defoe uses irony multiple times, frequently when the
protagonist is shipwrecked and shows no signs of letting previous misfortune stop him.
Crusoe joining a slaving voyage, despite having spent years as a slave himself and
supposedly having Christian principles, is one specific instance of Defoe's use of irony.

10.Five key even from beginning, middle and end.

 As a young man, Crusoe had gone to sea in the hope of making his fortune.
 Crusoe is on a ship bound for Africa, where he plans to buy slaves for his plantations in
South America, when the ship is wrecked on an island and Crusoe is the only survivor.
 Alone on a desert island, Crusoe manages to survive ,He keeps himself sane by keeping
a diary, manages to build himself a shelter, and find a way of salvaging useful goods
from the wrecked ship, including guns.
 He also found cannibals on island and saved a man on the day of Friday that’s why he
named him Friday.
 After years a ship arrived and the sailors asked Crusoe and Friday that he will sail them
to England if they will bring back the ship from mutineers. After that the sailors sail
them to England.

11.List the conflicts in this selection (internal and/or external):

Both internal and exterior conflicts are depicted in the novel.

 EXTERNAL CONFLICT: The external conflict first arises between Robinson Crusoe
and his father, followed by conflicts with animals, cannibals, and mutineers.

 INTERNAL CONFLICT: However, there is internal conflict going on in Crusoe's head

about his acts and behaviour in relation to his father's recommendations.

12.If this was a fiction/non-fiction, list the most important parts of the PLOT:
Robinson Crusoe is one of the most well-known fictional characters in literature is , an
English seaman who spends 28 years shipwrecked and stranded on an island.

 Exposition:
Crusoe is the youngest of his middle-class family. He has a passion to explore the world and
sail the seas. His father doesn't think this is a smart idea, and he issues a warning that turns
into a curse: if you leave home, nothing but trouble will befall you. In the opening scene,
Crusoe is shown disobeying his father's orders and showing no respect or respect for God.

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 Rising action:
 Crusoe had several experiences after leaving home. He travels by ship to Africa, where he is
captured and turned into a slave but two years later he escaped with a boy named Xury.
Following his escape, he is taken to Brazil, where he works on his sugar farm for several
years to support himself. He constantly seems to encounter misfortune, confess his sins, and
immediately commit them once more. Crusoe will continue to act in this manner for quite
some time.
Crusoe is shipwrecked on a desert island while trying to find slaves for some plantation
owners. Crusoe is an isolated young man because no one else made it through the shipwreck.
Despite being totally alone, he makes it through.

 Climax:
After many years of solitude we finally learn that Crusoe is not alone on the island. There are
others and they are, horror of horrors, cannibals!
While deciding what to do about the cannibals, Crusoe saves a man from certain death. He
names him Friday and teaches him English. Friday converts to Christianity and the two
become friends, of sorts. Friday and Crusoe then rescue two more men from the cannibals: a
Spaniard and Friday's father.

 Falling action:
Sailors on an English longboat arrive on the island. Crusoe learns that the men have rebelled
against their captain.  The crew and captain declare devotion to Crusoe and agree to carry
him home after Crusoe assists in bringing the ship back to order.

 Resolution:
Crusoe then returns to England with Friday, where his sugar plantations have made him very
wealthy. After getting married, Crusoe returns to the island in his later years.

13.Notes
The novel ends with Crusoe overcoming his antagonists. Crusoe masters his hardships, which
he feels have been inflicted due to his disobedience. The years on the island transform him
into a practicing Christian with a peaceful soul; he even converts Friday, a savage, to
Christianity. When he sails away from the island, he is richer than ever before, both
spiritually and financially (although he is not aware of his wealth until he arrives in England).
Back at home, Crusoe settles down, marries, becomes a father, and is generous towards all
his friends and relatives.

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 References

Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, November 11). Robinson Crusoe plot analysis. Shmoop.
https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/robinson-crusoe/analysis/plot-analysis

SparkNotes. (n.d.). Robinson Crusoe. Sparknotes.

https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crusoe/facts/

Evelyn. (2021, August 16). Robinson Crusoe - study guide and Literary Analysis. Literary
Devices. https://literarydevices.net/robinson-crusoe/

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Plagiarism