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The Robinsonade: From Literature To Culture

The document discusses the themes of individuality, society, and isolation in Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. It notes that the novel follows Robinson's journey away from society as he prioritizes his individuality and independence. However, his isolation on the deserted island leads him to feel lonely without human companionship. Ultimately, the novel suggests that while individuality is important, too much isolation can be dangerous and that society provides valuable companionship. Robinson comes to realize a balance is needed between independence and social interaction.

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Daniel Bradac
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56 views3 pages

The Robinsonade: From Literature To Culture

The document discusses the themes of individuality, society, and isolation in Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. It notes that the novel follows Robinson's journey away from society as he prioritizes his individuality and independence. However, his isolation on the deserted island leads him to feel lonely without human companionship. Ultimately, the novel suggests that while individuality is important, too much isolation can be dangerous and that society provides valuable companionship. Robinson comes to realize a balance is needed between independence and social interaction.

Uploaded by

Daniel Bradac
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Robinsonade: from literature to culture

bachelor's degree plan

The three main themes of the novel : individuality, society and isolation
1. The main focus of the novel is the tension between society and individuality, as
the novel begins, Robinson setts himself free from society, his own family and
even humanity. He leaves all of is comfort of the middle-class society in order to
pursue his life, and by setting out to the sea, he prioritize his sense of individuality
over his family and society at large.
1.2 On the island, he lives entirely as an individual apart from society, more than
that he uses his instincts, which society breaks from us, he is using them in order to
survive.
1.3 he becomes self-sufficient and learns how to make things himself, discovering
ingenuity he didn't know he had.
1.4 being separated from society he becomes a better person, closer to God, and he
realizes this by himself, living alone on the island allows for a life largely without
sin, and while he is alone, he does not suffer from lust or pride.
1.5 Robinson comes around to liking his individual existence on the island so
much, that, at a time in the novel, it is unclear whether he even wants to be rescued
and returned to society.
2. on his path to individualization some of Robinson's issues are coming out, for
instance, while he values his own personal liberty, he doesn't respect that of others.
He hates being slave, but is quick to sell Xury into the service of the Portuguese
captain. Similarly, he treats Friday as his own inferior sevant and this this
maltreatment of others can be related as well to Robinson's narcissistic style of
narration.
2.1 His narrative is always about himself, to the degree that he hardly even gives
names of other characters.
3. I am going to focus on his isolation, and the fact that his individualization
doesn't feel like the time he was on the island. He feels lonely in Brazil, and then
he is literally isolated, when he is stranded on his island all alone. His only
companions are his animals, and while he enjoy life on the island, he still feels a
deep desire of human companionship that he lacks. Thus, the novel values
individuality, but also shows the danger of narcissism and isolation that may come
with it.
3.1 Defoe presents individuality as important, Robinson does decide to leave his
island in the end, and when he returns, he turns his heaven his heaven of
individualism into a society.
3.2 Society may curb an individual's independence, but it also provides valuable
companionship.
4. The balance of them all, if we compare Robinson in the beginning of the novel
where he rejects the claims of society in a favor of individuality, and where he
ultimately comes around trying to balance the two.

Catalin Daniel Bradac


Faculty of Letters, English-Romanian 2nd year

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