Essay: The Themes of Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe is one of the most famous and important novel of the eighteennth century. This period has an important place for the rise of the novel. This book that is written by Daniel Defoe in 1719 is known as the first Engilish novel of the eighteenth century. Thereby, it occupies a central place in the history of the Engilish novel. When the books of Daniel Defoe are analyzed, it can be said that he usually does not write and mention the relationships between male and female. Most of his books are based on adventure. So Robinson Crusoe is the lack of any relantionship between male and female and it is an adventure story. When it is analyzed, it can be said that it has the important themes of the eighteenth century.
Themes are found the basic and often universal ideas in a literary work. There are the three important themes of Robinson Crusoe. First theme is the ambivalence of mastery. At the begining of the novel he does not satisfy where he is and always he wants to go, he is not happy with his place like anybody else. His father said that they were in the middle class, and if he did not stay where he was, bad things came to him. But he does not listen to him and he decides to go. After the many hardships occur during his journey, he finds himself on the isolated island. “Crusoe’s success in mastering his situation, overcoming his obstacles, and controlling his environment shows the condition of mastery in a positive light, at least at the beginning of the novel. Crusoe lands in an inhospitable environment and makes it his home. His taming and domestication of wild goats and parrots with Crusoe as their master illustrates his newfound control. Moreover, Crusoe’s mastery over nature makes him a master of his fate and of himself.” In addition to this, at the begining there is not any person except him on the island and he has only animals,fields. When a cannibal person comes to the island, at the begining he is afraid of him but then he starts behaving him as a slave. “I let him know his name should be Friday, which was the day I saved his life: I called him so for the memory of the time. I likewise taught him to say Master; and then let him know what was to be my name: I likewise taught him to say Yes and No and to know the meaning of them.” (Defoe,) It shows that the idea of mastery occurs between the human beings.This is the clear picture of colonialism. It shows that Robinson is both a capitalist and an economic man. After giving the name second step is exploting the power of this man. Therefore, the relationship between Crusoe and Friday shows the relationship of the master and slave which causes the colonialism.
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Secondly, the other theme is the necessity of repentance. It is a kind of Puritanist book. They believe that God gets in touch with individuals through scriptures and everything depends on you. If good things happen, God is with the people. Robinson’s ship almost wrecks, when he leaves family in London. It is original sin and God warns him not to go. At the same time this approach creates the individualism. Robinson decides his own way through life according to his own thoughts and desires. On the isolated island, he is able, by his skill, to provide himself with all sorts of comforts.He falls into and understands that there is no escape. But he has to do something to survive. For example, he decides to make more and more big farm and puts green barleys on the field. At the begining he believes that this green barleys can not grow but after a week the perfect green barleys come out. This is the miracle of God. At the begining he thinks that the religion is so far in his head and never mention the name of God. But as a result he starts understanding that the religion starts in his mind. Both positive and negative things can be happen with Providence and he says himself that he must be repent and gives thanks to God. Consequently, if there is a repentance, there must be conversion and conviction. So he is slowly becoming a religious man who turely believes in only God. In addition to this, he believes that his original sin is rebellious behavior towards his father. It is like Adam and Eve’s disobedience towards God. The exile of Crusoe to the island represents the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden. The repentance of Crusoe comprises the acceptance of his sin and endless dependence to God.
Third theme is the importance of self-awareness. “Crusoe’s arrival on the island does not make him revert to a brute existence controlled by animal instincts, and, unlike animals, he remains conscious of himself at all times. Indeed, his island existence actually deepens his self-awareness as he withdraws from the external social world and turns inward.” He records both his daily activities and how he spends his time on the island. This recording is about his life and staying self-awareness is the important thing for him. The other example is that he teaches his parrot to say some words like poor Robinson Crusoe. Thus he does not forget where he comes from. He is aware of self-awareness by teaching nature itself to voice it.