Robinson Crusoe, written by Daniel Defoe, is one of the most read books in the world. There are numerous reasons for this success. Some people love the adventure story of Robinson who lives on a deserted island, far away from everyday life, which seems really desirable for the modern society. Others admire Robinson as the self-made man who is on his own in an uncivilized area and manages his life independently for so many years. That is why the story is often interpreted as an old form of the American Dream. It can also be seen as a religious story because of the importance of God in it. There are many more ways of reading the novel Robinson Crusoe and a lot of different themes that can be focused on, even though some are not apparently important for the development of Crusoe´s adventurous story...
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. What is a Family?
3. Robinson Crusoe´s Family
3.1 Crusoe introduces his Family
3.2 Crusoe´s Father as the Foreigner
3.2.1 The True born Englishman
3.3 Changing Names
4. The undesired convenient Life
4.1 Designed for the Law
4.2 Going away
4.3 The upper Station of low Life
5. The Reasons for Crusoe´s Flight
5.1 Who is to blame for his Escape?
6. Crusoe as the disobedient Son
6.1 Empathy versus Wanderlust
6.2 The Prophecy to his Perdition
6.3 The original Sin
6.4 The Prodigal Son
7. Replacing the Family?
7.1 Omitting the Family
7.2 ‘Building me a Home’
7.3 The Substitution of his Family
8. The Role of Women in Robinson Crusoe
9. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The academic paper investigates the significance of the family unit within Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe. It explores how Crusoe’s early rejection of his parents and his subsequent rebellion against paternal authority function as the catalyst for his entire adventurous narrative and life trajectory.
- The influence of the 18th-century family structure on the protagonist's development.
- The correlation between Defoe's own life experiences and the autobiographical elements of the novel.
- Analysis of the "prodigal son" motif and religious disobedience as fundamental themes.
- Examination of alternative "family" structures created by Crusoe during his isolation on the island.
- The role of social status and economic aspiration in driving the protagonist away from his home.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Crusoe´s Father as the Foreigner
In the same paragraph he calls his father a “Foreigner of Bremen” and this expression gives a quite negative impression on their relationship. When Crusoe calls his father a foreigner it sounds somehow dismissive and like reproaching him with not being a British native. He introduces him as a stranger from a different culture who emigrated from Germany. The fact that this is the very first comment he makes on his father increases the reader´s picture of Crusoe´s unsentimental feelings for him.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the aim of the paper to analyze the role of the family in Robinson Crusoe, positing that domestic rebellion is the root of the protagonist's journey.
2. What is a Family?: Defines the 18th-century concept of a family, contrasting historical "household" structures with contemporary, idealized views of perfect parental harmony.
3. Robinson Crusoe´s Family: Examines how Crusoe's initial descriptions of his family reveal his detachment and the complex identity issues surrounding his German immigrant background.
4. The undesired convenient Life: Discusses the tension between Crusoe's desire for adventure and his father's expectations for a stable life in the middle station of society.
5. The Reasons for Crusoe´s Flight: Analyzes the psychological and social pressures that led Crusoe to leave home, framing him both as a "victim" of his nature and an active rebel.
6. Crusoe as the disobedient Son: Explores the religious and moral dimensions of Crusoe's disobedience, drawing parallels to the "prodigal son" and the concept of "original sin."
7. Replacing the Family?: Details how Crusoe compensates for the absence of his birth family by creating new domestic structures on the island and in his relationships with subordinates.
8. The Role of Women in Robinson Crusoe: Investigates the peripheral role of women in the novel and how Crusoe's detachment from family extends to his own marriage and interpersonal relationships.
9. Conclusion: Summarizes how the rejection of the family unit is the essential foundation of the story, with the protagonist's rebellion being the true driver of the narrative.
Keywords
Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe, Family Structure, Disobedience, Prodigal Son, 18th Century, Wanderlust, Paternal Authority, Social Station, Middle Class, Isolation, Identity, Domesticity, Colonialism, Autobiography.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the role of the family in Robinson Crusoe, arguing that the protagonist's early rebellion against his parents and his home life is the primary catalyst for his subsequent adventures and personal development.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The core themes include the tension between filial duty and personal independence, the 18th-century social structure, the autobiographical parallels to Daniel Defoe’s own life, and the construction of new social hierarchies in isolation.
What is the primary research question?
The work explores whether the family remains significant to Crusoe even after he rejects them, and how this early domestic alienation shapes his later life and his behavior as a "master" on the island.
Which methodology does the author apply?
The paper utilizes literary analysis of the primary text in conjunction with secondary historical and critical sources, specifically focusing on social history and biographical contexts of the 18th century.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body systematically analyzes Crusoe's family background, his motives for leaving home, his religious disobedience, his attempts to replace his family during his isolation, and his indifferent attitude toward women and marriage.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include: Robinson Crusoe, family structure, disobedience, 18th-century society, paternal authority, and identity.
How does the author interpret Crusoe's relationship with Friday in the context of family?
The author argues that Crusoe attempts to replicate the authority of his father by casting himself in the role of a "master" or "father" figure to Friday, effectively recreating the power dynamics he originally fled.
Why does the author argue that the "absence" of family is deliberate in the novel?
It is suggested that the omission of detailed family life allows Defoe to emphasize Crusoe's individuality and moral development, while using the memory of the father's prophecy to maintain dramatic tension.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Juliane Heß (Autor:in), 2009, The Role of the Family in Robinson Crusoe, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/177684
