Robinson+Crusoe

toc

Test Review

 * I. Characteristics of Early Novels**
 * __defining the form__: what is a novel? why is this "regarded as the first English novel"?
 * Similitude: lots of detail, to make it feel real
 * __and purpose:__
 * 1) entertainment: what is entertaining?
 * 2) understanding: what thought does this inspire in you?
 * a) the human condition: the individual vs society
 * b) the past: what does this novel illuminate for you about the past?
 * b) the past: what does this novel illuminate for you about the past?


 * II. Where in the world**
 * III. Elements of a novel**
 * plot: story line
 * he went on an adventure
 * which ended up getting him stranded on a deserted island for 28 years - he was able to survive by his own efforts (physical survival: salvaging, farming, scavenging) - (mental survival: God, journal)
 * built a society - Friday, Friday's Dad & Spaniard, **mutiny episode (important - climax)
 * return "home" - England, loves island and returns to revisit
 * character
 * Crusoe
 * Defies parents and experience to go on his adventure
 * Religion (looks to God and really starts to focus his life around God and religion after his first "near death" experience)
 * theme
 * Religion - looked to God for help, God was all he had, converted Friday
 * Self Reliance
 * Survival
 * Resourcefulness
 * Will to Survive -

I. Map Identification: Map of the world, identify main places that Crusoe went to, connect them with a line in order of which he visited
 * Test Format:**
 * England
 * Africa
 * Brazil
 * Island
 * Portugal
 * (Goes by land and small ship) back to England
 * Revisits his island

II. Quotes about plot and character III. Short reading passage and essay response about theme

**1st discussion, Jan. 8:**
> Robinson’s father didn’t want him to waste his life on adventures. He wanted him to do something more practical. The fact that his father didn’t want him to get on the ship gave us a sense of foreshadowing. There was a huge storm and he was shipwrecked. Eventually the waves brought him to shore. He was the only survivor.  I think it will yes, especially now, that he has been shipwrecked on an island. If he makes it back, he will not go home to the shame of everyone else, and his mother and father, because he was able to survive on his own, literally, with no one else. Not just with no one helping him, but no one else period. I think if he can survive, the pride he will have will overcome the feeling of shame. I believe this book goes beyond appreciating what most of us take for granted every day. More so, I think this book plays with the idea of morality. It’s not just about being faithful to your family, but also being faithful toward your god. Crusoe, at the start, seems to have little faith in his morals. His trust in god was weak, as well as his trust in his father. Disobeying his father is what ended him up on the island. Besides morality, this book unquestionably plays upon man’s will to survive. The things that drive him may be different from man to man. Though for the most part, what keeps a man alive is what he has yet to achieve. What drive’s Crusoe to carry on? Maybe it’s because he wants to prove himself worthy in god’s eyes? For now, we are unsure. >    >     > Thoughts and such: His experiences have made him a bit more well rounded, and we have more faith in him now that he's wandered about and picked up certain things. I have more faith in Chapter 6 Robinson rather than the Chapter 1 Robinson. But has Crusoe survived because of skill, luck, or perhaps God? We can see him flipping back and forth between God and himself. He'll pray to get out of a situation, but then he'll get himself right back into the same situation.
 * After unexpected, instant action at the very start of the book, and the unreal situation of being captured by pirates and escaping, do you think Crusoe's ridiculous luck with cheating death, is indeed luck; or is it that he is naturally skilled at everything we've seen him do so far? It can't be anytime soon because there is much more of the book left, but do you think his luck will eventually run out, or do you think he will decide his own fate?
 * I do think Crusoe is lucky but I also think it is mostly his ability to adapt and learn quickly when put in a new situation that has kept him alive. He is naturally skilled with fishing and other tasks needed to survive but he is most skilled in learning how to obtain other skills necessary for survival. I don’t think his luck will run out because I don’t think it is pure luck that has gotten him the point where he is now. Although I can’t predict the ending of this book I think he will be the main factor in his own fate.
 *  Does Robinson Crusoe really feel guilty about going against his father’s wishes? If yes, why does he continue to make voyages? What do you think he is feelings really are? He mentions regretting going against his parents’ wishes, yet he continues to go on voyages. Was he just lost in the fear of the moment – the first time he’s ever been in true danger? NT
 * Why did he threaten to kill the Moor after he felt overboard? “…if you come near the boat I’ll shoot you through the head…” (24)
 * Why did Robison’s father not want that Robinson goes abroad a ship?KK
 * How did Robinson arrive on the isolated island? KK
 * On page 17 he says “As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered….. I should be ashamed to to see, not my father and mother only, but even everybody else…..”    Do you think his view on this quote will change later on as he gains experiences that he could only gain by leaving home? MT
 * What do we think the moral of this book is going to be. Even in the early chapters, it is already touching on ideas of society and mankind's will to survive... JL
 * Was Crusoe frightened of the people he saw on the shore? How were these fears allayed? What did he do that impressed them? DK
 * After Robinson spoke to his parents about his desire to go to sea they convinced him that he should stay because his life was pretty easy and he did until his friend asked him to go with him out to sea. How different would Robinson’s life have been if he had stayed and never gone to sea? NT
 * How long will he be on the island before someone arrives to help?
 * How does Crusoe's life experiences make us feel about him?**
 * Will Crusoe learn to be completely faithful? Is that a theme?**

"I was born to be my own destroyer." (Defoe 41)

**2nd discussion, Jan. 12:**
The Elements of a Novel: -Gets sick which results in a new appreciation for everything and makes his faith and belief in God stronger. -“This touched my heart very much, and immediately I kneeled down and gave God thanks aloud for my recovery from my sickness.” (95) || When Crusoe gets nervous or fears for his life he often turns to God. In this most recent reading, we see this again. This time it seems more genuine. As the reading progressed we also see is devoting more of himself to religion. || Crusoe tries to keep track of the Sabbath on his calendar that he made out of a wooden cross. He tries to keep holy the Sabbath day and prays to God more often. He has realized that God has been on his side, keeping him alive. I think as the book continues his faith will become stronger, since that’s all he has to keep him going. ||  ||
 * Element || Choice/detail from the novel || Reason || Effect ||
 * Plot || Crusoe has many adventures before becoming shipwrecked (storms of the coast of England, pirates, plantation life) || Crusoe has many chances to avoid being shipwrecked-we see him make choices and his motivation for those choices (greed of $) & he has learned/grown up from each of these choices (master teaches him navigation) || Crusoe is not a victim of random chance; he has played a role in his current situation (“I am my own destroyer”) However, his life experiences could also help him survive this situation. I want to keep reading to see how much he can affect his own future. ||
 * Setting || Crusoe is shipwrecked on an island uninhabited by humans. The island has wildlife, like animals and vegetation, but he is the only one there. || This was done as the main point of the book, and to get the reader to think about how this man can survive, on his own. || As a reader, the setting creates a feeling of lost hope, while at the same time, makes you want to continue reading to find out if Crusoe will survive. ||  ||
 * Character Development || Crusoe has had to adapt to a new way of living
 * Character development || Crusoe has gone back and forth with his faith in God. (He promises that if God will save him he will go back to his father, than he doesn’t.) || When Crusoe gets nervous about something he turns to God to save him but he doesn’t think much of it. It seems as if he just expects to be saved with out being grateful or doing what it is he promised to do in the first place. || This effects the reader by causing the reader to not believe Crusoe when he makes promises. This relationship is the only example of the type of relationship he has. Crusoe hasn't shown the reader that he can have a functional relationship which effects the readers trust in him. ||  ||
 * Plot || Crusoe had a hallucination of a man descending from a black cloud, riding fire. The man speaks to Robinson, telling him that his suffering has not brought him to repentance. || Crusoe has been delivered from death before, as with the storm out at sea, his encounter with pirates, and being stranded on the island. He has taken his good fortune for granted. || God is seeping into the pages of this novel. Now Crusoe will have a greater appreciation for his current predicament. Learn to show god his gratefulness by fulfilling his life on the island. ||  ||
 * Conflict (internally with Robinson himself and externally because he is stuck on the island) || Robinson's good/evil list || Possibly to show that Robinson is working out the internal part of his conflicts as well as the external ones, and to show that he isn't just a negative person || This information is in list form so it is easier to read than a paragraph. Also now we have more faith in him to survive. ||  ||
 * Plot || Crusoe's Journal || begins to play a bigger role in the story. It is what Crusoe writes in to stay sane and stay on track. He records everything from weather to how he's feeling. || It gives us insight into his thoughts and how he perceived events. Right now that may seem kind of insignificant, but what if he starts going insane? It would be an interesting and warped perspective... groovy! We are also introduced to the little thing Crusoe is doing to NOT go insane, which includes writing in the journal. ||  ||

Independent Work: Jan. 13

 * 1) Finish presos from yesterday.
 * 2) Answer **two** discussion questions on this page.
 * 3) Comment on each others' blogs (and Mrs. Hoppel's).
 * 4) Continue reading in the novel.

Discussion Questions After Robinson got sick he rethought a lot of elements in his life. For one, he thought about his relationship with God and how he had been ungrateful for the things in his life. He began to think about all the times he could have died and how he had lived through them. He thought about what his father and mother had said to him when he asked about leaving in the first place, and how his adventures had ended up. His illness really got him thinking about a lot of things. This behavior is normal however, at least to me; I feel like if I thought I was going to die I would evaluate a lot the aspects in my own life. While he was sick I think he had an excellent opportunity to reflect on his life and he did. After he was better he even carried on differently by keeping the journal and being more resourceful.  Crusoe was able to keep track of the date by setting up a post, and notching it for each day that went by. He refers to this numerous times including page 102 when he counts them and finds he has come to the one-year anniversary of his landing. Some people are born with religious faith, and some people gain it over time... usually due to a certain event. In Robinson Crusoe's case, it is the latter. He had a number of reasons to turn towards God, but to sum it all up in one word, I would probably say it was because of “desperation”. People have a tendency to do some pretty crazy things when they're desperate... they can become violent, irrational, and yes, even religious. For Crusoe and the situation he's in, turning towards God allows him, if anything, some peace of mind. Thinking about it from all angles, faith allows him assurance that things will be alright in the end no matter what. For example, what if he were to die? Death becomes much easier to handle when you're under the mentality that it will only be the beginning of a new life. On the other hand, Believing in God takes some of the burden away from Crusoe. Instead of him being on his own, he has someone to pray to. Someone who, hypothetically, is in charge of EVERYTHING that's going on. Daniel Roy Knudson decided to interrupt my train of thought by saying “It's his way of staying in control.”... I think that's pretty much it... but I do like that he trained a goat!
 * What effect did his illness have on his thoughts? MC
 * How does Crusoe keep track of the date?
 * Why has Crusoe continued to have faith in God throughout all of this? He talks a lot about it during certain parts of the reading, but if God hasn't helped him yet, why does he keep trying? Is it the only thing keeping him from going insane? BB


 * What was the significance of the vision Crusoe had when he was ill?
 * Judging from the name that Crusoe gave the island, how would you say he feels about it and his situation on it? Hopeful and optimistic?
 * What do you think the        greater significance to Robinson’s journal is? If it has one. LG          I think the significance of Crusoe’s journal is that we get to see a different view of what’s happening – through almost firsthand experience. It allows the reader to experience his real thoughts and everyday life. If Crusoe DOES end up staying here for his whole life and this is where he ends up dying, then if someone were to inhabit the deserted island they could find and read his personal accounts and read about the experiences he went through and it would explain his reasoning behind some of his actions.
 * Will God become an important figure in Crusoe’s life? LG     I think as time goes on God will become a more important figure in Crusoe’s life. I believe this because we have already seen his relationship begin to get stronger. At first, there wasn’t really a relationship except for in times of desperation/need – such as on his first voyage out to sea when he thought he was going to die. Now, as the story continues we still see him pray in times of desperation but we also see him trying to make an extra effort in making his faith stronger. Another reason why God may become an important figure is because … well, who else does he have? He is alone, on a deserted island.

**3rd discussion: Jan. 16**
1) Views about this book a. Not impressive b. Not exciting anymore c. Adventure d. Beginning to be more predictable e. Foundation of novel writing however it does not contain elements that we like in modern books It's hard to keep in mind that we have different expectations of novel as 21st Century readers. 2) From the reading a. Been on the island 15 years b. Finds a footprint on the island when he was exploring i. Reaction: At first, he was excited to see human life but then after sometime he thought it may a footprint of someone taken over by “satan” – he wants to protect what he DOES have (his plantations and his goats) c. Builds a canoe and goes to take it around the exterior of the land – he never fully made it around because the currents kept pulling him too far out so he just came back to the island //d.// //Can you be sane, being on this island for so long? (this is the issue of verisimilitude: how does Defoe try to create a feeling of reality, even though we know it is not a true story) // e. Refers to the island as his kingdom, his home as his castle, and he is the king. f. “I was removed from all the wickedness of the world here; I had neither the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, nor the pride of life. I had nothing to covet, for I had all that I was now capable of enjoying.” (Page 126) g. “…for by a constant study and serious application of the Word of God, and by the assistance of his grace, I gained a different knowledge from what I had before.” (Page 126) {religious} //h.// //If the opportunity was presented to leave the island do you think he would take up the offer?// i. I think it would take some convincing – he has been here so long, it was his choice, he has spent just as much time on this island as he had in society, could be attached to the home and items he has made
 * [|timeline]
 * some possible notes:
 * 1) the novelist's desire:
 * 2) the reader's reward:
 * 3) the traditional novel has:
 * 4) major 18th Century English novelists: Daniel Defoe, Samual Richardso   <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> has     n, Henry Fielding, (Jane Austen)
 * the issue of versimilitude

//i.// //What is Defoe doing to make this to seem real?//
=4th DISCUSSION JANUARY 20th=

How do you survive the reading? -skim over the reading AND DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!!! read a little bit each night

Who is Friday? -Friday is the native Crusoe saves from being eaten by the cannibals -Crusoe has a friend now -Refers to him as being his slave

Length of the Book -In the 18th Century, this was their entertainment -Details help to denote the passage of time for us

Verisimilitude -Truth in fiction -There are these long description which help lay out the passage of time -Makes it seem realistic

This is the 18th Century View of the World

Why Doesn't He Want to Make Contact With "these people"? -Robinson Crusoe is content with his situation -Makes friends with Friday and treats him liknge a slave -Doesn't think these savages will like him -Thinks they hate him

Crusoe Contemplates Killing These Savages -He has guns, can intervene in their eating of people -Starts to change his mind -What right do i have to kill these people?

5th Discussion January 22.
Who lives on the island? Robinson, Friday, Spaniard, Friday's father.

Whats happened so far? - Crusoe is talking to Friday about God. - Converts Friday so he doesn't eat people anymore. - Wants to convert the 11 other Europeans on the mainland.
 * Now that there are 4 people on the island they need more food.
 * Robinson now calls the island "his island".
 * Friday doesn't want to leave Crusoe now.
 * Robinson's relationship with God is growing.

- Points about human nature - (or society) 1- decide to be optimistic 2- turn to God for companionship 3- relying European cultural values -civilized vs. uncivilized -defined class system


 * Friday's tribe does have some type of religion.
 * Friday accepts Robinson's ideas.
 * Maybe Friday will have more power because he can speak both languages

- Questions - Will this new population disrupt society? Will they get over to Friday's tribe? Will the enemy of Fridays tribe attack?