Discuss the exploration of the self in Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe is a man who was lost in the world, stuck at home with his parents, he was expected to be a lawyer, but his heart longed for the sea. Crusoe eventually left home, without telling his parents what he planned. After several voyages, all of which were seemingly “unlucky,” he is shipwrecked on a desert island and is forced to survive with only bare necessities. Many people consider him a hero because of how he dealt with his misfortune. Some people believe that Robinson Crusoe is a likeable and admirable character, but others disagree. Robinson Crusoe is not a likeable or admirable character for three reasons: he is self-absorbed, he lacks emotion, and he is hypocritical.

The boys were trapped on the island for a very long time by themselves, isolated from civilization. This was extremely difficult for them, as one could only imagine what the boys went through both physically and emotionally. The island is one of the many symbols in the novel, symbolizing a new beginning, “paradise” for the boys. This is a chance for the boys to create a

Who I chose to write my character study paper over was Job and his life influenced by god’s grace, mercy, and evilness. The dominant theme of Job is the difficulty of understanding why God the creator of everything can allow good people and followers of his to suffer. In Job he is trying a way to justify God’s actions. The poetry in Job is a true dialogue, for the characters develop ideas and unique personalities throughout the course of their responses. The Book of Job is one of the most celebrated pieces of biblical literature, not only because it explores some of the most profound questions humans ask about their lives, also because it is extremely well written.

Graham, Kenneth. “Criticism by Kenneth Graham.” Discovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center- Gold. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.

When he got emotionally involved with people to the point where it oppressed him, Chris got “itchy feet” and would at once pack his stuff and leave. He traveled to “evade the impending threat of human intimacy, of friendship, and all the messy emotional baggage that came with it” (Krakauer 55). However, in many instances he craved social attention and became the center of a party (Levin 70). Jon Krakauer describes Chris’s personality as “puzzling in its complexity.” Chris “was intensely private but could be convivial and gregarious in the extreme” (Krakauer 115). Outgoing and extremely appealing when the spirit moved him, he charmed a lot of folks. He created such a profound relationship with Ron Franz, an 80 year old man, that Ron eventually asked to adopt him as a grandson. Other friends, which he made along his travels, took care of him by providing him with jobs, food, and a place to stay. He even made a serious effort to sustain his relationship to Jan Burres, a friend, by staying in touch with a postcard every month or two (Lenin 71). Chris was anything but alone in the world. He was a walking paradox, wanting to live alone, but always having friends around. The most important discovery that he made on his odyssey was that human relationships are more valuable than abysmal solitude. Christopher’s gradual change of heart demonstrates the

The narrators’ approval is being held hostage by this personal internal conflict with his own beliefs which allow his “suffering” to

I admire Christopher for leaving his family and friends to live a life of seclusion and wonder. Although, I do wonder why he was so unprepared;

Thus, Robinson Crusoe was displaying uncertain signs of his belief in God. It isn’t until he is on the uninhabited island that he begins to slowly convert into a full Christian.

The first reason that Robinson Crusoe is an admirable character is because he devotes himself to growing his spiritual life. First, he asserts, “My duty to God, and the reading scriptures, which I constantly set apart some time from thrice every day.” (Defoe

Starting with “The Wanderer,” the speaker begins his tale by reminiscing upon his trials and tribulations of which he has suffered a great deal and “longs for relief, the Almighty’s mercy” (118). He has lost his friends and no longer has anyone to confide in, forcing him to be alone with his thoughts: “So I must hold in the thoughts of my heart” (118). In the midst of his grieving, the Wanderer recalls a joyous occasions, such as when “his friend and lord helped him to the feast” (119), only to realize that what once was, is no longer. He finds comfort in his dreams, longing to be back with his “liege-lord again” only to awaken and have reality come shattering down upon him (119). However, he comes to the conclusion that through hardship and suffering, one matures, grows, learns his place in life and how “a good man holds his words back, tells his woes not too soon, baring his inner heart before knowing the best way” (120).

It has been observed that when placed in harsh or unusual conditions, people tend to look to spiritual support to help them overcome adversity. In Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe not only depicts the struggle of a man abandoned on a deserted island, but also depicts Crusoe's repentance for past disobedience against his father and humanity as well as his acceptance of religion into his life. Crusoe's religious beliefs, however, do not remain consistent; in fact, he later uses religion as a justification for murder and other immoral acts. Crusoe accepts religion into his life, repenting for his sins throughout the novel, however his faith is not genuine, only becoming strong when he experiences misfortunes.

In the beginning of the book, Robinson Crusoe runs away from home to get on a ship. Then, when he was on his way to Canary Island, his ship was bombarded by pirates, who took him hostage. Finally, after two long years,

Crusoe's journey in the canoe exemplifies the reality of his life in that, although he longs to please and obey God, he must also contend

Daniel Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe as a restless and generally unhappy character in the beginning of the novel. Like a lot of people in society, Crusoe was never truly satisfied with the “middle state” even though his father claimed it to be “the best state in the world” (Crusoe 44). In the beginning of the novel, Crusoe was also never truly satisfied when it came to his religious life and, like many people, made empty promises he could not keep due to his inherent desire to escape the restrictions of his social class; from the very beginning, this novel implies that human nature is inherently

In the poem a man longs to find a permanent home ,and treads the idea of appealing to no true destination after the loss of his lord. The poem is written as an elegie, which displays a solemn tone followed by a serious reflection. Unlike “The Seafarer”, the speaker has developed a deepening voice of Christian Values. The speaker's introduction expressed the voice of a christian moralist as he says, “..oft to the wanderer, weary of exile, cometh God’s pity, compassionate love. Though woefully toiling on wintry seas”. The speaker’s exile causes him to feel unrighteous and unaccepted by God. In the poem the man further details his emotions of loss due to the the death of the lord, and he explains what he believes a wise man is to him. He says, “a wise man in patient, not swift to anger, nor hasty of speech, neither too weak, nor too reckless, in war, neither fearful nor fain, nor too wishful of wealth... a brave man must bide when he speaketh his boast until he know surely the goal of his spirit.” The man expresses how a wise man must be righteous and dwell in the custom his religious faith has set. He creates a precedent for Christians to follow in the Anglo-Saxon society through his strong opinions. Religion may have arised from early literature and is still relevant today.