Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe

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Recommended: The main central theme of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, is a novel rich with its varying themes. Among these, is a theme about fathers and sons. This is seen throughout the novel with actual fathers and father figures. Concerning Robinson Crusoe himself, this theme acts as a developmental tool which can be seen from the beginning to the end.
At the beginning, we are introduced to Robinson Crusoe and his father. This of course is an obvious observation to make. As the story progresses, we see Crusoe befall many misfortunes, which can be traced to his “original sin” concerning his father, and his disobedience to his prophetic warning about going to sea.
Short way into the story, we meet Xury. Crusoe and Xury were both captives, or to say slaves of a Captain of the Moors. When both of these characters escaped from their master, Crusoe made Xury swear more or less an allegiance to him. This Xury agreed to without any questions asked. Through time, it seems that Xury, became more of a close companion to Crusoe than that of a slave. Together, being in slavery and going through some adventures, you could say that Crusoe developed an emotional tie to him, more than that of slave and master. This can clearly be seen when the Portugese Captain offers to buy Xury and take him from Crusoe’s hands. Crusoe felt sorry for this, as he was selling the freedom of his new found companion who was instrumental in gaining his own. These can be viewed as somewhat close emotional ties with his boy Xury, acting more of the father than the master, though he sold him anyway.
After a while when Crusoe became stranded on his remote deserted island, we are introduced to Friday. Friday was rescued by Crusoe after escaping his fellow savages, who were in the ritual process of about to consume his flesh. In given time, Crusoe taught his new found companion many things of his island way of life. First of all things, Crusoe taught Friday to speak and understand the English language though how broken it was. With the understanding of Crusoe’s language, he was taught how to live and survive on the island. But in actuality, he was taking over most of the work from Crusoe. Crusoe along with teaching Friday the island way, also converted him to Christianity, showing him the error of his “savage” ways.

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