Robinson Crusoe: Friday the Savage? By definition, a savage is an uncivilized person. Friday would not fit this description because he was civilized. He was a product of the civilization that surrounded him where he came from. His appearance, behaviors, and beliefs were that of all the others in what might be called his tribe. The simple fact that he had religious beliefs is evidence of him being somewhat civilized. A savage can also be thought of as anyone or anything not European. Clearly Friday was not European, yet his features were not consistent with what would normally be considered savage. He is described as having a very good Countenance, not a fierce and surly Aspect, he had all the Sweetness and Softness of an European in his Countenance too, His Hair was long and black, not curld like Wool, The Colour of his Skin was not quite black, but very tawny; and yet not of an ugly yellow nauseous tawny, as the Brasilians, and Virginians, and other Natives of America are, and his Nose small, not flat like the Negroes, a very good mouth, thin Lips, and his fine Teeth well set, and white as Ivory (Defoe 205). When the two characters meet, Friday approaches Robinson Crusoe in a very sedate manner, Friday is terrified yet he does not lash out at Robinson Crusoe. He does not seem wild, ferocious or barbaric in any way. He uses sign language at first to communicate, which indicates knowledge of some sort of primitive language. He is quick to learn Robinson Crusoes language and is eager to learn more while Robinson Crusoe stays clear of learning Fridays language. It is apparent that Friday has religious or spiritual beliefs right from the beginning. When Robinson Crusoe saves Friday from the savages that brought him to the island to devour him, Friday is extremely grateful and he offers himself as an eternal servant to Robinson Crusoe. At last he lays his Head flat upon the Ground, close to my Foot, and sets my other Foot upon hi shead, as he had done before; after this made all the Signs to me of Subjection, Servitude, and Submission imaginable, to let me know, how he would serve me as long as he livd (Defoe 206). After it became evident that Friday was not a threat of any sort, Robinson Crusoe was grateful for his presence. Friday would become a valuable asset for the daily activities of Robinson Crusoes habitation. All that Robinson Crusoe had filled his days with before the arrival of Friday had become easier by the hands of two men rather than one. Fridays ability to work as diligently as he did is an indication of him being civilized. Along with teaching Friday to speak his language, Robinson Crusoe also made attempts to retrain his eating habits. Friday was a cannibal like those who had brought him to the island in the first place. He enjoyed consuming flesh and Robinson Crusoe made it clear to Friday that this was not acceptable behavior. With reference to the savages that Robinson Crusoe had saved Friday from, making signs to me that we should dig them up again, and eat them (Defoe 206). I found Friday had still a hankering Stomach after some of the Flesh, and was still a Cannibal in his nature I had by some Means let him know, that I would kill him if he offerd it (Defoe 208). In time Robinson Crusoe teaches Friday to eat the meat of animals rather than hmans. When asked about his religious beliefs, Friday at first does not understand but eventually he tells of an old Benamuckee, that livd beyond all (Defoe 216). After many questions, Robinson Crusoe took it upon himself to teach religion to his newfound friend. I began to instruct him on the Knowledge of the true God (Defoe 216). Friday was eager to learn. He asked questions that were not always easy to answer but at the same time he absorbed every word that came out of Robinson Crusoes mouth. Friday was a faithful and loyal companion. Defoe allowed Robinson Crusoe to remain abandoned on this island for many years before Friday appeared. There was a gradual build-up to his arrival and their meeting. Fridays deliverance from certain death was the beginning of Robinson Crusoes preparation for going back home. He was alone on this island without contact with the outside or civilized world for so long that there needed to e some sort of reorientation to civilization. The appearance of Friday was the first stepping stone towards getting reacquainted with other mankind. Robinson Crusoe needed to regain the ability to trust in those who came to the island in order for him to find his way back home.
The Articles of Confederation and its ideas were strong and powerful in bettering the US and its government. However, the realization of its ideas and an improvement of federal government and states representatives were not successful enough. On the other hand, the government under the Constitution was radically different from the one under the Articles of Confederation. United State's economical, political, cultural, and social aspects and statuses changed under the new type of powerful government, with different type of voting, and by the new way of levying taxes. Constitution of the US prevented people from gaining too much power, and it was the greatest success of the US government.
Stout, Martha. “When I Woke Up Tuesday Morning, It Was Friday,” in The Myth of Sanity:
The plan to divide the government into three branches was proposed by James Madison, at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. He modeled the division from who he referred to as ‘the Perfect Governor,’ as he read Isaiah 33:22; “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us.” http://www.eadshome.com/QuotesoftheFounders.htm
To summarize, our nation’s government should not just remember it, but fully rely upon the precedents set by the Constitution of the United States. Most importantly of all, it is the supreme law of the land. This document also describes in detail the duties and requirements of each of the three branches of government. Along with that, the Bill of Rights – which tells us every one of our basic constitutional rights – is a significant part of it. As Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States as well as staunch supporter of the Constitution, said, “We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.”
When Crusoe meets Friday, he is joyous for having found someone he could finally make his slave as he had been previously. Although not fully envious of Robinson Crusoe, Friday is found stuck in between two worlds. One, where he thinks of Robinson as his friend and the other where he wonders why he is being treated as a slave, and not for his own personal benefit. Robinson’s views are purely of self-profit as he describes his dreams: “to think that this was all my own, that I was King and Lord of all this Country indefeasibly, and had a Right of Possession” (Defoe 72). This passage explains the belief of Robinson Crusoe in the feudal system and the use of hierarchy to promote bourgeois values upon a population. The character of Robinson Crusoe is then used in Green Grass, Running Water in a satirical manner when Thought Woman explains to Crusoe that Robinson Crusoe himself would not enjoy his own company as he is seen as a white supremacist with no place on native land: “But I don’t want to be Friday, says Robinson Crusoe. No point in being Robinson Crusoe all your life, says Thought Woman. It wouldn’t be much fun” (King 295). Furthermore, this remarks insists that Friday was never a true friend to Crusoe when he also states: “it has been difficult not having someone of color around whom I
Both Crusoe and Equiano believed that their own spiritual journeys would bring them closer to God who would in turn set them free from their trials and hard times by strengthening their faith throughout their novel. When Crusoe first lands on the island, he takes a second to thank God for helping him through the hard times during his venture to the island; “…began to look up and thank God that my life was saved…” throughout his time on the island, he continues to speak highly of God when he is blessed or protected in the situations he is placed in. Whereas Equiano did also give the glory to God when it was needed. We see this when Equiano is able to pray to God in hard times and in fear and was able to submit by “…worshipping God, who made us and all things” (Equiano 42). You also get the sense that Equiano used God is a coping and comfort mechanism, just like Crusoe did during his journey; “…hand of the creator began to appear to my comfort” (Equiano
When European colonial authors introduced us to the native, they created the native; the native character became more real to European readers than the actual inhabitants of the new world. The natives' overwhelming otherness eclipsed any individuality that might have been found among them. The native was childish, incapable of reason, and savagely unchristian, or as Lord Cromer described him, a being which "generally acts, speaks and thinks in a manner that is exactly opposite to the European" (qtd. in Said 39). The European world was first given Robinson Crusoe's Friday as a native or, more accurately, the native. Friday could easily (and accurately in the European's mind) be substituted for any non-European. Friday, and the native that he represented, continues to exist in post-colonial literature. Part of him, his otherness, is expressed in the new European character. Another part of him, his nativeness, continues to be expressed in the new native.
In this novel, which is set in the 1700s, Robinson Crusoe, an Englishman from the town of York, embarks on a slave-gathering voyage with the anticipation that it will be economically advantageous. He is traveling to West Africa but is later shipwrecked off of the coast of Trinidad. Robinson Crusoe records his experiences on the island, “I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe, being shipwrecked during a dreadful storm in the offing, came on shore on this dismal, unfortunate island, which I called ‘The Island of Despair’; all the rest of the ship’s company being drowned, and myself almost dead” (Defoe, 2). Robinson Crusoe already develops a mindset that this island is “unfortunate”, and his experiences on it will be extremely dreadful, even though he later dominates everyone else on the island with his white supremacist ideals. The Europeans use the notion of a “civilizing mission” as a mean of justifying whatever horrifying act they decide to commit for their economic or egotistical benefits. When Robinson Crusoe encounters another man (which he later saves from cannibals) on the island, he describes him, “He was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly well made, with straight, strong limbs, not too large; tall, and very well-shaped; and,
Many people have pointed out that Robinson Crusoe's experiences on the island seem to be a reflection of the growth of civilization and society. Considering the prominent role that religion plays in the novel, it would be worthwhile to examine the progression of religious and political thought in Crusoe's "society." Through the experiences of one man, we can observe the progression of religion from the private realm to the public realm, the conflicts inherent in such a progression, and the resolution to these conflicts. This evolution of religious and political thought affirms two ideas: 1) in the personal realm, it affirms religious individualism--the idea that one can and should find his God independently from any human authority or intermediary (i.e. priests); and 2) in the public realm, the novel affirms that religious toleration, especially on the part of those in power, is the appropriate way to resolve those conflicts that are inherent in the transition of religion from the private to the public. Crusoe discovers (primarily through trial and error and constant introspection) both of these ideas and eventually succeeds in implementing both of them. He "finds God" without the guidance of anyone, and he ultimately becomes a tolerant ruler of the island with respect to religion. Surprisingly, Crusoe never lives up to his personal definition of a "good Christian." But perhaps this is just a touch or realism by Defoe, since Crusoe is otherwise so successful at recognizing religious individualism and instituting religious toleration on the island, both of which are very important to Defoe.
Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe explores the concept of overcoming adversity to eventually gain a higher role of power. Robinson Crusoe was to lead a mundane life pursuing a career in law, had he followed his parents’ wishes and not been adamant about living a life at sea. However, going against his parents’ wants, he fashioned a life for his own at sea. Crusoe spends the majority of the novel building a life for himself that he would have not been able to have had he stayed in York. He became a plantation owner in Brasil, which is what lead to the shipwreck that caused him to become a castaway. While on the island he was shipwrecked on, he began to view himself as a Lord, or “Governour” (225), of the island. This novel explores the concept
Strong. Worldly. Determined. Courageous. ,These can be used to describe men in history books and fables, men who laid siege to cities and conquered nations. Those are words that illustrate heroes, protectors of liberty and voyagers who were in search of countless riches and great treasures. Robinson Crusoe was none of these. Robinson Crusoe was a husband, a father, a farmer, but above all, in his eyes, an explorer. He did not scour the world in search of gold and valuable spices, as did many of his counterparts, he took to the high seas simply because “normal” life did not suit him well.
Robinson Crusoe was middle class from the town of York in the seventeenth century, he is the youngest son out of three of a German merchant. His father encouraged him to study law, however he had a desire to go to sea. His family was strongly against his wish to go to sea, and his father explained that it is better to look for a more modest and safe life for oneself.
Daniel Defoe has frequently been considered the father of realism in regards to his novel, Robinson Crusoe. In the preface of the novel, the events are described as being “just history of fact” (Defoe and Richetti ). This sets the tone for the story to be presented as factual, while it is in of itself truly fiction. This is the first time that a narrative fictional novel has been written in a way that the story is represented as the truth. Realistic elements and precise details are presented unprecedented; the events that unfold in the novel resonate with readers of the middle-class in such a way that it seems as if the stories could be written about themselves. Defoe did not write his novel for the learned, he wrote it for the large public of tradesmen, apprentices and shopkeepers (Häusermann 439-456).
Both the verbal and nonverbal voice play a huge part in making us who we are by establishing our character, our personality, and allowing us to express our thoughts to those around us. The voice is such an important part of our person that without one our very being would be vulnerable and mold to the wants and desires of others. J.M. Coetzee’s Foe and Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe tell two contrasting stories about the life of a savage manservant named Friday. Foe’s Friday is incapable of speech due to a horrific mutilation done to his mouth. Defoe’s Friday is capable of speech and is taught to understand and speak the English language. No matter what version you believe, it is impossible to know which author tells the true story. Although Friday’s past will forever remain in the shadows, Coetzee’s focus in his novel is to critique the flaws in Defoe’s Friday by giving his more realistic interpretation of the character in order to show the reader the true fictitious nature of the castaway genre.
Not so interestingly enough, he chooses a name from Western culture. People indigenous to the island do not plan their lives according to the same seven-day week schedule used in England. So, even the assigned name reflects Robinson’s eagerness to rub English habits and norms off on his servant. In a way, Robinson has created a new identity for Friday. After being labeled, Friday must live life answering to a name that has roots in English-speaking culture. It is also important to note that Friday is named for a thing rather than an actual person. This further contributes to his overall