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Robinson Crusoe<-Defoe<-novels<-chapter 5<-contents<-position

    However, Crusoe’s admirable character also has its flaws. He seems incapable of deep feelings, because he leaves his parents without any news and tells his marriage as well as his wife’s death within one sentence. Crusoe never mentions missing his family or dreams about the happiness of seeing them again. This indifference seems almost cruel. Furthermore, Crusoe is nonetheless very interested in possessions, power, and prestige. He calls himself the king of the island and claims the Spaniard as his subject. He teaches Friday to call him “Master,” even before teaching him the words for “yes” or “no”. Overall, Crusoe’s virtues tend to be private. He is the man who is practical, brave, firm, exact, optimistic, intelligent, and religious. But his vices are social, and his urge to subjugate others is highly objectionable. In bringing both sides together into one complex character, Defoe gives us a fascinating glimpse at the successes, failures, and contradictions of a rising capitalist.  

    Another important figure in this novel is Friday who is given a realistic , individualized and humane portrayal. Friday represents the natives of America, Asia, and Africa who would later be oppressed in the age of European imperialism. Apart from being a political symbol, Friday is a much more colourful and emotional figure than his master. He, for example, exhibits far more emotion toward his family than Crusoe and jumps and sings happily when he meets his father. Despite Friday’s subjugation, however, Crusoe appreciates Friday a lot. Crusoe does not seem to value intimacy with humans much, but he does say that he loves Friday, which is a remarkable disclosure. It is the only time Crusoe makes such an admission in the novel, since he never expresses love for his parents, brothers, sisters, or even his wife. Crusoe may bring Friday Christianity and clothing, but Friday brings Crusoe emotional warmth and a vitality of spirit that Crusoe lacks.
    Though most of his works are written in the picaresque tradition, Defoe is an anti-romantic, anti-feudal realistic writer. His stories are all real concerns of his time: people in their struggle to overcome the natural or social environment. All his works have a very strong verisimilitude. To convince the reader of the truth of his stories, Defoe adopted the autobiographical form and made full use of his long trained journalistic skill by describing things in great detail and by using specific time and space. The following excerpt shows how Robinson makes a raft with concrete description.

    It was in vain to sit still and wish for what was not to be had, and this Extremity rouz’d my Application; we had several spare Yards, and two or three large spars of Wood, and a spare Top-mast or two in the Ship; I resolv’d to fall to work with these, and I flung as many of them over board asi could manage for their Weight, tying every one with a Rope that they might not drive away; when this was done I went down the Ship’s Side, and pulling them to me, I ty’d c fast together at both Ends as well as I could, in the Form of a Raft, and laying two or three short pieces of Plank upon them cross-ways, I found I could walk upon it very well, but that it was not able to bear any great Weight, the Pieces being too light; so I went to work ,and with the Carpenter’s Saw I cut a spare Top-mast into three Lengths, and added them to my Raft, with a great deal of Labor and Pains, but hope of furnishing my self with Necessaries, encourag’d me to go beyond what I should have been able to have done upon another Occasion.
   

    The exact numbers, such as “two or three short pieces of Plank” and “a sqare Top-mast into three Lengths”, clearly show the journalistic style in this novel.
    Defoe’s style is characterized by a plain, smooth, easy, direct, and almost colloquial but never coarse language. His words are much closer to the vernacular of rambling sentences without strong pauses to give his style an urgent, immediate, breathless quality, but the units of meaning are small and clear with frequent repetition so that the writing gives an impression of simple lucidity. In his novels, as in his own life, actions or people in action are stressed; there is not much plot or portrayal of characters, except the exact journalistic account of the daily, trivial happenings. In all, Defoe is not an artist, but he is definitely an excellent storyteller. He is the first important novelist in English literary history with his realistic views on novel writing that has influenced many generations.

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