Topic Discussion:1. What social and ethnic values does Robinson Crusoe

Frank

Whatsocial and ethnic values does Robinson Crusoe, the protagonist of DanielDefoe’s novel

Robinson Crusoe embody?

Characters in anovel are symbols of the consciousness of their age, therefore a successfulnovel manages to express the spirit of its times. Robinson Crusoe is generallyseen as an embodiment of values prevalent in the 18th century.

A.    Anembodiment of economic individualism.

The real businessof life represented by Crusoe is an individualistic ethic. His major concern isalways with himself, with his own responsibilities to prove himself. When hefirst arrived on the island, he was just an everyman, with nothing specialphysically, intellectually, or socially. When he left it, he was already aprosperous man in possession of a colony. He proudly claims himself governor ofthe island. This lordship comes from the fact that he has transformed theisland. His success is achieved through his individual effort! By this herepresents a concept of economic individualism that what confers ownership isnot heredity but achievement through work.

B.    Anembodiment of business ethnic of profitable exchange.

When Crusoe entersinto arrangements with people, he likes to set up a contract, in which allconditions, especially the financial obligations, are clearly stipulated. Forexample, when he makes his agreement with the captain to recover the ship, theimportant clause is that, if successful, the captain will take him back toEngland “passage free”. Crusoe’s relationships with people are based not ontraditional social bonds or moral obligations, but on business relationship ofwho owes what to whom. The most valuable people to him are those who arefinancially obliged to him and he deals with those indebted to him as hisproperty.

C.    Anembodiment of puritan concept of religion.

Crusoe experiencesa spiritual wakening in the lonely years of his life. He reads the Bible, andhe quotes it to interprets events of his life, but his interpretation onlylinks his religious awareness with his financial success. Crusoe shows us thepuritan concept of Providence and religious living; God has placed us on thisearth for us to put to our personal uses the material and people available tous and that to carry out the conquest of nature is to realize God’s purposesand that a religious life is a life total committed to a calling and toachievement and personal prosperity.

D.    Anembodiment of Protestant work ethics.

Most of the bookis about work. The great majority of the text is taken up with describingCrusoe’s unceasing efforts at mundane tasks. Many of Crusoe’s undertakings mayhave been futile, but they kept him busy. The overwhelming message is somethinglike this; our mission in this world is to work, to direct our energies totransform the world around is and to shape it to our will on a day-by-day basic.