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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
The classic adventure story that launched so many imitators and reinterpreters. Interesting to actually read it and it is an exciting adventure story (with added bits). Crusoe only seems to eat meat and bread though on that island of his, it's a wonder he didn't get scurvy or something.
The edition I read had a useful introduction written by Doreen Roberts that I enjoyed reading after the novel. (Why are introductions so rarely worth reading before you've read the book and why do they keep putting them at the front of books?) She discusses some of the context and themes of Defoe's writing that aren't that apparent for this modern reader and I was interested to read about his Dissenting background and the discussion about allegory vs realism in novels. It is a little odd that Crusoe can exalt the religious freedoms on his island and never even notice the imperialism and slavery.
The edition I read had a useful introduction written by Doreen Roberts that I enjoyed reading after the novel. (Why are introductions so rarely worth reading before you've read the book and why do they keep putting them at the front of books?) She discusses some of the context and themes of Defoe's writing that aren't that apparent for this modern reader and I was interested to read about his Dissenting background and the discussion about allegory vs realism in novels. It is a little odd that Crusoe can exalt the religious freedoms on his island and never even notice the imperialism and slavery.
adventurous
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I had to read it for a course. There is no other reason I would read this. The character was frustrating and he went on for like fifteen pages about how he made bread. It’s very slow paced and I slammed the book down multiple times because the character frustrated me so much.
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“I’m gonna have a drink when I finish this book. Even if it’s at 9am, I don’t care. I’ll have to celebrate.”
For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to read Robinson Crusoe at the time of covid lockdown, to see that our isolation terms are (nearly) not as bad as his: being stranded on an uninhabited island with no hope of getting out of there. Sitting on a balcony, I was kinda jealous that he is outdoors, and can walk around freely without wearing a mask. Of course, my opinion is totally biased and I look at the events from the modern point of view, but there are some things that I just can’t comprehend:
1. He is English, and it took him 18 years to realize it would be good to have some beer.
2. 23 years later he still had plenty of rum (that he acquired from the shipwreck) left. How?!
3. After 25 years on an island with no direct human contact, the first person he meets and communicates to is Friday, a savage he saved. And instead of making friends with him, he thinks “Hmmm, I could make him my slave!” I know it’s the 17th century, I know! But it’s just wrong!
Robinson spent 28 years and 2 months on an island. And this is exactly how long it took me to get to the end of this torture of a book, by the feel of it.
A verdict: burn after reading at a huge celebratory bonfire (or rather, watch Cast Away movie instead. Tom Hanks is great, and so is Wilson).
PS: the book can be a solid drinking game. Every time you see the words “God” and “Providence” in one sentence/paragraph – take a drink, and you’ll be wasted in no time.
PPS: when Friday was teasing a bear “for a laugh”, I was hoping that a bear would show them all hell and that’s how it would end. Alternative ending?
For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to read Robinson Crusoe at the time of covid lockdown, to see that our isolation terms are (nearly) not as bad as his: being stranded on an uninhabited island with no hope of getting out of there. Sitting on a balcony, I was kinda jealous that he is outdoors, and can walk around freely without wearing a mask. Of course, my opinion is totally biased and I look at the events from the modern point of view, but there are some things that I just can’t comprehend:
1. He is English, and it took him 18 years to realize it would be good to have some beer.
2. 23 years later he still had plenty of rum (that he acquired from the shipwreck) left. How?!
3. After 25 years on an island with no direct human contact, the first person he meets and communicates to is Friday, a savage he saved. And instead of making friends with him, he thinks “Hmmm, I could make him my slave!” I know it’s the 17th century, I know! But it’s just wrong!
Robinson spent 28 years and 2 months on an island. And this is exactly how long it took me to get to the end of this torture of a book, by the feel of it.
A verdict: burn after reading at a huge celebratory bonfire (or rather, watch Cast Away movie instead. Tom Hanks is great, and so is Wilson).
PS: the book can be a solid drinking game. Every time you see the words “God” and “Providence” in one sentence/paragraph – take a drink, and you’ll be wasted in no time.
PPS: when Friday was teasing a bear “for a laugh”, I was hoping that a bear would show them all hell and that’s how it would end. Alternative ending?
I'm reading this via Daily Lit -- www.DailyLit.com -- which will send you about five minutes' worth of reading every day, and if you want more, you can click for more. I've done this for one or two other shorter books, but this could be interesting to read a more substantial novel in this format.
I find it difficult to rate this - there is a lot that is appalling to a modern audience, and a lot of fairly dull religious zealotness but somehow the adventure is still compelling.
Confesso que fui um pouco enganada por pensar que o livro seria uma história de aventura como foi a série ou o filme mas acabou por ser um diário de um homem perdido numa ilha.
Para mim só começou a prender-me o interesse quando apareceram os "selvagens" na ilha para praticarem os seus rituais de canibalismo.
Mantive a minha mente aberta para a linguagem do livro sabendo que foi escrito no séec. XVIII e os ideais eram diferentes do nosso tempo (serão mesmo?) mesmo que me fizessem revirar os olhos.
Exemplo de colonialismo, em que não se pergunta o nome do indígena e ainda passa por dono dele:
"Tratei também de lhe fazer compreender o nome que lhe pusera, que era Sexta-Feira, por ser esse o dia da semana em que lhe salvei a vida. Ensinei-o igualmente a chamar-me amo..."
Vamos transformá-lo num europeu dando-lhe roupa de "brancos":
"Estava encantado por se ver assim quase tão bem vestido como o amo..."
O "selvagen" é um ser tão dócil como uma criança e pronta a ser guiada pelo amo:
"...tido alguma vez criado mais fiel do que Sexta-Feira; sem teimosia, sem más intenções, era-me inteiramente dedicado; o seu carinho para comigo era o de um filho para com o pai, e atrevo-me a dizer que em qualquer ocasião teria sacrificado a sua vida para salvar a minha."
O séc XVIII e a sua vontade de pregar a religião em todas as almas perdidas:
"... não descurara de lhe assentar na alma os primeiros fundamentos dos conhecimentos religiosos."
"Aproveitei aquela ocasião para o instruir no conhecimento do verdadeiro Deus."
E por fim o papel das mulheres neste livro (sem contar a pequena menção da esposa, com quem casou muito vantajosamente):
"Como tinha prometido aos ingleses mandar-lhes algumas mulheres de Inglaterra, com um bom carregamento de coisas úteis, se as quisessem aplicar apenas á procriação..."
Tenho de mencionar que as pessoas do seu XVIII eram muito honestas e honradas, temos um homem que aparece 28 anos depois e toda a gente lembra-se dele, fica contente por estar á salvo e ainda lhe devolvem tudo o que lhe pertenceu, gente muito honrada!
Talvez tivesse gostado mais se o tivesse lido quando era mais jovem ou talvez não, mas fico a pensar se não deveria ter lido as dicas de sobrevivência com mais atenção, no caso de um dia ficar perdida numa ilha sem telemóvel ou rede, o futuro dirá!!
Para mim só começou a prender-me o interesse quando apareceram os "selvagens" na ilha para praticarem os seus rituais de canibalismo.
Mantive a minha mente aberta para a linguagem do livro sabendo que foi escrito no séec. XVIII e os ideais eram diferentes do nosso tempo (serão mesmo?) mesmo que me fizessem revirar os olhos.
Exemplo de colonialismo, em que não se pergunta o nome do indígena e ainda passa por dono dele:
"Tratei também de lhe fazer compreender o nome que lhe pusera, que era Sexta-Feira, por ser esse o dia da semana em que lhe salvei a vida. Ensinei-o igualmente a chamar-me amo..."
Vamos transformá-lo num europeu dando-lhe roupa de "brancos":
"Estava encantado por se ver assim quase tão bem vestido como o amo..."
O "selvagen" é um ser tão dócil como uma criança e pronta a ser guiada pelo amo:
"...tido alguma vez criado mais fiel do que Sexta-Feira; sem teimosia, sem más intenções, era-me inteiramente dedicado; o seu carinho para comigo era o de um filho para com o pai, e atrevo-me a dizer que em qualquer ocasião teria sacrificado a sua vida para salvar a minha."
O séc XVIII e a sua vontade de pregar a religião em todas as almas perdidas:
"... não descurara de lhe assentar na alma os primeiros fundamentos dos conhecimentos religiosos."
"Aproveitei aquela ocasião para o instruir no conhecimento do verdadeiro Deus."
E por fim o papel das mulheres neste livro (sem contar a pequena menção da esposa, com quem casou muito vantajosamente):
"Como tinha prometido aos ingleses mandar-lhes algumas mulheres de Inglaterra, com um bom carregamento de coisas úteis, se as quisessem aplicar apenas á procriação..."
Tenho de mencionar que as pessoas do seu XVIII eram muito honestas e honradas, temos um homem que aparece 28 anos depois e toda a gente lembra-se dele, fica contente por estar á salvo e ainda lhe devolvem tudo o que lhe pertenceu, gente muito honrada!
Talvez tivesse gostado mais se o tivesse lido quando era mais jovem ou talvez não, mas fico a pensar se não deveria ter lido as dicas de sobrevivência com mais atenção, no caso de um dia ficar perdida numa ilha sem telemóvel ou rede, o futuro dirá!!