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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought it would. It felt fairly fast-paced considering that it only really had one setting. As unrealistic as it was, watching Robinson Crusoe adapt to his new environment reminded me of middle-school adventure books in a nostalgic way. It was deeply entrenched in racism and notions of hierarchy, which made it interesting and divisive - definitely a window into its time.
adventurous
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There isn't much to be said that hasn't already about a work like this. I can certainly understand it's momentous importance to the future of the English novel. Yet at times i didn't feel engaged in the story, it felt bland and frankly i didn't grow to like Robinson Crusoe and found him quite tedious in his self impose magnanimity towards the "savages" (which is a dilemma in it of its self but i digress) and others that he would meet. It's almost as if although fearing god (a surprisingly big narrative to the story) for not obeying him, Crusoe goes on to act as a god to those around him.
adventurous
fast-paced
[Novel analysis 2014, shortened]
We've all heard the castaway narrative - but only subsequently to this. This is the spark which started the fire known as the Robinsonade. For that it deserves some credit.
We've all heard the castaway narrative - but only subsequently to this. This is the spark which started the fire known as the Robinsonade. For that it deserves some credit.
My biggest strife with this book: it lacked any decent level of realism. It’s as if the island already had everything set up and was just waiting for some poor guy to be washed ashore. Robinson is cast away and he thrives. (In comparison, I prefered seeing Tom Hanks having to chop a tooth out of his mouth with an ice skate and becoming best friends with a ball.)
Nevertheless, it's no wonder Robinson Crusoe fascinated people in its time and long after. After all it's a very exciting story, with big ships and stormy seas, lush forests, cannons, cannibals and faraway places - it’s a sweet mélange of alluring factors for children and adults alike. It truly blazed a trail for adventure fiction and set a certain bar for it, too.
However, that bar has since been left in the dirt, and the trail has been readily trampled. What once was a verdant pathway, luscious and overgrown, has since become a smoking highway. We're spoiled rotten with adventure today. I would have likely been all over this in 1719, but the 21st century mind is not as unexposed to the wild.
Summary
This was groundbreaking in the 1700s. The key word is unfortunately was.
I read this in the 2010s.
I did not enjoy the ride.
Nevertheless, it's no wonder Robinson Crusoe fascinated people in its time and long after. After all it's a very exciting story, with big ships and stormy seas, lush forests, cannons, cannibals and faraway places - it’s a sweet mélange of alluring factors for children and adults alike. It truly blazed a trail for adventure fiction and set a certain bar for it, too.
However, that bar has since been left in the dirt, and the trail has been readily trampled. What once was a verdant pathway, luscious and overgrown, has since become a smoking highway. We're spoiled rotten with adventure today. I would have likely been all over this in 1719, but the 21st century mind is not as unexposed to the wild.
Summary
This was groundbreaking in the 1700s. The key word is unfortunately was.
I read this in the 2010s.
I did not enjoy the ride.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I just thought the book was very boring!
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i am genuinely surprised at how low the ratings are for this. sure, robinson crusoe is a right bastard. a self righteous, arrogant, horror of a man with no thought for anyone but himself. yet still, i enjoyed the novel thoroughly. partially, even, because of how much i despised the protagonist.
in fact, what i think people should take from novels like this (ones that make you uncomfortable) is how very different the world is now, or how very different you are, and how positive that change is. indeed just because a character is bad, doesn’t make the novel bad. that uncomfortable feeling should be more prevalent in literature, in my opinion. the fact that crusoe was so blind to his own hypocrisy is a reminder to modern audiences that you are like that too sometimes. people should be not just aware but actively made to consider topics such as colonialism, racism, bigotry in general more often, and literature is a great comparative tool to achieve this.
in fact, what i think people should take from novels like this (ones that make you uncomfortable) is how very different the world is now, or how very different you are, and how positive that change is. indeed just because a character is bad, doesn’t make the novel bad. that uncomfortable feeling should be more prevalent in literature, in my opinion. the fact that crusoe was so blind to his own hypocrisy is a reminder to modern audiences that you are like that too sometimes. people should be not just aware but actively made to consider topics such as colonialism, racism, bigotry in general more often, and literature is a great comparative tool to achieve this.