Persistent and Cunning Personality of the Hero Robinson Crusoe

In the work Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe the main character is a resilient and crafty individual who puts his own survival over everything else. His determination exceeds anything that I have ever accomplished, and I consider him a hero. Robison although not perfect he is a character the reader can admire due to his sheer determination and drive to survive. One example of Robinsons' admirable qualities is the ability to remain calm in dire situations. For instance, when their ship is going down in the storm and it becomes every man for himself Robinson never freaks out, he stays calm and collected in his thoughts to try and get out of the situation. A passage from the novel reads “I saw the sea come after me as high as a great hill, and as furious as an enemy which I had no means of strength to contend with; my business was to hold my breath and raise myself upon the water.”

Robison is being thrashed around by large waves and he is portrayed as being very calm and aware of the situation. He knew he had to do everything he could to get above the water or else he was gone. I admire that about him I know if I was put in that situation I wouldn’t be as collected as he is in the surf. Another way Robinson shows admirable qualities is his resourcefulness for everything around him. He uses everything at his disposal from items from the wreckage of the ship to things he makes himself like clothes from animals he’s hunted. Nothing goes to waste as everything is a potential resource to him. In the novel it states, “I employed myself in making, as well as I could, a great many baskets both to carry earth, or to carry or lay up any things as I had occasion”.

Robinson had previously talked about how he wanted to build baskets but lacked the correct type of sticks to make them but when he finally did, he made many baskets to help him carry larger quantities of items. We talked about in class of the importance of objects to Robinson and these are examples of the importance of these objects in his survival. Robison is extremely resilient and driven he sets a good example of how to deal with survival situations. Robinson doesn’t always set a good example for instance he treats the other people he meets on the island as inferior to him and he is like a god or king compared to him. Maybe this was caused by his isolation for years on his own or its just how he sees himself. For example, in the book when Robinson meets Friday “for never man had a more faithful, loving, sincere servant than Friday.”

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After saving and meeting Friday being one of the first interactions with another human in years, he still considers himself superior to him and not as equals on the island surviving together. I don’t know if Robinsons views of himself over others helped him in his survival, but it is something in Robinson I do not admire about him. The resource of another person to help is a great advantage in Robinsons' situation but I think after his long time spent on the island, he could see the value of life better and see Friday as an equal, not a servant. Robinson's collectiveness and resourcefulness are the things that are very admirable in him as well as his sheer determination and drive are the very reasons Robinson didn’t just survive but thrived so well, he lusts for more adventure by the end of the novel.

His ability to keep calm in treacherous situations such as his shipwreck and his resourcefulness such as building his home and crafting tools to help him are the foundation of his survival and the reasons, I think he is an admirable character. When Robinson is introduced to others on the island such as Friday his admirability takes a hit and shows a more negative side of him, but tough decisions need to be made in instances like Robinsons. Overall, I think Robinson is a very admirable and heroic in the sense that he does what ever he can to survive and improve his time on the island. The novel shows the challenges that one faces in the eyes of death and a man staring death in the face and thriving. That’s what readers can take from this novel and Robinsons character.

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