“Robinson Crusoe” as a statement about Materialism.
Assignment
Paper II: The Neo-Classical Literature
Topic:
♦ “Robinson Crusoe”
as a statement about Materialism.
Name: Kaushal H. Desai
Department: M.A. English department
Semester: I
Roll No: 17
Submitted To: Dr.
Prof. Dilip Barad
(Head of English Dept.
M.K.S. Bhavnagar University
M. K. Si
◙ “Robinson Crusoe” as a statement about
Materialism.
→ Preface
“The life of
survival, do or die,
Never ask why.”
Ways of world that take place Crusoe’s life in survival
situation and his adventurous journey. And the writer Daniel Defoe lames the
novel climb way and the circumstances of surviving, here, we can look on “Daniel
Defoe achieved literary immortality when, in April 1719, he
published Robinson Crusoe”. It dared to challenge the political, social, and
economic status quo of his time. By depicting the utopian environment in which
was created in the absence of society, Defoe criticizes the political and
economic aspect of England’s society, but is also able to show the narrator’s
relationship with nature in a vivid account of the personal growth and
development that took place while stranded in solitude. And also materialism in the novel, that we will discuss
it later part. Crusoe becomes “the universal representative, the person, for
whom every reader could substitute himself”. “Thus, Defoe persuades us to see
remote islands and the solitude of the human soul. By believing fixedly in the
solidity of the plot and its earthiness, he has subdued every other element to
his design and has roped a whole universe into harmony”.
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“The
Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner:
Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an uninhabited Island on the
Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; having been
cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With An
Account how he was at last as strangely delivered by Pirates.”
Though
Crusoe has developed throughout the novel to except what has become of him,
near the end, the reader sees that loneliness has started to take its toll.
This is where Crusoe becomes the “human representative” Robinson Crusoe is a “story
told with modesty, seriousness, and with religious application of events”
written as a first person narrative. It is this writing that has caused its
unrivaled popularity “no single book in the history of Western literature
has spawned more editions, translations, imitations, continuations, and sequels
than Crusoe”
“In
a world, as my life was a life of sorrow, one way, so it was a life of mercy,
another; and I wanted nothing to make it a life of comfort, but to be able to
make my sense of God’s Goodness to me, and care over me in this condition, be
my daily consolation; and after I did make a just improvement of these things,
it’s going to the pleasurable way.”
Bibliography
The master writer of novel and his influence of
moral facts. Daniel Defoe was best
known in his lifetime as a tireless author of
pamphlets and periodicals. Penning works that many critics feel influenced more people than the writings of
Addison, Steele, and Swift, he was once called the "Goliath of his Party." His voluminous output, his
dedicated service to government leaders, and his commitment to justice still did not win him the prizes he
most desired: acceptance as a gentleman and respect as a writer. Although aware of Defoe's accomplishments as a
writer, Jonathan Swift referred to him as;
"That fellow who was pilloryied, I have forgotten his
Name."
Daniel Foe was born in 1660 to committed
Protestants who left the Church of England after the Act of Uniformity in 1662,
following their Dissenting minister who refused to conform to the new laws.
Descended from Flemish immigrants who came to England during Elizabeth’s reign,
the elder Foe was a tallow chandler who saw to it that his son received a solid
education at Morton's Academy. There he was prepared for the Presbyterian
ministry, a future he eventually rejected about the same time he changed his
name to the more illustrious-sounding Defoe. Throughout his life he worked
energetically to achieve both social and financial success through careers in
business, politics, and literature. No matter how close he came, however, these
goals finally eluded him.
In his work of Robinson Crusoe is an adventure novel presented as an autobiography by
the fictional character Robinson Crusoe. The novel was published in London
on April 25, 1719, by William Taylor in the Ship at Pater Noster Row. The
preface pretends that the account of Crusoe's adventures is nonfiction, saying,
"The
Editor believes the thing to be a just History of Fact; neither is there any
Appearance of Fiction in it."
Thus, he greatly narrates the facts and situations. The final years of
Defoe's life should have been rewarding. The novels that followed Robinson
Crusoe, most notably Moll Flanders, were successful; he maintained a large
house and rode out from it in a coach. And we can say that the writer of what
is often considered the first English novel. Creational thing a genius way he
determine it.
• For discussion about materialism, we have
to know, what is materialism?
♣ Materialism: In philosophy,
the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter or energy; that all things are composed of material and
all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter
is the only
substance, and reality is
identical with the actually occurring states of energy and matter.
To many philosophers, 'materialism'
is synonymous with 'physicalism'. Materialists have historically held that everything is
made of matter, while physics has more recently shown that gravity, for
example, is not made of matter in the traditional sense of "'an inert,
senseless substance, in which extension, figure, and motion do actually subsist
So it is tempting to use 'physicalism' to distance oneself from what seems a
historically important but no longer scientifically relevant thesis of
materialism, and related to this, to emphasize a connection to physics and the
physical sciences." Therefore much of the generally philosophical
discussion below on materialism may be relevant to physicalism.
In this novel has use of materialism
from which something is made, and for that Daniel Defoe use very appropriately.
Materialism
as "a preoccupation with material rather than intellectual or spiritual
things." Materialism belongs to the class
of monist ontology. As such,
it is different from ontological theories based on dualism or pluralism. For singular explanations of the phenomenal reality,
materialism would be in contrast to idealism, neutral monism,
and spiritualism.
It
the sense materialism determines and the matters took place that shows an
important thing is materialism. This trip is also a disaster; the ship is captured by
pirates. Crusoe is enslaved for two years. When he escapes, he eventually
buys a plantation and is very successful.
☼ “Robinson
Crusoe” as a statement about Materialism.
As the story begins, we find that Crusoe is an impulsive
young man, not intellectually or spiritually centered. Crusoe's father is
rich enough to provide for his family, as well as to educate his son so that he
might be a lawyer one day. "Things" come easily to Robinson,
and as is the case with so many of us, he has no concept of what is truly valuable until he has nothing.
Crusoe feels driven to go to sea. Although everyone
he knows tries to deter him, he will not be stopped. So Crusoe goes to
sea. He barely survives the ship's destruction in a storm--but once he reaches
land, even though advised again not to, Crusoe cannot resist the siren call of
the sea.
In this novel various facts that
show us materialism, in the way of Robinson Crusoe he finds many things that
show us use materialism in this novel This trip is also a disaster: the ship is captured by
pirates. Crusoe is enslaved for two years. When he escapes, he
eventually buys a plantation and is very successful.
One example of Crusoe's materialism can be seen when he is
approached by men who want to capture black slaves to work their plantations,
something they may not openly do. Crusoe agrees in order to make more
money, and takes to the sea. When a storm strikes this time, the ship and
companions are lost, and he is stranded alone on an island. Recurring
theme in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is materialism and the
idea that Crusoe is way too concerned about his personal possessions. Now for
some reason, this enrages people. Apparently this counts as
cheating. The argument, as I understand it, is that as a
castaway, Crusoe should have been foraging the earth or whatever it is that
savages and shipwrecked men do rather than rely so heavily on his newfangled
technology.
Here an unnamed editor explains his
reasons for offering us the narrative we are about to read. He does not mention
the name or story of Robinson Crusoe explicitly but, rather, describes the
narrative as a “private man’s adventures in the world” and focuses on
its realism when he calls it a “just history of fact.” He claims it is
modest and serious, and that it has an instructive value, teaching us to honor “the
wisdom of Providence.” Thus, the editor asserts he is doing a great service
to the world in publishing Crusoe’s tale.
The time of survive his breath,
Crusoe and Friday on the way to fine guts. Crusoe tells every manner that
Friday like and behave as human. In the way he got a gun and it’s like hard
thing with cannibals to see it and what would to do with it to look on the
Crusoe’s hand. The reaction here is deferent. Even as he feels that God has
blessed him, showing spiritual growth, when Crusoe finds a human footprint in
the sand, his faith is tested. Whereas his greatest affliction has been living
without human companionship, now he is terrified because he doesn't know what
kind of human it might be. With time, Crusoe's good reason takes over: he
believes he is where God wants him and decides to accept whatever God wants for
him.
Whereas
Crusoe ended up on the island while trying to steal natives and make them
slaves, Crusoe and Friday ultimately become friends, enjoying each other's
company. Friday decides he'd rather be killed than go home, and Crusoe is
happy that he stays.
Crusoe still makes
impulsive decisions, but now reconsiders and lets his moral compass lead him,
that’s what the fact of materialism. For example, when the cannibals return to
the island, at first Crusoe wants to kill them, but stops to ponder the
morality of such an action. Seeing that one victim is a
"Christian," he finally decides it is right to attack and save the
man. When Crusoe finally leaves the island, he returns to those who helped him
in the past. Feeling indebted, giving them his money is of little importance to
him.
Crusoe, once only
concerned with himself, has become a thoughtful and spiritual man, better for
the calamities that have befallen him. And also we find religious change, the
man Crusoe rescues. It is interesting because in this story about discovering
Friday, civilizing him according to English culture, converting him to
Christianity, then rescuing his captive father by waging a war on the cannibals
who had captured the "senior Friday" and finally extending the
war-effort to capture and eventually become a leader of these natives
constitutes a whole model of conquering a foreign, usually a "backward"
people, colonizing them and making them do as bid. In the late seventeenth
century, Britain was very much into colonizing parts of Africa and Asia. This
was considered to be a great achievement on the part of English men, and
Defoe's creation of the very process of colonialism through this
type of verisimilitude was hugely appreciated. Well, Crusoe’s using various
materialistic aspect that tells of materialism moreover we can fine in the way
Crusoe and Friday, Crusoe learn him by using compass and watch and various
things that show us materialism and its value here in this novel that Daniel
Defoe drown very appropriately.
Essentially he gets to eight days
later, the sight of an approaching English ship alarms Friday. Crusoe is
suspicious. Friday and Crusoe watch as eleven men take three captives onshore
in a boat. Nine of the men explore the land, leaving two to guard the captives.
Friday and Crusoe overpower these men and release the captives, one of whom is
the captain of the ship, which has been taken in a mutiny. Shouting to the
remaining mutineers from different points, Friday and Crusoe confuse and tire
the men by making them run from place to place. Eventually they confront the
mutineers, telling them that all may escape with their lives except the
ringleader. The men surrender. Crusoe and the captain pretend that the island
is an imperial territory and that the governor has spared their lives in order
to send them all to England to face justice. Keeping five men as hostages,
Crusoe sends the other men out to seize the ship. When the ship is brought in,
Crusoe nearly faints.
By reaching there, he finds his
family is deceased except for two sisters. His widow friend has kept Crusoe’s
money safe, and after traveling to Lisbon, Crusoe learns from the Portuguese
captain that his plantations in Brazil have been highly profitable. He arranges
to sell his Brazilian lands. Wary of sea travel, Crusoe attempts to return to
England by land but is threatened by bad weather and wild animals in northern
Spain. Finally arriving back in England, Crusoe receives word that the sale of
his plantations has been completed and that he has made a considerable fortune.
After donating a portion to the widow and his sisters, Crusoe is restless and
considers returning to Brazil, but he is dissuaded by the thought that he would
have to become Catholic. He marries, and his wife dies. And Defoe tells the
magnificent “route of materialism” that grant in various ways. Crusoe
finally departs for the East Indies as a trader in 1694. He revisits his
island, finding that the Spaniards are governing it well and that it has become
a prosperous colony.
One of the
reasons he made this voyage was to get rich quicker so this attitude seems to
be an insight into how money is not that important. Defoe has him take the
money anyway, though, so he may be implying that Crusoe hasn't really had
insight into his earlier materialism. In the way the "materialism"
of Economics was a pseudo, materialism. In fact, it was not materialistic at
all. The most intransigent behaviorists need find nothing to quarrel with in
the belief that technical materialism in this sense is a very misleading half
truth.
• Here
the question is how might "materialism"
affect theme in Defoe's Robinson
Crusoe?
► It’s a artistic enlargement in
the novel “Robinson Crusoe”, Materialistic approach and an impulsive young man,
not intellectually or spiritually centered. And in this story informs about
materialism and its importance. Crusoe feels driven to go to sea in that time
its influence one the moral tale of Defoe that he convey us to the
materialistic aspects and in the matter of Cannibals and Friday he strongly
uses materialism and its needed in the novel by giving importance. Even as he
feels that God has blessed him, showing spiritual growth, when Crusoe finds a
human footprint in the sand, his faith is tested. Whereas his greatest
affliction has been living without human companionship, now he is terrified
because he doesn't know what kind of human it might be. With time, Crusoe's
good reason takes over, he believes he is where God wants him and decides to
accept whatever God wants for him.
Here Prologue, is about to do the affect on which materialism is
mainly thing to do the attection of the characters that use it and Robinson
Crusoe is about to set sail for England after being stranded on an island
offSouth America for nearly thirty years. The Crusoe character supposes the
audience members to be his rescuing Admiral and crew and invites them to listen
to his story of how he has come to stay on the island for these many years. He
asks Friday to assist him in telling his story to the audience even though he
and Friday have not yet met at this point in the story.
♦ Importance on
materialism in “Robinson Crusoe”:
Actually Daniel
Defoe by using materialism he shows the culture, religion and important facts
that shows a part on study and in many facts that present a thing is that
something is made and for that it’s help for other. Such an attitude of skepticism towards the Marxian theory does not
imply denial of metaphysical materialism though equally it does not imply its
acceptance it implies merely a refusal to believe that the causes influencing
taste and so on are technical in nature.
We can see here when Crusoe finally
leaves the island, he returns to those who helped him in the past. Feeling
indebted, giving them his money is of little importance to him. Crusoe, once
only concerned with himself, has become a thoughtful and spiritual man, better
for the calamities that have befallen him. That’s for the pretend many thing as
we noted and that’s what makes thing clear. And view towards make it
significant.
♀
wending up:
“Robinson Crusoe” is the growth of
materialism and its influence in the novel as we noted every aspects of it in
detail by all the convey of segment Hence, the idea is clear about materialism,
and “Robinson Crusoe” as a statement about Materialism.
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