Robinson Crusoe is a novel written by Daniel Defoe in 18th century England. Defoe illustrates the struggles of Robinson Crusoe as he fights to survive on a deserted island for twenty four years. He writes about how a man goes out on the open seas, in search of fame and fortune, instead he escapes pirates, meets a Portuguese captain, travels the world and then becomes stranded on a deserted island. While on the island he has to find food, shelter, and water. After years in isolation he learns there are savages on the island and has to find his way off of this island. With the help of a savage and people he frees along the way he escapes the island. The story, Robinson Crusoe, clearly displays the belief in English imperialism as well as its
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Throughout the book Robinson Crusoe displays a plethora of qualities of imperialistic England. Robinson Crusoe is an icon of Imperialism, he shows off the key aspects of imperialism. Wherever he goes he tries to put himself in a position of power. When he sailed for Africa, he sailed with the sole intention of buying slaves and being their master. Even when he escapes from pirates with the help of Xury, a fellow slave, he trades Xury away for safe passage to Africa, giving him the upper hand once again. “He offer 'd me also 60 Pieces of Eight more for my Boy Xury, which I was loath to take, not that I was not willing to let the Captain have him, but I was very loath to sell the poor Boy 's Liberty, who had assisted me so faithfully in procuring my own.” (Defoe 30). He shows this need for power again when he is stranded on the island and decides to set up a little settlement and rule that settlement. This is a direct correlation of when the British take over a territory; they colonize it by building …show more content…
Before that Crusoe used a gun to different effect. He went and retrieved several firearms from the wreck of his ship, After that he started to hunt for food and use the firearms for safety from the dangers on the island. After he shoots a gun on the island for the first time he realizes how it disturbed everything around him. He shoots a bird sitting upon a tree, and he notes the effect of the gunshot on this calm wilderness, "I had no sooner fir 'd but from all the Parts of the Wood there arose an innumerable Number of Fowls of many Sorts, making a confused Screaming, and crying every one according to his usual Note. As for the Creature I kill 'd,... it 's Flesh was Carrion and fit for nothing" (Defoe). After firing the gun he sees how nature reacts to this new age of technology that wasn 't existent on the island before he arrived. Nature goes berserk and after that point he learns a lot about nature, His choice to save him is almost immediately repaid by Friday 's servility, and he was thankful he wasn’t alone anymore. Yet Crusoe only acts as a savior and companion to Friday because he seems less violent and shows more British characteristics than the other savages. Crusoe gives us an example of this when he says Friday is "faithful, loving, sincere servant without passions, sullenness or designs, perfectly obliged and engaged: his very affections were tied to me, like those of a child to a father and I dare say he would
Throughout the book Robinson Crusoe displays a plethora of qualities of imperialistic England. Robinson Crusoe is an icon of Imperialism, he shows off the key aspects of imperialism. Wherever he goes he tries to put himself in a position of power. When he sailed for Africa, he sailed with the sole intention of buying slaves and being their master. Even when he escapes from pirates with the help of Xury, a fellow slave, he trades Xury away for safe passage to Africa, giving him the upper hand once again. “He offer 'd me also 60 Pieces of Eight more for my Boy Xury, which I was loath to take, not that I was not willing to let the Captain have him, but I was very loath to sell the poor Boy 's Liberty, who had assisted me so faithfully in procuring my own.” (Defoe 30). He shows this need for power again when he is stranded on the island and decides to set up a little settlement and rule that settlement. This is a direct correlation of when the British take over a territory; they colonize it by building …show more content…
Before that Crusoe used a gun to different effect. He went and retrieved several firearms from the wreck of his ship, After that he started to hunt for food and use the firearms for safety from the dangers on the island. After he shoots a gun on the island for the first time he realizes how it disturbed everything around him. He shoots a bird sitting upon a tree, and he notes the effect of the gunshot on this calm wilderness, "I had no sooner fir 'd but from all the Parts of the Wood there arose an innumerable Number of Fowls of many Sorts, making a confused Screaming, and crying every one according to his usual Note. As for the Creature I kill 'd,... it 's Flesh was Carrion and fit for nothing" (Defoe). After firing the gun he sees how nature reacts to this new age of technology that wasn 't existent on the island before he arrived. Nature goes berserk and after that point he learns a lot about nature, His choice to save him is almost immediately repaid by Friday 's servility, and he was thankful he wasn’t alone anymore. Yet Crusoe only acts as a savior and companion to Friday because he seems less violent and shows more British characteristics than the other savages. Crusoe gives us an example of this when he says Friday is "faithful, loving, sincere servant without passions, sullenness or designs, perfectly obliged and engaged: his very affections were tied to me, like those of a child to a father and I dare say he would