鲁滨逊漂流记人物分析

RobinsonCrusoeThenovel’sprotagonistandnarrator.Crusoebeginsthenovelasayoungmiddle-classmaninYorkinsearchofacareer.Hisfatherrecomendsthelaw,butCrusoeyearnsforalifeatsea,andhissubsequentrebellionanddecisiontobecomeamerchantisthestartingpointforthewholeadventurethatfollows.HisvaguebutrecurrngfeelingsofguiltyoverhisdisobediencecolorthefirstpartofthefirsthalfofthestoryandshowushowdeepCrusoe’sreligiousfearis.Crusoeissteadyandploddingineverythinghedoes,andhisperseveranceensureshissurrivalthroughstorms,enslavement,andatwenty-eight-yearisolationonadesertisland.Overall,Crusoe’svirtuestendtobeprivate,hisindustry,resourcefulness,andsolitarycouragemadehimanexemplaryindividual.buthisvicesaresocials,andhisurgetosubjugateothersishighlyobjectionable.Inbringingbothsidestogetherintoonecomplexcharacter,Defoegivesusafascinatingglimpseintothesuccess,failures,andcontradictionsofmodernman.FridayAtwenty-six-year-oldcaribbeannativeandcannibalwhoconvertstoprotestantismunderCrusoe’stutelage.FridaybecomesCrusose’sservantafterCrusoesaveshislifewhenFridayisabouttobeeatenbyothercannibals.Fridayneverappearstoresistorresenthisnewservitude,andhemaysincerelyviewitasappropratecompensationforhavinghislifesaved.ButwhateverFriday’sresponsemaybe,hisservitudehasbecomeasymbleofimperialistoppressionthroughoutthemodernworld.Friday’soverallcharismaworksagainsttheemotionaldeadnessthatmanyreadersfindinCrusoeTheportugueseCaptainTheseacaptainwhopicksupCrosoeandtheslaveboyxuryfromtheirboataftertheyescapefromtheirmoorishcaptersandfloatdowntheAfricancoast.TheportuguesecaptaintakesCrusoetobrazilandthusinauguratesCrusoe’snewlifeasplantationowner:ThePortuguesecaptainisnevernamed—nlikeXury,forexample—andhisanonymitysuggestsacertainuninterestingblandnessinhisroleinthenovel.Heispolite,personable,andextremelygeneroustoCrusoe,buyingtheanimalskinsandtheslaveboyfromCrusoeatwellovermarketvalue.Heisloyalaswell,takingcareofCrusoe’sBrazilianinvestmentsevenafteratwenty-eight-yearabsence.HisroleinCrusoe’slifeiscrucial,sincehebotharrangesforCrusoe’snewcareerasaplantationownerandhelpsCrusoecashinontheprofitslater.XuryAnonwhite(Araborblack)slaveboyonlybrieflyintroducedduringtheperiodofCrusoe’senslavementinsallee.WhenCrusoeescapeswithtwootherslavesinaboat,heforcesonetoswimtoshorebutkeepsXuryneverbetraysthattrust.Nevertheless,whenthePortuguesecaptaineventuallypicksthemup,CrusoesellsXurytothecaptainwithoutanyqualms,asifforgettingtheirformersolidarityandequalityinslavery.Xury’ssalethusshowsustheracistdoublestandardssometimesapparentinCrusoe’sbehavior.TheWidowAppearingbriefly,butontwoseparateoccasionsinthenovelthewidowkeepsCrusoe’s200poundssafeinEnglandthroughoutallhisthirty-fiveyearsofjourneying.ShereturnsitloyallytoCrusoeuponhisreturntoEnglandand,likethePortuguesecaptainandFriday,remindsusofthegoodwillandtrustworthinessofwhichhumanscanbecapable,whetherEuropeanornot.