Lessons From Robinson Crusoe

Ever morning, in the midst of the chilling cold, I would take a comfy seat in one of the sunny corners of the house to meet with, for lack of a better word, mentor on life, Robinson Crusoe. Despite receiving this novel from a dear friend ages ago, I'd never had the opportunity to read it in one streak. I begun reading Defoe's masterpiece during my solitary state back in Charlottesville, during which I accustomed myself to the individualistic and lonesome state of a cast away. Similar to Crusoe who'd made his island his kingdom, I created a world of my own in this newfound state of mine. Despite having to cut my acquaintance with Crusoe short due to being bogged down with studies, I always kept in mind the isolationist mentality of Crusoe and the benefits it entails. Despite my reunion with my family this vacation, I realize more than ever that, albeit paradoxically, my mentality of living the cast away life holds. To a certain extent, I am the same cast away I was in Charlottesville in the sense that I find little pleasure in the petty extravagances of the materialistic and consumerist culture that has come to preoccupy people today. Instead, I enjoyed learning the A, B, Cs of life from Crusoe, whom I can attest seemed to have so much more life than many of my acquaintances in reality.

In short, Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Danial Defoe, considered to be the first English novel, of a cast away who despite all his fortunate fate decides to venture out to sea to make his own destiny despite all the unfavorable omens that present themselves. During his isolation on this Island, which is presumably in the heart of the Caribbean, Crusoe recounts on his daily undertakings in the form of a journal. Considering my endeavor to maintain a daily journal, I attempted to learn from Crusoe's style. Crusoe's accounts explores the various facets of human nature and how man can create his own civilization. The island becomes a microcosm of the world and Crusoe's philosophies become representative of the various disciplines of knowledge that stem out to cover theology, morals, economics, etc... Dufoe explores the many dimensions of the human mind and reflects it through Crusoe's accounts. It is worth noting that Dufoe was likely inspired to write this piece based on the Moorish Ibn Tufail's Hayy Ib Yaqdhan, which is also the first philosophical novel that immensely influenced European and Middle Eastern literature and philosophy. Back to Crusoe, Defoe explores the various phases of solitude and the discovery of how man's true craving for life is finding a closer relationship with "Providence."

Subsequent to reading any work, I like to write a book review so as to share my thoughts of the piece, so I thought I'd make this review public considering that I found the novel to be quite entertaining and informative.

Relativity of Happiness
Upon leaving the life he delighted in, whereby he may have stayed in the comfortable lifestyle of his country and family, but rather decided to go to sea, Crusoe reminded me of my aspirations and apprehensions of leaving what I considering to be my comfort zone for the sake of pursuing my educational goals in America. "I might as well have stayed at home and never have fatigued myself in the world as I had done," is the feeling that I sometimes have while abroad that Crusoe expresses so well. This puts me on a stream of consciousness during which I begin to regret leaving it all behind, whereby I at times feel loneliness, question the value and merit of work, and begin becoming uncertain as to what I am doing at such a distance from home. These questions arise when comparing my current state to one that enjoyed more success or bliss, and this is natural, but it is also crucial to compare my current state to one that may be more destitute and to seek the merit and opportunity in the current state. Crusoe states, "It put me upon reflecting how little repining there would be among mankind at any condition of life, if people would rather compare their condition with those that are worse in order to be thankful, than be always compare them with those which are better, to assist their murmuring and complaining." It is a matter of attitude towards the present condition that will define your level of happiness, so it is best to make the best out of it, as Crusoe resolved to do while on his island.

"It was now that I began sensibly to feel how much more happy this life I now led was, with all its miserable circumstances...and my delights were perfectly new from what they were at my first coming," is Crusoe's revelation of coming to terms with his undesirable situation. Similarly, at times of doubt in Charlottesville, I look at how far I've come as to improving my state, in terms of my intellectual transformation and newly acquired hobbies as a result of my solitude. That in times of destitute, escapism may be a justified way out, whereby reading, traveling, writing and recreation are a few of my ways to vent myself. More importantly, as Candide concludes in Voltaire's work, Crusoe also concludes that "labor and patience carried me through." Crusoe resolves, as I have sometimes come to conclude, "It was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken solitary condition than it was probably I should ever have been in any other particular state in the world."

Faith in God
Another essential theme that increased my awareness as to the importance of having faith is that belief in God may be a means of salvation in the most dire of times. Faith is a mere reflection of what is inside one's heart. Remembrance of God is a introspective mechanism that allows one to remember his own aspirations. Crusoe is overwhelmed with his deliverance on the island that his life takes a whole new turn with his faith that his destiny lies in the hands of God and he bestows his fear and gratitude in these same hands. For in solitude and destitute, it is most comforting to rely on a supreme being that may carve the path for one. I don't mean to preach like a priest, but I think that each of us can relate, on one level or the other, to these fatalistic feelings. Also, the lesson of karma is one that is emphasized, whereby Crusoe's actions are always rewarded or punished by his present conditions, for "what goes around, comes around." This is evident in the fact that we are not only tried for our deeds in the hereafter, but also punished for his sins in this world. This is evident through the Platonic action-reaction sequence that Defoe puts Crusoe through.

It is interesting that Crusoe points out that we expect God to remember us at all times, even though we only remember Him, out of desperation, when we really need Him. This is reflected by Crusoe's first prayer, which is "Lord, be my help, for I am in great distress." Also, despite the extreme faith that Crusoe puts in God at his early stages of his stay on the island, he later experiences fear that "banished all [his] religious hope. All that former confidence in God, which was founded upon such wonderful experience as I had of His goodness, now vanished."

It is also through Crusoe's metaphysical pondering and questioning of life that he naturally discovers the existence of God. It is through asking such questions of life, such as "What is this earth and sea? Where is it produced? And what am I, and all the other creatures, where are we? Sure we are all made by some secret Power, who formed the earth and sea, the air and sky. And who is that?" questions Crusoe, and continues by stating, "Then it followed most naturally, It is God that has made it all." This discovery is followed by full submission to God's will, whereby Crusoe states that He has the sole power for Crusoe's fate and everything that happened in the world.

It is also intriguing to discover that, without us knowing it, God talks to us through signs, and even most directly through religion. Crusoe discovers a verse in the title that puts his heart and mind at ease: "Call on Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver, and though shalt glorify Me." Religion becomes a way for Crusoe to connect to God through various rituals such as fasting, prostration, and other religious exercises. Despite Crusoe's religion is that of Christianity, his account affirms to me, more than ever, that religions are merely different ways of achieving the same goal, that is getting closer to God. Crusoe resolves that he wants nothing from life but to be able to make sense of God's goodness, care over his present condition, and be his daily consolation. These are the only requirements he has to achieve a state of benediction.

Money
Another theme that interested me tremendously was the worthlessness of money. Crusoe is in possession of gold, silver, and money but remarks that it is nasty, sorry, and useless, whereby he doesn't have the least advantage of it and it is of no use to him. It is ironic how people worship money whereby its intrinsic value is nothing. Imagine a perfect world without the disease of money, wouldn't people value life so much more then?

Society
Society is a very crucial topic when considering Crusoe's mentality. Although he craves for other humans with which to interact on the island, he is also driven into a fit of fear when realizing that others may have landed on the island. When seeing the footprint of a fellow man on the island, he imagines that the devil has landed on the island. This brings the interesting issue of our want for society versus our repulsion from it. It also draws a very existentialist viewpoint by which, as Satre claims, "Hell is other people." This drives Crusoe into paranoia, which ultimately leads him to hide in a cave for months on end without the slightest clue of the nature of his fellow man.

Morality & Judging Others
Crusoe is faced with the dilemma of executing some of the cannibals that land on his island because of their inhumane practices. Despite his superiority in weaponry, he resolves that it his not his duty to punish these savages. Although they were guilty of crimes, it as not his business nor duty to judge them, but rather he should leave it to God, for He is the ultimate and supreme judge. This brings a very interesting point in contemporary affairs whereby war is carried out by those who are convinced, by their judgment, that they must persecute others. Unfortunately some abuse the name of God in order to carry out these persecutions whereby they lack understanding that we will should only be judged by God. I am convinced that if people are given and give the prerogative to be left alone and to leave others to be left alone, this would would be a much better place.

Instinct
Crusoe remarks on how our instincts are sometimes inspired by some supernatural force to signal to us that there are certain dangers we should avoid and opportunities we should pursue. This is what you might call your gut feeling. Although it may seem logical at times to do a certain thing, certain dispositions from "Heaven" may persuade us to go against our logic for our own good. This is proof of our interaction with the supernatural world and how superstition may be explained. To be explained scientifically, this reminds me of Malcom Gladwell's Blink, which explores the power of taking decisions and thinking based on instincts and gut feelings, which I find to a modern version of Crusoe's discourse about instincts.

In conclusion, I truly grateful to she who recommended that I read this fabulous novel. Although this is a child's tale that our parents' generation would read in their schools, there are many lessons that can be drawn from this child tales. They range from very grave philosophical ideas to practical ways of leading one's life. I believe these tales are meant to instill lessons and ideas in the mind that can allow us to become more complete humane people. It is the lessons we draw from these tales that makes us who we are today. So quite frankly, I can admit that this is a book that makes me look at life in a completely new perspective.