Book Report on "Robinson Crusoe"
Book report on “Robinson Crusoe”“Robinson Crusoe” is the masterpiece of the famous English author----- Daniel Defoe, who is often given the credit for the discovery of the modern novel. The story is based upon the experience of Alexander Selkirk, who had been in an island off the coast of Chile and had had lived there for five years.
The events described in the story date back to the middle of the 17th century and originated in the family of an old, disabled English gentleman, Mr. Crusoe. He is the father of the main character and he designed his son, Robinson, for the law. However, Robinson never seemed to obey his father. He is fond of adventure and is always looking forward to setting out for sea. Finally, he got his chance. But during one of his sails, the ship wrecked off the coast of an uninhabited island and Robinson alone survived the mischance with great efforts. On the island, Robinson began his 27 years’ isolated life on his own. He built house, grew crops, raised goats with his own hands and saved Friday out of the cannibals. At last, he took Friday back to England with the help of an English captain.
From the story, the characteristic of Robinson touched me a lot. He is the symbol of the capitalist pioneer who is endowed with tough personality and perseverance. He sought for every opportunity to survive and make a better life. His perseverance in spending months making a canoe, and in practicing pottery making until he gets it right, is praiseworthy. Additionally, his resourcefulness in building a home, dairy, grape arbor, country house, and goat stable from nothing is clearly remarkable. Obviously, Crusoe’s do-it-yourself independence deserves our recognition.
Besides the diligence and wisdom he possess, the man also acted as a capitalist pioneer who is endowed with the nature of deploitation. He has the spirit of adventure which gave him the impetuses to break the regulation set by his father who symbolizes the old federal class. At the same time, his nature of predation enabled him to own the business instincts which are just as considerable as his survival instincts: he manages to make a fortune in Brazil despite a twenty-seven-year absence and even leaves his island with a nice collection of gold. It also revealed the essence of capitalism.
The novel is thought-provoking in various aspects. In the first place, I think we can indeed learn a lot from him. To survive on an isolated world in a primitive way with nothing needs great courage and sound psychological status. If we were put under such circumstance it’s hard to imagine what would happen. Nowadays, it seems that quite a number of university students have serious mental problems, say, the student from Tsinghua who poured vitriol to giant panda, the girl idolater who pursued Liu Dehua crazily and those committed suicide in colleges. Therefore, we are in urgent need of education not only to inform us of knowledge but also to teach us how to live toughly and bravely.
In addition, the novel gives common people hope and faith. The special perspective Robinson had on the misfortunes and sufferings he had experienced gives us confidence and hope to live. He is a hero in surviving the wreckage and living the raw life on the island. The position of a common people makes him more close to us. It reminds me of the old saying every dog has its day, which guides people in the direction of success.
Besides, the story displayed the permanent theme of time as well. The pursuit for personal freedom and wealth through the development of productivity is through all the times. The old society had to vanish when a new society was about to appear. Thus, people are eager to invent, to innovate in order to gain more wealth and comfort. Although capitalism has its disadvantages and limits, we can’t deny the fact that for quite a long period of time, it made great contribution to the advancement of human community in terms of economy, polity, technology, science etc.
The book has been famous for hundreds of years because it stimulates people to try and thus realize their dreams. The routine life may sometimes grinds our enthusiasm for life itself, hence, we need people like Robinson and his stories to give us new passion when we are in low spirit. Otherwise, the world is unlikely to move forward any more.
页:
[1]