In this part of my project I will give a detailed analysis of how Daniel Defoe´s thoughts and reflections are
represented in his character Robinson Crusoe.
I will focus on various points, and these are:
- Religion
- Economy
- Human and cosmic significance.
- Realism.
- Colonialism

                                                                     RELIGION

The solitary sojourn on the island is God´s punishment for Crusoe´s great `sin´: a particular painful one since he was by nature
gregorious, and a pecularity opposite one because his `sin´ was caused by:

`Apparent obstinate adhering to my foolish inclination of wandering abroad and pursuing that inclination, in contradiction to the clearest
views of doing my self good in a fair and plain pursuit of those projects and those measures of life, which nature and Providence concurred
to present me with, and to my duty.´

This inclination, caused him to defy his father, ( God´s natural representative in the family), and to seek to evade the calling
given him by Providence to ` the upper station of low life´, to follow which was his `duty´, God warns him very soon after he
has left home, the storm in the Humber, but a fine day and a bowl of punch make him forget all his repentance.
At Yarmouth, after the second ( and worse) storm, the ship´s captain with whom he has left his native Yorkshire underlines the
divine message:

`Young man,´says he, `you ought never to go to sea any more, you ought to take this for a plain and visible token that you are not to be a
seafering man´ `why Sir´ said I `will you go to sea no more?´ `That is another case´ said he `it is my calling, and therefore my duty: but as
you made this voyage for a trial, you see what a taste Heaven has given you of what you are to expect if you persist: perhaps this is all
befallen us, on your account, like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish.´

Wandering abroad ( as traders, explorers or flag carriers) is not bad in itself: seafearing is a calling like any other: but both are
not for Crusoe and he takes them up at his peril. During his solitary life in the island, he is gradually brought to see his error ( by
more `tokens´, like the earthquake and his terrible dream), but he is always liable to forsake the way pointed out to him.

Crusoe´s character is romantically portrayed. He knows his disobedience is wicked. So does the reader: but he is drawn on
by Defoe to sympahize with Crusoe. There is a real tension between God´s purpose and Crusoe´s very human impulses. If this
had not been the case, the book would have far less interest, and would have shown the imperfection of a hundrum religious
tract.
SOURCE:  ©Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe.
                 ©Penguin classics.
                 ©Edited with an introduction by Angus Ross.