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A few nights ago I watched Robinson Crusoe, the movie starring Pierce Brosnan. I had read the book a few months ago and not surprisingly, the book was extremely better.
The novel is an interesting read, as it offers a glimpse of an early 18th century Englishman. Much of it deals with Crusoe’s building of a “kingdom” on a deserted island with very little; he creates a “civilization” after he has left a “civilized” world. His conversion – or “reversion” – back to Christianity and regained hope from despair plays a significant role in the story and makes for an extraordinary psychological adventure. Also interesting is Crusoe’s relationship with his “slave” Friday, who has known only “savage” ways througout his life and so must be taught the ways of the civilized world from his master.
I wonder how much the novel influenced Rousseau lor other philosophers later on in the century.
I don’t have time tonight, but Crusoe mingled among the Big Thinkers of his day. The Atlantic colonies inspired his work tremendously.
In Jean-Jacques Rousseau's treatise on education, Emile: Or, On Education, the one book the main character is allowed to read before the age of twelve is Robinson Crusoe. Rousseau wants Emile to identify himself as Crusoe so he could rely upon himself for all of his needs. In Rousseau's view, Emile needs to imitate Crusoe's experience, allowing necessity to determine what is to be learned and accomplished. This is one of the main themes of Rousseau's educational model.
