“Robinson and Friday” (1667197)

by Daniel Defoe

LANGUAGE THROUGH LITERATURE1. Consider the first excerpt:

a. Highlight in green the parts belonging to man’s face and write them down.Hair (l. 7), forehead (l.8), eyes (l.9), nose (l.14), mouth (l.14), lips (l.15), teeth (l15).b. Highlight in blue the adjectives Robinson uses to describe Friday’s face, then write down the

opposite of what he says.0 Hair long (l.7) short black (l.7) blond not curled (l. 7) not straight;1. Forehead high (l.8) low large (l. 8) narrow;2. Eyes vivacious (l. 8) lifeless sparkling (l. 8) dull;3. Face round (l. 13) long plump (l.14) lean (= thin);4. Nose small (l. 14) big not flat not pointed5. Mouth good (l. 14) bad;6. Lips thin (l. 15) fleshy;7. Teeth well set (l. 15) crooked; White as ivory (l.15) dirty;8. Skin not quite black ( l.9) not quite white; very tawny (l. 10) very pale.

2. Robinson’s description of Friday is well detailed. What might Friday be like?

Decide whether these statements are true or false 1. He is old and lame False2. His skin is smooth and white False3. He has got long black hair True4. He looks like a Brazilian native False5. He has got beautiful teeth True

LANGUAGE THROUGH LITERATURE3. So to conclude , in a word Friday must have been a _______________ man.

Choose your answer from: stout skinny brawny fat well-proportioned monster-like

4. Now consider the second excerpt. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap (l.1-9)In the second part of the passage (0) _B_ explains how he (1) _____ to instruct his friend in the Christian religion. The narrator, who is a (2) _____ person one, tells about an (3) _____ God, a good and (4) _____ one who (5) _____ His Son to (6) _____ us. The God is completely different from (7) _____ ‘s: he lives in heaven, and not in the great (8) _____ , and can hear the people’s prayers on the earth. The narrator also observes the existence of (9) _____ even among the savages and he is glad to see how his friend has gradually turned to the new religion.

0 A Friday B Robinson C the reader D God 1. A will manage B has managed C managed D manages2. A first B second C third D zero3. A anxious B obsessive C almighty D eager4. A generous B divine C manly D weak5. A has been sent B has been sending C has sented D sent6. A recover B redeem C rescue D pardon7. A Robinson B our C Friday D everyman8. A mountains B desert C hut D city9. A nuns B priests C monks D churches

GUIDED ANALYSIS1. Read the first excerpta. Describe Friday’s physical appearance• “a comely (=attractive) handsome fellow, perfectly well-made, with straight long limbs (ll.1-

2); “tall and well-shaped” (l.2); “about twenty six years of age” (l.3); “very good countenance” (ll.3-4); “something very manly in his face” (.5); “all the sweetness and softness of an European in his countenance” (l.5-6); “his hair was long and black” (l.7); “forehead very high and large, and a great vivacity and sparkling sharpness in his eyes (ll. 8-9); “skin ... Of a bright kind of a dun (= greysh-brown) olive colour ... Very agreeable” (ll. 9-13); “his face was round and plumb (= straight) ”, his nose small “ (ll, 13-14); “a very good mouth, thin lips, and his fine teeth well set, and white as ivory” (ll. 14-15).

b. Friday is described also thanks to some “negative details”: how are negative details used?• “limbs not too large” (l. 2); “not a fierce and surly (impolite) aspect” (l. 4), “hair .... not curled

like wool” (l.7); “skin ... not quite black, but very tawny (= light yellowish-brown), and yet not of an ugly yellow nauseous tawny” (ll. 9-10); “ nose ... Not flat like the negroes” (l. 14). The negative details are certainly limited in number compared to the positive ones and they are just a means to enhance Friday’s physical beauty.

c. Analyse the positive and the negative features separately: what can we deduce from them about Defoe’s attitude to the Indians?

• That in stressing Friday’s good-looking aspect, Robinson praises him for not looking too much like a typical savage. What makes him handsome are his European features.

GUIDED ANALYSIS2. Read the second excerpt.a. How does Robinson teach Friday the principles of Christianity?• He tells him about “the great Maker ... pointing up towards heaven” (ll. 17-18) and

explains His omnipotence and providence to him b. What is Friday’s attitude towards religion?• Friday seems favourably disposed towards the Christian religion and he seems to

consider Robinson’s teaching with high respect. c. How does the excerpt end ?• With Robinson’s comment on the similarities between the two religions and how

religious practices are often mysterious in order to increase people’s veneration of priests.

d. What can we guess of Defoe’s religious creed?• As a Puritan he is highly critical towards the Roman Church (ll. 34-37).3. Focus on characterization.

After reading the two excerpts can we say that Robinson embodies the characteristics of the British colonizer?

• Yes, we can. In fact Friday is certainly described as inferior to Robinson who considers him as his servant. Moreover, it is Friday who has to adapt and learn the language of the colonizer and is even meant to embrace his religion.

GUIDED ANALYSIS4. Focus on the narrative technique.a. How can we describe Defoe’s style and language ?• Defoe’s style and language is simple but precise, factual, didactic, and the story is written

in the way of a fictitious autobiography.b. What kind of narrator tells the story?• A first person narrator tells the story.5. Explain how Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe can be regarded as the celebration of the English

mercantile spirit and of colonialism. (maximum 150 words).• On the one hand, the novel celebrates the English mercantile spirit of adventure in faraway

countries. Robinson is armed only with his own strength and intelligence and with the firm Puritan conviction that he has God on his side; on the other hand, the relation between Robinson and Friday is that of a colonist towards an enslaved native, a master towards his servant. Robinson’s only interest in the native is to submit him to his own culture and rules, giving him a new name, a new language and a new religion. However, he does not teach him to use the new scientific and technical devices so as to maintain his superiority. Robinson’s education of Friday in “Robinson Crusoe” recalls the processes of modern colonialism (124 words).