Perhaps the idea of a completely different literary hero, living many centuries later, by Dr. Ravik from Remarque's Triumphal Arch, will help to understand the main idea of Daniel Defoe’s immortal novel and cover all the brief contents of Robinson Crusoe’s book at once. I mean the words that no matter what fate, nevertheless, it cannot break the “calm courage” opposing it.
Why does an adventurer and politician, a brilliant journalist, pamphletist and conspiratorial head of British intelligence, after disgrace and imprisonment at the age of 60, create the immortal "Robinson"? How could it happen that a person who has reached in his secret career a period of influence on the king and the government has ended his life in poverty? The author, a controversial person, constantly and actively interacting with society, creates a surprisingly internally integral literary hero, completely divorced from any social life. The self-esteem of the days lived by the paradoxical method “from the opposite” by Defoe himself - “Robinson Crusoe” summarizes his summary from reliable stories.
The writing of the book was based on the real story of the pirate Alexander Selkirk, for disagreeing with the captain landed on the uninhabited island of Mas a Thierra, located in the Pacific Ocean at a distance of 670 kilometers from the coast of Chile. The disgraced corsair lived on the island for 4 years and 4 months.
What does the summary tell us about? Robinson Crusoe, a native of York, a Brazilian planter, having gone for black slaves, after a shipwreck, finds himself on an Atlantic island near the mouth of the Orinoco River . By means of the constructed raft, he manages to bring to the shore from the destroyed ship carpentry tools, weapons, edible. Robinson is reassessing values. For him, the ax, saw, knife become the most expensive, and the gold taken from the ship on the island is of no value.
He remains alone with the nature and climate of the island. This is the plot of the plot, as narrated by a summary. Robinson Crusoe is building his ingenious fortress house, hidden behind a picket fence, which can only be reached by stairs. Further, during the production of goat meat, it occurs to him to tame these animals. Soon, in addition to meat, he appears both milk and cheese. Robinson considers the sprouted grains of barley and rice to be a real gift of heaven, without any “back thought” they simply shook them out of the sacks with some garbage. Having become involuntarily a breeder, after a few years he was able to plant a field that nourishes him.
The pragmatic, "economic" approach to the life of the protagonist led the entire book to a logical summary. Thanks to consistent intelligent work, Robinson Crusoe is transformed from an unfortunate wanderer defeated by the elements into the owner of a strong subsistence economy. Melons and grapes found on the island are a real gift for him. Now he has plenty of raisins. Three cats and a dog brighten up his leisure time, miraculously surviving on a defeated ship. He begins to plan his day, devoting time between the labors for reading the Bible and writing. Robinson keeps his calendar.
All this time, a wanderer cherishes the dream of building a ship and sailing on it to civilization. But he couldn’t even push the cake hollowed out of the log into the water. One thing is clear - you need an assistant. On the coast of the island, cannibals begin to appear periodically for their rituals. The threat to the life of the main character fills with brief notes of anxiety. Robinson Crusoe, with the help of a weapon, beats off their intended Friday, who becomes a faithful servant and friend. Together with Friday with weapons, they liberate the Spanish captive from the cannibals with the old man, the father of Friday. Together, they expand their economy, build a ship and send the saved to the continent. Soon Robinson’s compatriots also appeared on the island. The rebellious crew landed for the reprisal of the captain, his assistant and one of the passengers. But Robinson, perfectly guided by the island, frees the doomed Englishmen and together they work out with troublemakers. Two of the most notorious villains had to be pulled up in the yard, but the rest acted humanely - they left their lives and transferred the entire household of Robinson into possession. Next, the ship of the ruler of the sea goes to its native coast.
The twenty-eight-year-old island history of the Englishman, whose name has become a household name, is completed. A pleasant surprise awaits him at home. The Brazilian plantation, managed by the state in his absence, accrued him income for all years of absence. Robinson marries, he has children. Life is getting better. Classic happy end.