The Inequalities Between Crusoe and Friday in the Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

The Inequalities between Crusoe and Friday in the Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

1. Introduction

If Crusoe represents the first colonial mind in fiction, then Friday represents not just a Caribbean tribesman, but all the natives of America, Asia, and Africa who would later be oppressed in the age of European imperialism. Throughout the novel, many solid evidences and signs have shown that Crusoe does not entertained the idea of considering Friday a friend or equal--for some reason, superiority comes instinctively to him. In this essay, the author will mainly address three of them.

2. The Embodiment of the Inequalities between Crusoe and Friday in the Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

2.1. Crusoe is never a nostalgic person.

The history between Crusoe and Xury is precisely a positive example. During his early acquaintance with Xury, Crusoe appears genuinely fond of him, moved by the boy's expression of loyalty and by their solidarity as slaves of the same master. Xury never betrays their "friendship" but Crusoe, recently a slave himself, coldly sells Xury to the Portuguese captain with no qualm at all. When Crusoe thinks about Xury later, he does not recollect memories of a long-lost acquaintance, but laments missing out a slave labor. Therefore, it can be inferred that Crusoe could sell Friday just as what he does to Xury as long as fortune could be made.

2.2. Crusoe is a man of self-centeredness who does not own some sense of emotions.

Throughout the novel, it can be noticed that quiet a few characters do not have names; the friendly widow, the Portuguese captain, the friend who tempts Crusoe to embark, his father, his wife and other people who are either friendly or kinship to him yet weighing not enough to be mentioned about their names. In a nutshell, Crusoe does not pay much attention to people other than himself. Anyhow, he names the Caribbean cannibal probably because no one else presents.

Which can not be written off is that Crusoe sets up a great cross--yet it is a memorial to Crusoe himself since he makes no reference to Christ. To conclude, he has completely become the center of his own life. Hence, the author can not accept it that a man as ambitious as Crusoe could ever consider Friday a friend or equal.

2.3. Crusoe has an astonishing ability to claim possession of things including Friday--the cannibal he saves.

Put it simply, Crusoe sees Friday just as one of his possessions. Technically, Friday does not have to be Crusoe's slave while the latter makes it happen after all. Crusoe could easily lift Friday from the ground when Friday grovels before him, but he does not. Without so much as a second thought, Crusoe accepts Friday as a servant and an inferior, assuming his own superiority. At the moment when Crusoe teaches Friday to call him "Master", Friday becomes an enduring political symbol of racial