Robinson Crusoe Summary

Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" is a novel that chronicles the life of Robinson Crusoe, an Englishman who survives a shipwreck and spends 28 years on a deserted island. The story is presented as an autobiography, with Crusoe recounting his adventures and hardships. After being stranded, Crusoe salvages supplies from the wrecked ship and sets about building a shelter, growing crops, and domesticating animals. He faces numerous challenges, including isolation, illness, and occasional threats from hostile natives. Crusoe's ingenuity and resourcefulness help him survive, and he eventually rescues a native he names Friday, who becomes his companion. The novel explores themes of survival, self-reliance, and the human capacity to adapt to and conquer adversity. "Robinson Crusoe" is celebrated for its detailed realism, its depiction of the colonial mindset, and its influence on the genre of adventure and survival literature.