Monday, September 10, 2007
Symbolism of the Footprint
My favorite part of the book so far is the discovery of the footprint as well. I think this particular part shows us a different side of Crusoe. While being trapped on a "deserted" island you would think that seeing a sign of another human life would cause happiness, excitement, etc... In reality, it is a scary sign--one's first reaction might be an excited one because you're not alone but right after the excitment I know I would think; "Is this a murderer?"...etc. At the same time, if I read correctly, it is a single footprint...which is probably why Crusoe thought it belonged to the devil. At the same time, maybe Crusoe enjoys being the only person on the island...I mean, at home his father tells him to do the opposite of what Crusoe really wants to do...maybe Crusoe finally found happiness in lonliness??? We'll see...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Personally I believe that his reaction is what you would expect, and that's probably why Defoe wrote Crusoe's reaction that way. After 24 years of isolation a human footprint(with the exception of his own) is a foreign concept for Crusoe. I think any sign of human life would be terrifying for a person who has grown use to insularism. The fact that he starts to worry that it's a footprint belonging to the devil illustrates his emotional state. He's confused and scared because he is disconnected from the outside world. I don't think that he wants to stay on the island, it seems as if he has become inured to loneliness.
I agree with emilycarman that Crusoe's belief that the footprint belongs to the devil definitely shows that Crusoe is not on the right state of mind. Reconnecting with the outside world is very difficult for Crusoe since he has been isolated for so many years. Therfore, he is driven almost mad when he is confronted with the footprint. I think that it is really sad how he lives in fear and mistakes every bush and tree for a man. Honestly, I can't blame him for his irrational behavior after being separated from society for 24 years.
What I've noticed throughout the book is that rarely does Crusoe react to anything with happiness. Instead of being overjoyed with the fact that there might be another person on the island, he immediately questions it and assumes the worst. (I would have been like, "Hello? Can you hear me? Is anybody out there? Yoo-hoo!") Later, when he sees the ship and its Englishmen on board, he doesn't go running to them in ecstacy, but observes them from a distance first, which, of course, it turns out was the smart thing to do. I think Defoe created Crusoe this way to show that self-restraint and calculated action are admirable qualities that are important to survival and success.
Crusoe's reaction is that of a paranoid man and in my opinion brought on by the isolation. As humans after prolonged periods of solidarity we seem to become cautious and distrustful of anything foreign or new. The fact that Crusoe labels the footprint as the devils also might be indicative of his unwillingness to have his solidarity disturbed at that very moment.
This i smy favorite part of the book too. I feel that all of his emotions are put into this one scene. When he sees the foot print he is not only parnoid but every thought possible is running through his head. FOr a second you feel like your in the mind of a crazy person. All of these feelings he goes through show us that he is still a human being after being isolated for so long.
Post a Comment