queen1703's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.0
erkajank's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
lou_loo's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
burstnwithbooks's review against another edition
1.0
So... I’m not really sure why I read this. I have regrets.
jjjjuliafreitas's review against another edition
3.0
Read an excerpt for uni (English studies, Year 2)
borumi's review against another edition
3.0
천로역정에 이어 로빈슨크루소를 완독합니다.
두 책 다 가디언지에서 The 100 greatest novels of all time 리스트에 있는데..
천로역정은 제 이전 후기에서도 보셨겠지만..
로빈슨 크루소는 아들과 함께 재독인데도 재미있긴 하네요.
물론 그당시 시대상황 때문에 좀 거슬리고 짜증나는 부분도 있지만...
당시 출판시장의 수요에 잘 맞추어 엄청난 양의 글을 쓴 작가답게
독자의 기대에 잘 부응한다고 할까요?
영국 리얼리즘 소설의 시초라고 하는데
그만큼 무슨 무인도 서바이벌 매뉴얼이라도 되는듯 상세하게 농사/목축/목수/경영 작업에 대해 늘어놓다가도
(물론 나나 울 아들처럼 이런 글을 좋아하는 사람들도 많을테지만) 좀 텐션이 떨어지나 싶으면 시기적절하게
식인종이나 해적이나 늑대 등 액션 씬도 넣어주는..
소싯적 읽을 때만큼 재미있지 않았던 15소년 표류기에서 좀 부족했던 구체적 디테일이나 개연성 등이
좀더 설득력 있기도 하고 로빈슨의 내적 성장과 갈등도 더 깊이 다루어서 다시 읽어볼 만하다는 생각이 들었어요.
아들은 적들에게 들킬까봐 그리고 화약을 아끼기 위해 되도록 총을 쏘지 않고 덫으로 사냥을 하는 등의 모습에서
15소년 표류기의 아이들이 로빈슨 크루소 책을 보면서 많이 배웠구나!하고 비교해보기도 하고 두 모험기를 병렬로 읽어서 더 좋았습니다.
솔직히 예전과 달리 인종차별, 식민주의, 제국주의, 자본주의 등에 더 민감해져서
아들과 함께 읽은 톰소여, 허클베리핀, 15소년표류기, 로빈슨 크루소의 시대적 insensitivity가 불편하기도 했지만
그만큼 교과서나 고전을 그대로 수용하지 않고 분별력을 키워야하는 점에서 아들과 걸작 고전작품에서도 그리고 어떤 위인에서도 이런 단점을 장점과 함께 발견할 수 있는 것을 알려주며 더 비판적으로 읽는 연습에 좋았습니다.
장 자크 루쏘는 그의 작품 '에밀'에서 에밀의 교육을 위해 '로빈슨 크루소'외의 책은 읽게 하지 않았다는데
루쏘는 로빈슨 크루소의 무인도에서의 삶의 자연친화적이고 자립적인 긍정적 면만 보았지만 실제로는 그렇게 무지개빛의 원시사회로의 귀화를 찬양한 게 아니라 그 반대일 것이에요..
그 무인도에서의 삶과 이후 후속편에서도 로빈슨 크루소가 무인도를 자기 자신의 '소유지' 즉 식민지로 삼고 프라이데이를 이전에 브라질 농장에서 사들이려고 했던 노예나 Sallee에서 하인 삼은 소년처럼 또 새로운 '노예'로 길들이는 것, 염소나 앵무새를 자기 자신을 위해 길들이는 것 뿐 아니라 고양이도 자기 삶에 도움이 되긴 커녕 방해가 되자 죽여버리는 것 등 (아들이 읽다가 기겁)과 스페인 포로들이나 영국 배 선원들, 브라질 농장의 옛 파트너 등에 대해서도 절대 적인지 아군인지 약속을 지킬지 배신할지 철저하게 확인하고 움직이는 주도면밀함을 보여주면서 함께 대화할 사람을 그리워하는 모습에서 동정심을 유발하면서도 그런 면에서는 또 냉정한 현실에 눈뜨게 하는 등 참 찬물 더운물을 잘 배합한다는 느낌이 들었어요.
그리고 땅에서 우연히 싹이 트길래 신의 은총이 내린 기적인가!하고 놀랐다가 아.. 저번에 닭먹이를 우연히 흘린거구나..하고 김새게 하며 강약조절을 하지만 결국에는 그런 자연스러운 일상적 현상에서도 신의 오묘한 이치를 발견하고 감사함을 느끼게 하는 등 로빈슨 크루소(그리고 독자들을) 들었다 놓았다 합니다.
나는 기독교를 버리고 무신론자가 되었고 아들은 기독교에 슬슬 눈뜨기 시작해서 그런지 이 작품의 청교도적 회개/구원 주제에 대해서는 좀 의견이 엇갈리지만.. 아들도 '그렇게 신이 악마보다 강하면 왜 악마를 무찌르지 않고 놔두었나요?'하는 프라이데이의 질문에 감탄하였습니다.
이런 질문들과 종교적 메시지를 떠나서 적어도 몇 가지에서는 앞으로 많은 시련을 극복해야할 아이들에게 좋은 메시지를 던져주는 것 같습니다..
중도적인 삶에 만족할 수 있고 그것도 어느 정도 지혜를 갖고 있지만 또 도전하는 삶도 그만큼 바보같고 위험이 있지만 깨달음도 따르는 점..
(아버지가 middle station이 제일 좋다고 했고 나중에 아버지 말 들을 걸~하고 후회했지만 실제로 middle station에 머물렀으면 더 좋았을까?)
아무리 절망적인 상황에서도 그 이면의 희망을 찾고 새로운 것을 배울 수 있는 점..
p.2 ... that mine was the middle state, or what might be called the upper station of low life, which he had found by long experience was the best state in the world, the most suited to human happiness, not exposed to the miseries and hardships, the labour and sufferings of the mechanick part of mankind, and not embarass'd with the pride, lluxury, ambition and envy of the upper part of mankind.
p. 70 ... whenever they come to a true sense of things, they will find deliverance from sin a much greater blessing than deliverance from affliction.
p. 94 ...all the good things of this world, are no farther good to us, than they are for our use
p. 95
All our discontents about what we want, appeared to me, to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.
p. 102
Thus we never see the true state of our condition, till it is illustrated to us by its contraries; nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it.
p. 114
Today we love what tomorrow we hate; today we seek what tomorrow we shun; to day we desire what tomorrow we fear
p. 125
What authority or call I had, to pretend to be judge and executioner upon these men as criminals, whom Heaven had thought fit for so many ages to suffer unpunish'd, to go on, and to be, as it were, the executioners of his judgement one upon another.
두 책 다 가디언지에서 The 100 greatest novels of all time 리스트에 있는데..
천로역정은 제 이전 후기에서도 보셨겠지만..
로빈슨 크루소는 아들과 함께 재독인데도 재미있긴 하네요.
물론 그당시 시대상황 때문에 좀 거슬리고 짜증나는 부분도 있지만...
당시 출판시장의 수요에 잘 맞추어 엄청난 양의 글을 쓴 작가답게
독자의 기대에 잘 부응한다고 할까요?
영국 리얼리즘 소설의 시초라고 하는데
그만큼 무슨 무인도 서바이벌 매뉴얼이라도 되는듯 상세하게 농사/목축/목수/경영 작업에 대해 늘어놓다가도
(물론 나나 울 아들처럼 이런 글을 좋아하는 사람들도 많을테지만) 좀 텐션이 떨어지나 싶으면 시기적절하게
식인종이나 해적이나 늑대 등 액션 씬도 넣어주는..
소싯적 읽을 때만큼 재미있지 않았던 15소년 표류기에서 좀 부족했던 구체적 디테일이나 개연성 등이
좀더 설득력 있기도 하고 로빈슨의 내적 성장과 갈등도 더 깊이 다루어서 다시 읽어볼 만하다는 생각이 들었어요.
아들은 적들에게 들킬까봐 그리고 화약을 아끼기 위해 되도록 총을 쏘지 않고 덫으로 사냥을 하는 등의 모습에서
15소년 표류기의 아이들이 로빈슨 크루소 책을 보면서 많이 배웠구나!하고 비교해보기도 하고 두 모험기를 병렬로 읽어서 더 좋았습니다.
솔직히 예전과 달리 인종차별, 식민주의, 제국주의, 자본주의 등에 더 민감해져서
아들과 함께 읽은 톰소여, 허클베리핀, 15소년표류기, 로빈슨 크루소의 시대적 insensitivity가 불편하기도 했지만
그만큼 교과서나 고전을 그대로 수용하지 않고 분별력을 키워야하는 점에서 아들과 걸작 고전작품에서도 그리고 어떤 위인에서도 이런 단점을 장점과 함께 발견할 수 있는 것을 알려주며 더 비판적으로 읽는 연습에 좋았습니다.
장 자크 루쏘는 그의 작품 '에밀'에서 에밀의 교육을 위해 '로빈슨 크루소'외의 책은 읽게 하지 않았다는데
루쏘는 로빈슨 크루소의 무인도에서의 삶의 자연친화적이고 자립적인 긍정적 면만 보았지만 실제로는 그렇게 무지개빛의 원시사회로의 귀화를 찬양한 게 아니라 그 반대일 것이에요..
그 무인도에서의 삶과 이후 후속편에서도 로빈슨 크루소가 무인도를 자기 자신의 '소유지' 즉 식민지로 삼고 프라이데이를 이전에 브라질 농장에서 사들이려고 했던 노예나 Sallee에서 하인 삼은 소년처럼 또 새로운 '노예'로 길들이는 것, 염소나 앵무새를 자기 자신을 위해 길들이는 것 뿐 아니라 고양이도 자기 삶에 도움이 되긴 커녕 방해가 되자 죽여버리는 것 등 (아들이 읽다가 기겁)과 스페인 포로들이나 영국 배 선원들, 브라질 농장의 옛 파트너 등에 대해서도 절대 적인지 아군인지 약속을 지킬지 배신할지 철저하게 확인하고 움직이는 주도면밀함을 보여주면서 함께 대화할 사람을 그리워하는 모습에서 동정심을 유발하면서도 그런 면에서는 또 냉정한 현실에 눈뜨게 하는 등 참 찬물 더운물을 잘 배합한다는 느낌이 들었어요.
그리고 땅에서 우연히 싹이 트길래 신의 은총이 내린 기적인가!하고 놀랐다가 아.. 저번에 닭먹이를 우연히 흘린거구나..하고 김새게 하며 강약조절을 하지만 결국에는 그런 자연스러운 일상적 현상에서도 신의 오묘한 이치를 발견하고 감사함을 느끼게 하는 등 로빈슨 크루소(그리고 독자들을) 들었다 놓았다 합니다.
나는 기독교를 버리고 무신론자가 되었고 아들은 기독교에 슬슬 눈뜨기 시작해서 그런지 이 작품의 청교도적 회개/구원 주제에 대해서는 좀 의견이 엇갈리지만.. 아들도 '그렇게 신이 악마보다 강하면 왜 악마를 무찌르지 않고 놔두었나요?'하는 프라이데이의 질문에 감탄하였습니다.
이런 질문들과 종교적 메시지를 떠나서 적어도 몇 가지에서는 앞으로 많은 시련을 극복해야할 아이들에게 좋은 메시지를 던져주는 것 같습니다..
중도적인 삶에 만족할 수 있고 그것도 어느 정도 지혜를 갖고 있지만 또 도전하는 삶도 그만큼 바보같고 위험이 있지만 깨달음도 따르는 점..
(아버지가 middle station이 제일 좋다고 했고 나중에 아버지 말 들을 걸~하고 후회했지만 실제로 middle station에 머물렀으면 더 좋았을까?)
아무리 절망적인 상황에서도 그 이면의 희망을 찾고 새로운 것을 배울 수 있는 점..
p.2 ... that mine was the middle state, or what might be called the upper station of low life, which he had found by long experience was the best state in the world, the most suited to human happiness, not exposed to the miseries and hardships, the labour and sufferings of the mechanick part of mankind, and not embarass'd with the pride, lluxury, ambition and envy of the upper part of mankind.
p. 70 ... whenever they come to a true sense of things, they will find deliverance from sin a much greater blessing than deliverance from affliction.
p. 94 ...all the good things of this world, are no farther good to us, than they are for our use
p. 95
All our discontents about what we want, appeared to me, to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.
p. 102
Thus we never see the true state of our condition, till it is illustrated to us by its contraries; nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it.
p. 114
Today we love what tomorrow we hate; today we seek what tomorrow we shun; to day we desire what tomorrow we fear
p. 125
What authority or call I had, to pretend to be judge and executioner upon these men as criminals, whom Heaven had thought fit for so many ages to suffer unpunish'd, to go on, and to be, as it were, the executioners of his judgement one upon another.
summer_huhh's review against another edition
2.0
I thought it was kind boring... It got a little more interesting near the end, but was still quite dull.
purplewaterbottle's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Idk I felt like I was reading a Minecraft fanfiction but with religion and slavery
Seriously though I think the fact that I had to read it and then make a whole review for school just made me hate it more than I would have had normally
Seriously though I think the fact that I had to read it and then make a whole review for school just made me hate it more than I would have had normally
badoit90's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 Stars // A badly aged classic
The story of a shipwrecked sailor stranding on a desert island is probably as old as time - and yet it's Daniel Defoes classic novel 'Robinson Crusoe' which first comes to mind when thinking of a piece of media with the same contextual premise. This book laid the groundwork for many more fictional works of the same vein to come - so from a cultural standpoint it becomes quite clear what kind of an impact Daniel Defoes work had therefor.
But reading it in 2023 was a rough feat at times.
First of all, any criticism a modern reader might have regarding the books language, or it's handling of sensitive topics such as religion, sexuality, race and slavery MUST be seen through a historical lens, there is just no way around it. We can't criticise the book for what was at the time the cultural norm. Heck, people in 300 years time might look back at the modern 'wokeness' movement and shake their heads in utter disbelief as to how barbaric our culture was, who knows. We just have to see this book in its context and by doing so, it almost paints a hopeful picture to me, as it's showing us how much closer together humanity came in the last 300 years. There are still huge and glaring issues nowadays, don't get me wrong, but we have came a long, long way from the back-then very normal and socially accepted mindset of God-given white supremacy and the appropriation of cultures and their goods of all kinds. It should still irk every modern reader how nonchalantly the protagonist talks about other cultures and religions, how engrained his religious and cultural supremacy is - but yet again, this was written in 1721 and we have to take it as the piece of history that it is.
Solely focusing the on the books story and its structure, I had a twofold feeling about it: On one hand I loved the detailed description of Crusoes everyday life on the deserted island - heck, I have been fascinated by these sort of stories from very early on in my life and always imagined what I would do and how I would react upon being stranded somewhere deserted. So hearing about how Crusoe slowly but steadily manages to tame the wildlife around him, how he got to know the islands topography better piece by piece and how he built tools and weapons out of the few resources he was given, was indeed entertaining.
Unfortunately, the author almost completely skims over the emotional side of the incident. Crusoe surprisingly quickly seems adapt to and to accept his new fate. Whereas most people would be absolutely terrified and anxious to the bone, maybe even contemplating suicide, he seems rather unshaken by the matter whatsoever. He will spend a total of 28 years on this island and yet the author almost completely foregoes the internal struggles the men might have had. I guess I expected more desperation, more hopelessness from someone who just lost everything he has had.
Whilst reading the book, it slowly crept up on me that Defoe probably just wasn't a good writer, as the books beginning and especially its ending drag on for way too long. We are all here for the juicy parts in the middle, the island life, and yet the author loses itself in some sort of uninteresting drivel that has no real impact on the story or its characters and is rather boring, to be frank. Especially the ending then overstays its welcome - once you think the book is over, it just continues to go on for way too long.
So all in all, I can finally tick this classic off of my bucket list, but I can't shake the feeling that there is a great story in here that - even for its time - was handled by a bad author. Luckily there are so many more modern adaptations of the same premise that we don't have to solely rely upon this book to scratch our itch for some remote island adventures.
The story of a shipwrecked sailor stranding on a desert island is probably as old as time - and yet it's Daniel Defoes classic novel 'Robinson Crusoe' which first comes to mind when thinking of a piece of media with the same contextual premise. This book laid the groundwork for many more fictional works of the same vein to come - so from a cultural standpoint it becomes quite clear what kind of an impact Daniel Defoes work had therefor.
But reading it in 2023 was a rough feat at times.
First of all, any criticism a modern reader might have regarding the books language, or it's handling of sensitive topics such as religion, sexuality, race and slavery MUST be seen through a historical lens, there is just no way around it. We can't criticise the book for what was at the time the cultural norm. Heck, people in 300 years time might look back at the modern 'wokeness' movement and shake their heads in utter disbelief as to how barbaric our culture was, who knows. We just have to see this book in its context and by doing so, it almost paints a hopeful picture to me, as it's showing us how much closer together humanity came in the last 300 years. There are still huge and glaring issues nowadays, don't get me wrong, but we have came a long, long way from the back-then very normal and socially accepted mindset of God-given white supremacy and the appropriation of cultures and their goods of all kinds. It should still irk every modern reader how nonchalantly the protagonist talks about other cultures and religions, how engrained his religious and cultural supremacy is - but yet again, this was written in 1721 and we have to take it as the piece of history that it is.
Solely focusing the on the books story and its structure, I had a twofold feeling about it: On one hand I loved the detailed description of Crusoes everyday life on the deserted island - heck, I have been fascinated by these sort of stories from very early on in my life and always imagined what I would do and how I would react upon being stranded somewhere deserted. So hearing about how Crusoe slowly but steadily manages to tame the wildlife around him, how he got to know the islands topography better piece by piece and how he built tools and weapons out of the few resources he was given, was indeed entertaining.
Unfortunately, the author almost completely skims over the emotional side of the incident. Crusoe surprisingly quickly seems adapt to and to accept his new fate. Whereas most people would be absolutely terrified and anxious to the bone, maybe even contemplating suicide, he seems rather unshaken by the matter whatsoever. He will spend a total of 28 years on this island and yet the author almost completely foregoes the internal struggles the men might have had. I guess I expected more desperation, more hopelessness from someone who just lost everything he has had.
Whilst reading the book, it slowly crept up on me that Defoe probably just wasn't a good writer, as the books beginning and especially its ending drag on for way too long. We are all here for the juicy parts in the middle, the island life, and yet the author loses itself in some sort of uninteresting drivel that has no real impact on the story or its characters and is rather boring, to be frank. Especially the ending then overstays its welcome - once you think the book is over, it just continues to go on for way too long.
So all in all, I can finally tick this classic off of my bucket list, but I can't shake the feeling that there is a great story in here that - even for its time - was handled by a bad author. Luckily there are so many more modern adaptations of the same premise that we don't have to solely rely upon this book to scratch our itch for some remote island adventures.
nisja_k's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I guess it was interesting to read but has many... questionable topics (from a nowadays pov)