Daniel Defoe's novel is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a great story about one man's struggle to survive, trapped on an island. I initially picked this book off of the summer reading list because of its story. I knew only the most basic details about this book. One man, one island, survival: a harrowing tale. However, the novel's reach is not limited to Crusoe's reaching, surviving on, and escape from the island.
What makes the story more interesting is the irony Defoe pushes into the story. The beginning, Crusoe argues with his father, his father saying that Robinson's desire to adventure by sailing is foolish while Robinson dismisses these warnings. Crusoe's regret upon reaching the island and his dealing with the regret do not push the story forward necessarily, but they keep hold of our questioning Crusoe's mental state. Will he snap from guilt or regret? Or, will he move forward, dealing with his situation the best he can? Further strength in the book comes from the interesting post-island adventure Crusoe has with his faithful friend and companion, Friday. Crusoe's final adventure in the novel is dangerous, arguably more so than many of his adventures on the island save his battles--they are attacked by a bear who has already injured their guide. Defoe keeps you interested in Crusoe's life even though he has escaped from his famed island.
While Crusoe's story is brilliant, the manner in which Defoe tells it keeps the reader from sympathizing with him. He was trapped on an island for twenty-eight years; however, not once, did I really feel that Crusoe was having a hard time. It was hard to feel bad for a man who ends up with a herd of goats, multiple firearms, a field of corn, and a "house" he is comfortable in. Moreover, due to the books first-person narrative, it is revealed early on that Crusoe escaped the island. Even though the emotions Crusoe felt on the island should have been strong and dramatic, the retrospective view the narration takes keeps the reader from really feeling the pain Crusoe must have felt. The many times that Crusoe describes his regret, sorrow, and thankfulness for his life, the tone is very impersonal and simple. Because of this, it seems as though the speaker is talking to the reader as if the reader knows what kind of man Crusoe is like, when really, his actions do not speak to us well enough to understand his psyche completely. It is because of this that the strongest character in the novel is not introduced until Crusoe has already been on the island for twenty-four years.
Friday, a man whose psyche the reader does not understand is arguably the most noble character in the novel. His simple loyalty, intelligence, and abilities are what make him so. His abilities are best seen when he toys with the bear that Crusoe's party encounter at the end of the novel--he plays with the bear by climbing a tree and shaking the branch the bear is on. Friday never questions what Crusoe is doing or why; he just simply understands that Crusoe saved his life and he owes him his loyalty. He quickly converts to Christianity and learns English, abandoning his own way of life to serve as a companion and worker. He displays innocence that can be found in a child admiring a father figure. Friday is by far the most noble and ultimately-good character in the novel.
While I was slightly disappointed with the fact that the book seemed to lack "survival" as a theme, I did enjoy the innovative thoughts and actions that Crusoe took to cultivate his island as a theme much more. It was not so much fear and acting for each moment that drove the story as inventiveness and patience. Overall, I did enjoy the book but not for the expectations I had before I began. I went in thinking "Crusoe, survival, fear, danger," but came out thinking "Friday, inventiveness, patience." It was a great story told by a not-so-great speaker, but it did not suffer catastrophically because of it.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
My Most Memorable Books
This is a list I'm thinking just off the top of my head, so it could be affected by things like time since I've read it, how old I was, etc...
1. Musashi, Eiji Yoshikawa. I recently finished this book but it really resonated with me. Partially for the reasons I listed in my last post, but also because I was really comparing myself to the characters. I saw aspects of myself in each of the male characters. The language, the subtle but vivid imagery, and the dramatic storytelling made this one of my favorite and definitely most memorable books.
2. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger. This book really resounded with me. I personally had a very similar experience with Holden Caulfield. I remember having such a strong feeling of disgust and disillusionment about the people in and the structure of society that I wanted to have nothing to do with it. Particularly the scene where Holden is watching his little sister on the merry-go-round. Something so simple gave him such a strong realization. I remember that something sweet and simple brought me back into dealing with the society I hated instead of running from it. Luckily, I didn't end up in an institute like he did, though, ha, ha.
3. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway. I love modern literature and I was an expatriate at one time as well, though it was not for any societal reason besides the fact my father had a job out of the country. What I remember about the book was thinking that the way these characters interact is often disgusting but not different from the way many people and groups of people I know interact. I really love the ending of the book too, (spoilers for those who haven't read it). That simple acceptance of Bret and Jake knowing they would have been great together but can never be together while at the same time maintaining the status quo and the close nature of their friendship was a fantastic scene.
4. Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. While I wasn't enthralled by his writing, the situation Okonkwo is in really garnered a strong emotional response from me. I have always adored the diversity of our planet and to see a culture be taken over in such a way that drives Okonkwo to take the actions he does. I ended up hating everything about story but loving its anger at the same time. This book convinced me to read No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God, but I still have not gotten around to doing so.
5. The Odyssey, by Homer. Epic: the one word to describe this book. One of the original tales that helped to bring us the fantastic fantasy stories we have today. While I had liked Greek mythology before, I really wanted to keep reading more of it after this poem.
6. The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson. While this wasn't technically an entire book, I'll cheat a little and put this short story on here. I was relatively young when I first read this, about 11, and I remember being just confused. I finally figured out the messages Jackson was putting into the story and partially agreeing and disagreeing with them. I really enjoyed reading this short story the second time, when I was about 13.
7. Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Again, this may be cheating, but this graphic novel was a great way for me to see how different people responded and offer solutions to the Cold War, ranging from creating a common enemy to accepting the world as a terrible place. I was 15 when I first read this series in its entirety. It really is a long step away from your classic superhero comic, but it's a step in a more mature direction.
8. Mahabarata (specifically the Bhagavad Gita), by Vyasa (a central figure to the Hindu religion). The only reason this "book" is lower on the list than Homer's epic poem is that I have not technically read the Mahabarata in its entirety (something I plan on doing some time in the future). I have, however, read abridged versions because of its sheer length. I loved the Bhagavad gita more than I did any specific chapter of the Odyssey. While equally fantastical and epic as Odysseus's journey. Krishna's journey, particularly in the Bhagavad Gita asked much more questions that made me think philosophically and about one's religious duty.
9. Into the Wild, by Jon Krakaur. I like to think myself as adventurous. The journey that "Alexander Supertramp" goes on is great except for its outcome. This book half convinced me to do something similar because I know I have better survival skills than Christopher McCandless. I decided not to do something like that, though only because my mom would be driven into a deep depression, ha, ha. She specifically told me after we had both read this book that if I did anything like this, she would be terribly depressed. I remember the long rants: "He should have at least left a letter!"
10. Calvin and Hobbes, by bill Waterson. I've been cheating quite a bit throughout this post, so why not one more time. Calvin and Hobbes is more than just a comic to me. I loved the series even before I understood what Calvin's six-year-old intellect was saying. You'd be surprised what kind of vocabulary this kid has if you haven't read any of the comics. I remember my imagination being similar to Calvin's and my pretending to be various things. What's great about this series of comic strips is that both 9-year-old me and 17-year-old me can enjoy them without feeling stupid or immature. I remember reading them every day in the car as my mother drove me to school.
1. Musashi, Eiji Yoshikawa. I recently finished this book but it really resonated with me. Partially for the reasons I listed in my last post, but also because I was really comparing myself to the characters. I saw aspects of myself in each of the male characters. The language, the subtle but vivid imagery, and the dramatic storytelling made this one of my favorite and definitely most memorable books.
2. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger. This book really resounded with me. I personally had a very similar experience with Holden Caulfield. I remember having such a strong feeling of disgust and disillusionment about the people in and the structure of society that I wanted to have nothing to do with it. Particularly the scene where Holden is watching his little sister on the merry-go-round. Something so simple gave him such a strong realization. I remember that something sweet and simple brought me back into dealing with the society I hated instead of running from it. Luckily, I didn't end up in an institute like he did, though, ha, ha.
3. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway. I love modern literature and I was an expatriate at one time as well, though it was not for any societal reason besides the fact my father had a job out of the country. What I remember about the book was thinking that the way these characters interact is often disgusting but not different from the way many people and groups of people I know interact. I really love the ending of the book too, (spoilers for those who haven't read it). That simple acceptance of Bret and Jake knowing they would have been great together but can never be together while at the same time maintaining the status quo and the close nature of their friendship was a fantastic scene.
4. Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. While I wasn't enthralled by his writing, the situation Okonkwo is in really garnered a strong emotional response from me. I have always adored the diversity of our planet and to see a culture be taken over in such a way that drives Okonkwo to take the actions he does. I ended up hating everything about story but loving its anger at the same time. This book convinced me to read No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God, but I still have not gotten around to doing so.
5. The Odyssey, by Homer. Epic: the one word to describe this book. One of the original tales that helped to bring us the fantastic fantasy stories we have today. While I had liked Greek mythology before, I really wanted to keep reading more of it after this poem.
6. The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson. While this wasn't technically an entire book, I'll cheat a little and put this short story on here. I was relatively young when I first read this, about 11, and I remember being just confused. I finally figured out the messages Jackson was putting into the story and partially agreeing and disagreeing with them. I really enjoyed reading this short story the second time, when I was about 13.
7. Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Again, this may be cheating, but this graphic novel was a great way for me to see how different people responded and offer solutions to the Cold War, ranging from creating a common enemy to accepting the world as a terrible place. I was 15 when I first read this series in its entirety. It really is a long step away from your classic superhero comic, but it's a step in a more mature direction.
8. Mahabarata (specifically the Bhagavad Gita), by Vyasa (a central figure to the Hindu religion). The only reason this "book" is lower on the list than Homer's epic poem is that I have not technically read the Mahabarata in its entirety (something I plan on doing some time in the future). I have, however, read abridged versions because of its sheer length. I loved the Bhagavad gita more than I did any specific chapter of the Odyssey. While equally fantastical and epic as Odysseus's journey. Krishna's journey, particularly in the Bhagavad Gita asked much more questions that made me think philosophically and about one's religious duty.
9. Into the Wild, by Jon Krakaur. I like to think myself as adventurous. The journey that "Alexander Supertramp" goes on is great except for its outcome. This book half convinced me to do something similar because I know I have better survival skills than Christopher McCandless. I decided not to do something like that, though only because my mom would be driven into a deep depression, ha, ha. She specifically told me after we had both read this book that if I did anything like this, she would be terribly depressed. I remember the long rants: "He should have at least left a letter!"
10. Calvin and Hobbes, by bill Waterson. I've been cheating quite a bit throughout this post, so why not one more time. Calvin and Hobbes is more than just a comic to me. I loved the series even before I understood what Calvin's six-year-old intellect was saying. You'd be surprised what kind of vocabulary this kid has if you haven't read any of the comics. I remember my imagination being similar to Calvin's and my pretending to be various things. What's great about this series of comic strips is that both 9-year-old me and 17-year-old me can enjoy them without feeling stupid or immature. I remember reading them every day in the car as my mother drove me to school.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
A Great Book
A book I've read recently that had a fantastic style of storytelling was Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. The book is a fictionalized acount of the life of arguably the most famous samurai to have ever lived, Miyamoto Musashi. Its storytelling is fantastic for many reasons. Eiji Yoshikawa has managed to find a great balance in philosophy, art, and action in his novel. The scenes range from graphic descriptions of the violence--comparable to that of Homer's Iliad--that was feudal era of Japan to delicate words expressing subtle emotion. Yoshikawa also does a great job of describing Musashi as a man seeking to perfect himself. Not once during the novel, even at the end, does the reader feel that Musashi is the perfect swordsman and philosopher, but by the end of the novel, the reader believes that Musashi will achieve the higher understanding that he has so painstakingly searched for. A swordsman psychology is explained through his actions. Often times, Yoshikawa reveals what a man or woman is thinking simply by a twitch or an action that seems insignificant to the current situations. He often lets the reader interpret the actions himself. Here is an example of a seemingly insignificant action taking on greater meaning. Musashi and his greatest rival Sasaki Kojiro are about to duel on a beach. Sasaki's weapon of choice is his longsword called the Drying Pole while Musashi chooses to use a boken or wood sword that he fashioned out of an old boat oar. "The end of his scabbard rose high behind him as he drew the great Drying Pole. With his left hand, he slid the scabbard off and threw it into the water." This action seems insignificant considering the situation the men are in. Of course Kojiro would draw his sword. It is only natural that that be part of the duel. "Waiting just long enough for a wave to strike the reef and retreat, Musashi suddenly said in a quiet voice, 'You've lost, Kojiro.'
'What?' Ganryu [Kojiro's other name] was shaken to the core.
'The fight's been fought. I say you've been defeated.'
'What are you talking about?'
'If you were going to win, you wouldn't throw your scabbard away. You've cast away your future, your life.'
'Words! Nonsense!' " The throwing of the scabbard was much more significant than one would have thought. However, one can potentially take more from the fact that Musashi waited for a wave to crash and retreat and spoke "in a quiet voice." This is easy to skim over as one reads but shows perfectly the small mannerisms that reveal more about a character. Musashi is patient, waiting for the wave to crash to speak. Musashi is calm, speaking in a quiet voice. One draws contrast between Musashi and Kojiro here. Kojiro's actions are dramatic, his speaking is unrestrained, and he is impatiently desiring the fight, dismissing Musashi's words as just words. Yoshikawa with a simple short passage reveals more the mens' personalities and states of mind much more effectively than if he were to bluntly describe the men.
This book contains passages similar and very different to the quoted passage. Its diversity in writing and descriptions without descriptions are what make it a great read.
'What?' Ganryu [Kojiro's other name] was shaken to the core.
'The fight's been fought. I say you've been defeated.'
'What are you talking about?'
'If you were going to win, you wouldn't throw your scabbard away. You've cast away your future, your life.'
'Words! Nonsense!' " The throwing of the scabbard was much more significant than one would have thought. However, one can potentially take more from the fact that Musashi waited for a wave to crash and retreat and spoke "in a quiet voice." This is easy to skim over as one reads but shows perfectly the small mannerisms that reveal more about a character. Musashi is patient, waiting for the wave to crash to speak. Musashi is calm, speaking in a quiet voice. One draws contrast between Musashi and Kojiro here. Kojiro's actions are dramatic, his speaking is unrestrained, and he is impatiently desiring the fight, dismissing Musashi's words as just words. Yoshikawa with a simple short passage reveals more the mens' personalities and states of mind much more effectively than if he were to bluntly describe the men.
This book contains passages similar and very different to the quoted passage. Its diversity in writing and descriptions without descriptions are what make it a great read.
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