Theme Of Religion In Robinson Crusoe

Shane T. Stewart

Mrs. Morris

AP English 2

February 18, 2018 title Born a Puritan and later becoming a Protestant and religious activist, author Daniel Defoe always valued religion and religious acceptance very much. In his classic novel Robinson Crusoe, Defoe uses Biblical allegories and allusions, as well as the titular character’s constantly changing devotion to God to show his view that belief in a higher power leads to success. Through supporting characters and their differing beliefs, Defoe expands upon this idea to claim that religious belief of any kind, not just Crusoe’s Christianity, is beneficial. Crusoe’s final acceptance of both his faith and of the different faiths of those around him serves as an example to readers of a truly

Upon meeting and naming Friday, Crusoe soon attempts to teach him to be a Christian. Upon finding out that Friday’s people have a similar holy force, called Benamuckee, Crusoe “observed that there is priestcraft even amongst the most blinded ignorant pagans in the world” (Defoe 211). This is one of the most important realizations in the novel, as this is the point at which Crusoe gets his first clue that belief in any spiritual power is what is important, regardless of specific details (Cox). But Crusoe is only beginning to come to this conclusion at this point, and he proceeds to become confused after attempting and failing to make Friday understand the concept of the devil. Because of one of the novel’s most memorable lines, “Why God no kill the devil,” Friday makes Crusoe realize that even he, at this point a very spiritual man, does not understand all aspects of his religion. The fact that he still can appreciate what this belief does for him further helps to show Crusoe that it is the belief in a spiritual force itself, regardless of what force it is, that is truly

Fausett suggests that the reason Crusoe and all people are more successful when religion is a major part of their life is that trusting in a higher power to provide help simply makes people more confident, stating that Crusoe and other “fictional travellers had often derived moral courage from their religion during their adventures” (Fausett 34). But whether this is the reason for Crusoe’s success when religious or whether it is due to actual spiritual intervention in the novel, Defoe’s advice to always trust in some higher power remains