By Alanna Nussbaum

for the course The Castaway Narrative

Instructor: Rebecca Million

It is Never Too Late . . .

     “’He is exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance, and to give remission’” (Defoe 98). In the novel Robinson Crusoe, the author, Daniel Defoe, expresses the idea that repentance is possible – it is never too late to return to G-d. The author effectively brings out this idea by using logos and rhetorical questions, examples, and allusion. Through logic and self-questioning, Defoe conveys the existence of G-d. Through examples, Defoe communicates G-d’s merciful and forgiving nature. Through allusion to Biblical characters such as Adam and Jonah, Defoe expresses G-d’s forgiveness as being universal, given to everyone, no matter what they have done or how terrible their sin, as long as they ask for it.

In order for human beings to gain repentance, G-d must exist. Defoe proves this existence through logic and rhetorical questions, revealed by means of the main character, Robinson Crusoe. As Crusoe begins his life not believing in G-d, he does not begin his journey with all of the answers to his religious questions. Like most non-believers, he has his misgivings about the existence of G-d. Throughout the story, however, he comes to understand G-d’s ways through reason, and through questions he himself finds the answers to. Crusoe would ask himself, “Why has G-d done this to me? What have I done to be thus used?” (94), and then puts himself in check, remembering all of the good that has happened to him, responding with, “Why is it that thou wert not long ago destroyed . . . not drowned in Yarmouth Roads? Killed in the fight when the ship was taken by the Sallee man-of-war? Devoured by the wild beasts on the coast of Africa? Or drowned here, when all the crew perished but thyself?” (95). Would these not be acts of G-d? Would these events not be proof of G-d’s merciful and forgiving nature?

Becoming exasperated that he has yet to be delivered from the island, as promised in the New Testament – “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee” (Psalm 50:15) –  Crusoe would remind himself that G-d has, indeed, done his part: “Have I not been delivered . . . from sickness? . . . And what notice had I taken of it? Had I done my part? G-d had delivered me, but I had not glorified Him” (Defoe 97). G-d has done his part, but Crusoe has not – he has selfishly omitted the end of the verse, “’and thou shalt glorify me’” (Psalm 50:15). Here we see the human tendency to warp events to our own use: we use events that happen to us to explain that G-d does not exist, but we do not look at what actually happened, at the miracles that happen to us every day: If we are healthy, should we not be thankful? If we can go to the bathroom without pain, which most of us do every day, should we not be thankful? A lie of omission is still a lie; just because not everything is perfect, does not mean nothing is – Omitting the good and saying everything is bad is still a lie, just as G-d not preventing all misfortunes from occurring, does not mean that he prevents nothing. Thus, through logic and rhetorical questions, Defoe manages to convey G-d’s existence, as well as the parts we ourselves play in our misfortunes.

What better way to convey G-d’s merciful nature, than through an example of an individual who is forgiven, time and time again? Defoe shows that no matter what Crusoe does, no matter how many times he shuns his Father, G-d responds, behind the punishment, with kindness and mercy (132). Crusoe commits his “original sin” and disobeys his father to go to sea: G-d sends a small storm to convey his message, and gives Crusoe another chance (19). Crusoe attempts another journey: G-d sends pirates (23), but saves Crusoe’s life, allowing him to escape and repent (27). Crusoe is “once more delivered,” only to find that he has come “into the very middle station . . . which my father advised me to before” (39, 40). Though Crusoe has yet to thank Providence for all he has been given, or to ask forgiveness for all he has done, G-d remains merciful when Crusoe once again sends himself into danger. This time, G-d banishes him to a deserted island, and Crusoe is still oblivious to the hand that guides his fate:

When I got on shore first here . . . I was surprised with . . . some transports of soul which . . . might have come up to true thankfulness; but it ended where it began. . . without the least reflection upon the distinguishing goodness of the hand which had preserved me . . . or an inquiry why Providence had been thus merciful to me (91).

And Providence has most definitely been merciful, providing him with fresh water (51), the remnants of two fully stocked ships (53, 86), animals to eat (89,111), tobacco for his ague (95), and grapes and other fruits aplenty (100), to name but a fraction of the provisions Crusoe is provided with during his stay on the island. In sum, Defoe’s story teaches us that no matter how much we resemble the Devil in our wickedness and sins here on Earth, G-d is willing to pardon us, and admit us back into his good graces. As Friday puts it, “’you, I, Devil, all wicked, all preserve, repent, G-d pardon all’” (216).

When debating over what to do in a difficult situation, whether social or medical, it is best to look for a second opinion. By extension, one example of a man who sins and is forgiven should not be taken as a general rule that G-d will forgive all sins – a second opinion, or second example, must be provided. As such, in his description of Crusoe’s return to G-d’s good graces, Defoe alludes to various stories in the Bible, where other characters are forgiven for their sins as well. Adam, the first man, is alluded to at various points in the novel, as both he and Crusoe commit the same sin – the “original sin” (192), as it is referred to – that of disobeying “the commands, of my father” (9). In both cases, the father figure “gave me serious and excellent counsel against what he foresaw was my design” (9), that of going to sea, or eating from the tree of knowledge (Genesis 2:17). They are both ashamed of their actions, afraid of being seen afterwards (Defoe 21, genesis 3:10), and are cast away from “a life of ease and pleasure” to work the ground and make a life for themselves (Defoe 10, Genesis 3:23). Both follow others blindly rather than thinking things through, causing their demise – had Adam thought about what he was eating rather than simply taking the apple, he could have remained in paradise (Genesis 3:6), just as Crusoe could have had an easy life in England, or even in Brazil (Defoe 45). And yet, through all these sins and mistakes, G-d saw it in himself to forgive and forget.

Like Jonah, Crusoe neglects his duty, and is punished at sea (Defoe 16-18, Jonah 1:15), and like Jonah, it is Crusoe’s shipmates who recognize the act of G-d (Jonah 1:16). Realizing what has happened, the ship’s master tells Crusoe: “’you ought never to go to sea any more . . . take this for a plain and visible token that you are not to be a seafaring man . . . . as you made this voyage for a trial, you see what a taste Heaven has given you of what you are to expect if you persist’” (Defoe 19). Jonah’s story is especially important, as in it the people of Nineveh were also forgiven, as they, too, repented for their sins, despite the fact that they pray to different      G-ds: “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened” (Jonah 3:10). This shows the importance of not only repenting personally, but of helping others to see the error of their ways as well, as Crusoe does for Friday (Defoe 214). With all of these examples, it is clear that Defoe portrays G-d as a forgiving soul who does not discriminate against age, race, gender, national origin, economic or social status, or any other trait – his forgiveness is available to all who ask for it.

Daniel Defoe creatively reminds us, through Crusoe, of human beings’ basic fault – “that of not being satisfied with the station wherein G-d and Nature hath placed them” (192). Through logos and rhetorical questions, Defoe proves that G-d does, indeed, exist. Through examples of man’s sins and the leniency and care with which G-d punishes, Defoe transcribes  G-d’s unparalleled ability to forgive. Through allusion to the Bible, Defoe reminds his readers that repentance is for everyone, young and old, men and women, believers and non-believers alike. He reminds a reader that, instead of thinking of what is still desired, they should think of what has already been achieved, and be grateful.

 

Works Cited

Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. New York: Signet Classic, 1961. Print.

“Genesis (New International Version).” Bible Gateway. Web. 8 Oct., 2012.

“Jonah (New International Version).” Bible Gateway. Web. 8 Oct., 2012.

“«Psalm 50» King James Version.” Biblos. Web. 8 Oct., 2012.