《鲁宾逊漂流记》对friday的评价.doc

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Katherine (Gong Fangli)
In Robinson Crusoe is Man Friday depicted as a cruel and unthinking savage or is he portrayed in a more sophisticated way?

Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe, published in 1719. It is one of the most popular adventure novels in all literature. It is the story of Robinson Crusoe, an Englishman who is shipwrecked in a lonely tropical island. He builds himself a hut, grows his own food, and becomes self-sufficient. After 23 years he meets with a group of cannibals and rescues one of their prisoners, a young native whom he calls Friday. Crusoe and his “man” Friday become close friends, and when they are finally rescued four years later, both return to England. In Robinson Crusoe Man Friday is portrayed in a more sophisticated way. He is a noble savage. I will show you Friday’s good qualities by giving examples. Firstly, he is intelligent and fond of learning. Secondly, he is loyal, faithful and sincere to his Master Robinson Crusoe. Thirdly, he has a high adaptability. Fourthly, he has a deep love for his country and his father. Fifthly, he has high fidelity and innocence.

Firstly, he is intelligent and fond of learning. When Friday is rescued by Robinson Crusoe, he can not speak English. So Robinson Crusoe teaches him to say Master, Yes, and No. Finally, he can talk pretty well and understand the
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names of almost every thing Robinson Crusoe once called for and talk a great deal to Robinson Crusoe. You can see how smart Friday is. He can learn and master a kind of language within a short period of time. His intelligence can also be seen through Robinson Crusoe teaching him to beat some corn out, sift it and make bread. He learns new things quickly and is wiling to learn.

Secondly, he is loyal, faithful and sincere to his Master Robinson Crusoe. Robinson Crusoe say: “Never man had a more faithful, loving, sincere servant, than Friday was to me: without passions, sullenness or designs, perfectly obliged and engaged: his very affections were tried to me, like those a child to a father.” Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, in Kong Qinghua(ed.), chapter 6(Qingdao: Qingdao Press, 2003),pp.233.

His loyalty also can be seen when Robinson Crusoe says he would let Friday come back to his country, Friday says: “kill Friday, no send Friday away.” He would ask Robinson Crusoe to kill him rather than leave him. In addition, Friday tells Robinson Crusoe, he would die, when Robinson Crusoe bid die. What a loyal servant he is. I think no one would be as loyal as him in real society. His loyalty really moved me deeply.

Thirdly, he has a high adaptability. He can adapt to new environment quickly.
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For example, Robinson Crusoe gives him a pair of Linnen Drawers, a Jerkin of Goats skin and a cap, thus he is coated well. At first he goes awarded in these things, but at length he takes to them very well. Besides, after Robinson Crusoe feeds him with boiled meat and broth, he tells Robinson Crusoe he would never eat mans flesh any more. You can see Friday could accept new things quickly and his habits can be newly created.

Fourthly, he has a deep love for his country and his father. When they discovered the continent of America, Friday falls in jumping and dancing. He shouted “There see my country, there my nation.” You can feel how happy he is when seeing his country. He is patriotic. In addition, Friday is overjoyed to discover that another of the rescued victims is his father. Robinson Crusoe says “It would have moved any one to tears, to have seen how Friday kissed him, embraced him, hugged him, cried, laughed, hollowed, jumped about, danced, sung, then cried again, wrung his hands, beat his own face, and head, and then sung ,and jumped about again, like a distracted creature.” Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, in Kong Qinghua(ed.), chapter 6(Qingdao: Qingdao Press, 2003) ,pp.264.

All this shows how he loves his father, even his family. He is filial to his parents, and values intimacy with humans.
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Fifthly, he has high fidelity and innocence. Robinson Crusoe asks a thousand questions about the country, the inhabitants, the sea, the coast, and what nation is near, he tells Robinson Crusoe all he knows with the greatest openness imaginable. His heart is totally open to his Master and He is unable to tell lies to his Master. He is also innocent. When Robinson Crusoe is jealous of Friday’s love for his country and treats him not well as before, but Robinson Crusoe find every thing Friday says is so honest, and so innocent, that Robinson Crusoe could find nothing to nourish his suspicion.

Robinson Crusoe and Friday company each other in the wild island for four years. Crusoe may bring Friday Christianity and clothing, but Friday brings Crusoe emotional warmth and a vitality of spirit that Crusoe’s European heart lacks.

In a conclusion, In Robinson Crusoe Man Friday is portrayed in a more sophisticated way. He is a noble savage. Firstly, he is intelligent and fond of learning. Secondly, he is loyal, faithful and sincere to his Master Robinson Crusoe. Thirdly, he has a high adaptability. Fourthly, he has a deep love for his country and his father. Fifthly, he has high fidelity and innocence.
Bibliography
Primary Text
Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, in Kong Qinghua(ed.), chapter 6(Qingdao: Qingdao Press, 2003),pp.233,pp.264.
Secondary Texts
Baidu article on “Robinson Crusoe”, accessed on 26/04/2011
Baidu article on “Robinson Crusoe”, accessed on 27/04/2011
.Analysis of character in “Robinson Crusoe,
http:/ accessed on 26/04/2011