I don't
know that I can agree with the idea that society is thein Pride and
Prejudice and not the "self-reliant" individual. I think that Elizabeth is
the protagonist, and she is, in many ways an extremely
self-reliant woman, much to the chagrin and annoyance of other characters in the
story.
Regardless of this, however, is the concept of man (or woman) vs
society, a common conflict in both Pride and Prejudice and 's
.
When Robinson Crusoe begins,
Crusoe wants to leave his life in England and travel the world because of a need for adventure.
His parents will not give their blessing, first because they have lost another son to this
desire when he was killed in battle; second, because there is no need.
Crusoe's father assures his son that he has the best possible life because he is not hampered by
poverty or riches. He exists in the "middle state," one that
kings envy because of the lack of hardships in that kind of life.
Crusoe
refuses to abide by the wishes of his parents, and departs for a life of adventure anyway. One
source states that Crusoe has committed a sin in leaving the place where God and nature had put
him (in England) to pursue a life he was not born to. His "original sin" lies in his
refusal to adopt a "conventional" life:
...refuse[ing] to be 'satisfied with the station wherein God and Nature hath placed'
him.
Although Crusoe is ultimately stranded alone on an
island, his need for society is what keeps him sane. By living his life as closely to the manner
in which he would in England, Crusoe manages to bring "civilization" to the
island.
Crusoe struggles to maintain reason, order, and
civilization.
Seemingly, English society expected that a
man should face his fears, and do what he must to conquer nature and make it
his realm. When Crusoe finally does this, order is in place and Crusoe's
quality of life is improved.
Once Crusoe is able to
overcome his fear and subdue nature, he is rewarded handsomely.
As noted previously, Crusoe's society expects that he should have
followed the plan based upon the place in life allocated for him by God and Nature. In light of
this, we find that Crusoe also experiences a religious conversion when he becomes extremely ill:
he is alone on the island and believes that he comes close to dying. His faith in God is
awakened and he begins to acknowledge God's power in his own survival. This is also his choice
to adhere to societal expectations of the time.
This was
the first time I could say, in the true sense of the words, that I prayed in all my life; for
now I prayed with a sense of my condition, and a true Scripture view of hope, founded on the
encouragement of the Word of God; and from this time, I may say, I began to hope that God would
hear me.
It would seem that the character of Crusoe is
rewarded when he acts in accordance with the expectations of society, God and nature. When he
defies any of these, he is "punished." Even Crusoe's behavior withand treatment
ofFriday ("saving his soul"), shows his faithful dedication to the expectations of
English society: conforming to the expectations of society, even on a deserted island, allow
Crusoe to survive his thirty-five year ordeal, returning home eventually to resume his life in
England, even marrying and having children.
The message in this novel seems
clear: he who conforms with society is rewarded. He who does not, is punishedonly to be saved
if he changes the way he lives.
