Student Question
How does Crusoe acquire barley in "Robinson Crusoe"?
Quick answer:
Crusoe acquires barley by discovering it growing in a shaded spot on the island where he had previously discarded corn husks. He is astonished to find barley, particularly an English variety, in a tropical climate and considers it a divine miracle. Alongside the barley, he also finds African rice, adding to the island's mysterious nature. Crusoe collects barley seeds to plant more in the future.
Chapter five of Robinson Crusoe describes the fortunate discovery of barley on the island. In this journal entry, Robinson Crusoe writes of how he found plants growing in a shaded spot where he had previously discarded some corn husks. He is astonished when these plants mature into barley—and not just any barley, but a kind he recognizes as being from England. In fact, he is so surprised to see barley growing in this tropical climate that he takes it to be a miracle that God has made just for him. Crusoe writes that he also discovered a species of African rice, also not something he expected to find here, nearby. This all adds further to the mysterious nature of this island. Crusoe ends up taking several seeds of barley so that he can plant more for the next season.
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