illustration of a man standing on an island and looking out at the ocean with the title Robison Crusoe written in the sky

Robinson Crusoe

by Daniel Defoe

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Student Question

Is Robinson Crusoe a true story?

Quick answer:

No, Robinson Crusoe is not a true story. It is a work of fiction. However, the book was presented as if it were a true story, was based on the popular travel narrative genre, and was so realistic that many early readers thought it was factual.

Expert Answers

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Robinson Crusoe is a work of fiction, not a true story. But it is presented as a real travel narrative, with Crusoe named as the author. Many critics believe it to be based on the travel narrative of a real person, Alexander Selkirk, a naval officer who wrote a popular account of his four years surviving stranded on a deserted island off of Chile.

An early example of the novel form, Robinson Crusoe is primarily noted for its realism. Unlike romances, which were filled with unrealistic events and often included magical creatures, such as fairies or unicorns, Crusoe's situation, if extreme, is situated entirely within a realistic plot. No sprites or elves save Crusoe: he is as on his own, as a real person would be. Defoe fills the book, too, with realistic details to explain exactly how Crusoe manages to survive, showing it as a matter of hard work and resourcefulness, as well as the good fortune of being able to salvage so many supplies from the sunken ship. This careful accounting of a multitude of details makes the novel seem as if it must be true.

The enjoyment people derive from the novel comes from its realism. Readers identify with Crusoe and imagine how they might manage to survive and thrive in a similar circumstance.

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