Fear

Robinson Crusoe must conquer his fear to endure his lengthy ordeal on the deserted island. His trial by fear begins when he dashes about like a madman, terrified of every shadow, and sleeps in a tree with a weapon: “fear banished all my religious hope, all that former confidence in God.” He quickly understands that he must regain his composure and reason to survive.

Throughout the narrative, Crusoe is nearly overwhelmed by his fear of the unknown. This fear drives him to colonize the island, secure his shelter, and become self-sufficient. His ability to channel his fear into productivity and creativity enables him to survive under extreme conditions.

Crusoe ultimately masters his fear when he faces the ultimate challenge—the devil. While exploring a cave, he encounters a pair of eyes. Initially frightened, he realizes he can confront this enemy just as he has faced every other challenge on the island: “He that was afraid to see the devil, was not fit to live twenty years in an island all alone.”

With that realization, he rushes in to confront the devil and discovers a dying goat. He has passed his trial. Had he not faced his fears, he would have fled, fully believing that the devil resided in that cave. Instead, he investigates and confronts his fear.

The Human Condition

Robinson Crusoe serves as a meditation on the human condition and challenges traditional notions about it. Alone on a deserted island, Crusoe struggles to maintain reason, order, and civilization. His “original sin” is rejecting a conventional life. By leaving England for a life at sea, he refuses to be “satisfied with the station wherein God and Nature hath placed” him.

Crusoe battles with—and eventually triumphs over—nature. The book suggests that this struggle lies at the core of human nature: man is on earth to conquer and profit from nature. Any gain, whether extracting a single plank from a huge tree or building a boat too heavy to move to the water, makes sense within this worldview. Once Crusoe overcomes his fear and subdues nature, he is richly rewarded.

Money

In line with Defoe’s writings on economics, money is a significant theme in Robinson Crusoe. At the story's outset, Crusoe details how much money he has, what he does with it, and what he gains from his actions.

On the island, money loses all value. Crusoe must find another way to measure his worth. While scavenging through a ship for salvage, he laments at the sight of some money, “O Drug! . . . what are thou good for.” At that moment, he realizes that a single knife is worth more than money. Usefulness becomes the key to evaluating worth.

Crusoe's aspiration to return to England is embodied in these symbols of civilization. On the island, the money serves merely as a memento of his previous life, and he cherishes it as a keepsake. In all his other ventures, he openly acknowledges his successes and failures. However, as a merchant, he understands that despite his current isolation, he can only reconnect with the world if he possesses money. Once back in London, his dependence on money resurfaces.

Industrialization

Industrialization here refers to the process by which humans harness natural forces to produce and manufacture goods for economic consumption. This industrialization is Crusoe's occupation, shaped by his cultural background and religion. He promptly sets out to be industrious and self-sufficient on the island.

During the era of Robinson Crusoe, many villages were experiencing labor specialization. People started buying bread instead of baking it themselves. Thus, Crusoe has to relearn many of these skills to survive. With practice, Crusoe manages to enhance the level of industrialization on his island.

Crusoe has a few tools that allow him to recreate a semblance of civilization and develop more advanced technology. While constructing his house, he notes that every task is exhausting. Briefly, he extols the concept of “division of labor” as he describes cutting timber, transporting the wood to the construction site, and building his shelter. He soon invents labor-saving devices, thereby boosting his efficiency and productivity.

The need for a sharp axe leads Crusoe to invent a foot-powered sharpener. Although he has “no notion of a kiln,” he successfully fires pottery. He requires a mill for grinding grain but, lacking a proper stone, he improvises with a block of hard wood. The entire process of baking his own bread prompts a realization of the marvels of human technology.

People often take the labor behind essential goods for granted when such items can be easily bought in the market. Crusoe is not advocating for a return to self-sufficient households. Instead, as he undertakes Herculean tasks, such as crafting a simple shelf in his house, he remarks that a carpenter could have completed the two-day job in an hour. Thus, he appreciates the specialization process that makes industrialization so effective.