Whereas Crusoe, in Daniel Defoe's Robinson
Crusoe was a young man very much concerned with doing for himself and not
overly concerned for others, I find that the change that most impresses me in Crusoe is
his consideration of others.
When Crusoe is returned to
civilization, he finds that his parents are dead. Thinking Crusoe lost, never to return,
no financial arrangements had been made for him, so he had next to no money. Happily,
the captain (whose ship and cargo he had helped to rescue from the mutineers on his
island) had reported Crusoe's part in saving all to the owners of the ship; this brought
about a reward of almost two hundred pounds, sterling, to
Crusoe.
From this point, Crusoe decides to return to the
places where he was first taken in after being enslaved himself, as well as to his
Brazilian plantation. Upon his return to Lisbon, he finds that some of those who
assisted him—or members of their families—are still live. For the widow of the man who
had been so instrumental in getting Crusoe back on his feet at a difficult stage of his
life, he provides her with money and a promise of more to come. To the captain who had
been so kind, and gives such an honest accounting of how he has used Crusoe's money over
the years, he rewards him with money that comes to him from profits over many years on
his Brazilian plantation.
readability="11">When I came to Lisbon, I found out, by inquiry,
and to my particular satisfaction, my old friend, the captain of the ship who first took
me up at sea off the shore of
Africa.His partner on the
plantation he also rewards, amazed again at his
honesty.There
was a letter of my partner’s, congratulating me very affectionately upon my being alive,
giving me an account how the estate was improved, and what it produced a
year...He gives money to the
monastery (St. Augustine's) that had received some of his assets, to further support the
monastery, as well as the poor. He sends money to his two sisters whose lives are not as
satisfying as they could be.Crusoe has become so grateful
for the kindness shown to him in the past that he cannot help but reward those who
extended their help in his time of need. He is generous,
compassionate and almost physically overwhelmed by the goodness extended to him in the
past, and the integrity each person now greets him with at his return. He cannot move on
with his life without showing his appreciation to these good
people.Crusoe has become a man of depth and good character
in extending his goodwill (and financial support) to others. The Crusoe of thirty-five
years ago is gone, and a new man has taken his place who appreciates what he has, how
much he has been blessed, and hopes only to extend those same kindnesses to
others.
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