How is the tension between individual and society treated in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe?I read that Pride and Prejudice is more typical of...

I don't know that I can agree with the idea that society
is the protagonist in 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 Daniel Defoe's Robinson
Crusoe.

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:

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...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.

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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 with—and treatment of—Friday ("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 punished—only to be saved
if he changes the way he lives.