Daniel Defoe: Life and Works
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Questions and Answers

What narrative style is primarily used in Defoe's novels?

  • Retrospective first-person narration (correct)
  • Stream of consciousness narration
  • Second-person narration
  • Third-person omniscient narration
  • How long does Robinson Crusoe remain on the desert island?

  • 10 years
  • 15 years
  • 28 years (correct)
  • 20 years
  • What event leads Robinson Crusoe to become shipwrecked?

  • A navigational error
  • A storm during his return voyage
  • His voyage to acquire more slaves (correct)
  • A pirate attack
  • What is a unifying theme in Defoe's novels?

    <p>The presence of a single hero (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of character presentations are used in Defoe's novels?

    <p>Characters represented through their actions (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant event in Defoe's life involved Queen Anne's disapproval?

    <p>He was arrested and imprisoned. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which work is widely regarded as Defoe's greatest achievement?

    <p>The Review (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What change occurred in Defoe's career around the age of sixty?

    <p>He started writing novels. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which of his novels does a character repent for a life of crime?

    <p>Colonel Jack (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was unique about Defoe's approach to storytelling in comparison to earlier writers?

    <p>He focused on realistic, moral narratives. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Defoe's novel structure

    Defoe's novels often present a series of events and adventures experienced by a single main character, without a strong overarching plot.

    Retrospective narration

    In Defoe's novels, the story is told from the perspective of the main character looking back on their life.

    Author's POV coincides with the main character

    In Defoe's novels, the author's view often aligns with the main character's thoughts and experiences.

    Character presentation through actions

    Defoe's characters are revealed primarily through their actions and choices in the story.

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    Robinson Crusoe: The island's purpose

    In Robinson Crusoe, the deserted island serves as a setting where the protagonist can demonstrate his resilience, resourcefulness, and ability to survive against the odds.

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    Who was Daniel Defoe?

    Daniel Defoe was born in 1660 into a family of Dissenters. He received a traditional education, but also studied modern languages, economics, and geography. He began writing in Whig newspapers and achieved great success with his work 'The Review.'

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    Why was Defoe imprisoned?

    Queen Anne disapproved of Defoe's critical writing for the Whig party, leading to his arrest and imprisonment. He was punished with public humiliation in the pillory, but was surprisingly celebrated by his supporters who threw flowers at him.

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    What happened to Defoe after his imprisonment?

    Despite his past political affiliations, Defoe became a secret agent for the new government after denying his Whig beliefs. This shift in allegiance marked a turning point in his life.

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    What is 'Robinson Crusoe' about?

    Defoe's most famous novel, 'Robinson Crusoe,' tells the story of a man who survives a shipwreck and finds himself stranded alone on a deserted island.

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    Why is Defoe considered the 'father of the English novel'?

    Defoe is considered the father of the English novel because of his groundbreaking works like 'Robinson Crusoe,' 'Moll Flanders,' and 'Captain Singleton.' He introduced realistic characters, detailed narratives, and intriguing plots.

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    Study Notes

    Daniel Defoe (1660-1731)

    • Born into a Dissenter family in 1660
    • Studied modern languages, economics, and geography
    • Wrote for Whig papers, achieving fame with "The Review"
    • Queen Anne disliked his criticism, leading to arrest, trial, and imprisonment
    • Made three appearances in the public pillory, which unexpectedly turned into a triumph when a friend threw him flowers
    • Became a secret agent for the new government
    • Began writing novels around the age of sixty
    • Considered the father of the English novel

    Defoe's Works

    • Robinson Crusoe (1719): The story of a shipwreck on a desert island
    • Captain Singleton (1720): The voyage story of a captain who became a pirate
    • Colonel Jack (1722): The story of a pickpocket who repents
    • Moll Flanders (1722): The adventures of a woman who becomes a thief and prostitute, but eventually lives a respectable life
    • Roxana (1724): The adventures of a high-society woman who uses her beauty to achieve her goals

    Defoe's Novels: Structure

    • Fictional autobiographies, series of episodes and adventures
    • Unifying presence of a single hero
    • Lack of a coherent plot
    • Retrospective first-person narration
    • Author's point of view coincides with the main character's
    • Characters are presented through their actions

    Robinson Crusoe: The Story

    • Born in York in 1632, of a German father and English mother
    • Anglicised name was Robinson Crusoe
    • Left home at age 19 to find his fortune
    • Traveled the world
    • First voyage took him to Guinea and then England
    • Became owner of a plantation in Brazil and set out to get more slaves
    • Shipwrecked on a desert island and remained there for 28 years
    • Returned to England and found his plantation had made him rich

    Robinson Crusoe: The Island

    • Ideal place for Robinson to prove his qualities—organizes a primitive empire
    • Not a retreat to nature, but opportunity to exploit and dominate nature

    Robinson Crusoe: Friday

    • Friday is the first native character portrayed in an English novel
    • Attractive and lively, becomes a symbol of the colonized
    • Robinson rescues Friday, teaches him Western culture and the Bible

    Robinson Crusoe: The Middle-Class Hero

    • Restless, refused the model from his father to find his identity
    • An act of transgression and disobedience
    • Isolation on the island after the shipwreck
    • Pragmatic, individualistic outlook with rational approach to reality

    Robinson Crusoe: The Style

    • First-person narration
    • Clear and precise details
    • Description of primary qualities of objects: solidity, extension, and number
    • Simple, matter-of-fact, and concrete language

    Robinson Crusoe: The Individual and Society

    • Society Robinson creates on the island is not an alternative to England, but an exaltation of 18th-century ideals of mobility, material productiveness, and individualism
    • Individual can shape destiny through action, even tho God is prime cause of everything

    Robinson Crusoe: A Spiritual Autobiography

    • Full of religious references to God, sin, providence, and salvation
    • Hero reads the Bible to find comfort
    • Defoe explores the conflict between economic motivation and spiritual salvation

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    Description

    Explore the life and literary contributions of Daniel Defoe, the father of the English novel. This quiz covers his early life, notable works, and the impact he had on literature. Test your knowledge on Defoe's experiences and the themes of his famous novels.

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