Date Written: 2/5/2022
Question: How important for the narrative are the descriptions of the storms?
The descriptions of these storms are very important to the story. They drive the plot and help show the theme. Many major events in the novel happen only because of the storms. For example, he is captured and taken into slavery because they hit a storm at sea. A bad storm is also what leaves him stranded on a deserted island, which is what the book is most known for.
The storms also help show the theme of oath-breaking and rebellion. In the beginning of the book, he rebels against his father by leaving home to become a sea-faring adventurer. This basically cursed Robinson Crusoe. Whenever he went out to sea, he would make the ship he’s on always hit a major storm. During all the storms Robinson Crusoe would make a prayer to God. He said that if God would spare him and let him live through the storm he would go back home to his father. But always a couple of days after the peril of the storm had passed, he would break his oath and continue adventuring. Which led him to being stranded on a deserted island. Some of the most important events in “Robinson Crusoe” only occur because of the storms and the descriptions help us to uncover the theme.
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