Textuality » 4A Interacting
Robinson Crusoe Chapter XIII - Analysis: Robinson's sense of superiority
Considering the lexis used by the speaking voice, the reader understands that Robinson Crusoe feels superior than the cannibal.
In the wild's physical description Robinson compares him to European people: he doesn't consider the peculiarities of the native culture but he always resorts to the standards from his own cultural background . after having noted a manly aspect (as if the cannibal were an animal), he adds an adversative sentence (and yet), in which he quotes a positive characteristic (sweetness-softness); it seems like if being similar to European men is a quality and like if all Europeans have a sweet and soft countenance.
When the two characters first meet, the cannibal lays and puts his head under Robinson's feet in order to prove his submission; the novelist wants probably to convince readers that native populations agree with European colonization because they recognize its superiority (the message is emphasized by the repetition of the same concept through three different words, subjection, servitude, submission). Defoe's purpose is to justify English and white Imperialism.
Robinson's sense of superiority also emerges when he says he is pleased by the cannibal's act of submission and when he tries to conform the wild to European habits : he teaches him to speak English (teach him to speak to me), to eat like white men (gave him a cake of bread to do the like) and to wear dresses similar to his own ones.
Readers get the impression that cultures different from Europe mustn't survive; on the contrary imposing the Occidental culture is necessary or, at least, appropriate.
The wild doesn't behave like the European because he has gradually gotten accustomed to it, but because Robinson has imposed ii and hasn't considered native culture value; as a matter of fact the speaking voice uses verbs referred to someone who is managing someone else and restricting his liberty: teach, to do the like, beckoned, led, caused.
The mariner doesn't feel superior only from a cultural point of view, but he also practically behave like a head: he wants the wild to name him master and to obey to him;
moreover his supremacy is so high that the cannibal becomes his property: his name should be Friday... my man Friday.
Robinson limits Friday's freedom a lot, since he controls his actions and he affects his cannibal nature by his authoritative position and also by resorting to his major power: after Friday has showed his desire of eating dead men, Robinson expresses anger, horror and a great repulsion (abhorrence [2]; horror) for that culture he wants absolutely to suppress even by killing Friday.
Robinson's reaction demonstrates he doesn't leave his standards to make cultural comparisons.
He behaves similarly, when he looks at killed bodies after a battle and a cannibal feast; in this case Defoe compares Robinson's emotions to Friday's impassiveness in order to prove the native culture brutality and the European more intense sensitivity.
Considering the way in which Robinson refers to the wilds (creatures - wretches) his sense of superiority occurs once more: the word creature provides the impression of somebody similar to animals, without a rational faculty; the word wretches carries out a more negative meaning and reveals Robinson doesn't appreciate them at all.
Defoe wants to convince readers about European superiority and that white civilization brings out improvements: this is the reason why he associates satisfaction to Friday after receiving change by Robinson (he seemed very glad; was mighty well-pleased), that is to say people who conform to European culture feel better.