Page 188 "Do you know Robinson's story"?

To write "The life and strange surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" Defoe was inspired by Alexander Selkirk. Crusoe, the main character , tried to make a fortune travelling around the World. Crusoe was attacked and imprisoned by Moorish pirates. After he freed himself he became a plantation owner in Brazil. He started again travelling living from Africa. He shipwrecked on a desert island, but he tried to recreate a comfortable life after living alone for 15 years in that island, he discovered and was afraid by human beings, he rescued one of them and he called him Friday. Friday became his servant. 28 years later an English ship took him on board and he returned to England. Crusoe discovered to be rich thanks to his plantations in Brazil.

Page 189 "Crusoe's Island" -- Comprehension  

- He still needs something to write: he needs pens, ink and paper.

- He fears he won't be able to count the passing of days, months and years.

- To solve the problem he marks the days with his knife on a post and he makes  a sort of calendar.

- He brings a lot of instruments, some books, some Bibles, two cats and a dog. He brings pens, ink and paper but after some years the ink is gone and he misses it because he could not make it again.

 Page 190 -- Interpretation 

 - He is able to calculate the date. He uses scientific and geographic references.

- Both focus on the importance of the date and the location.

- He tries to be precise in his descriptions. He wants to place the main character focusing on geographical and historical references.

- He uses a very concrete and ordinary vocabulary.

- He uses long sentences. They are simple.

- List: pen, ink, paper, parcels, guns, compasses, instrumental etc. Repetition: pen, ink and paper.

- All these features make his tale clearer to be understood.

- The story is told in the first person. Because so the reader can better understand the tale. Each reader can participate to Crusoe's life in the island.

- It is not a boring story, I'm interested to go on, I'm curious to know how the story develops.