Robinson Crusoe Day is celebrated every February 1st, a day first established in 1999 by the publishers of Chase’s Calendar of Events.
It commemorates the English literary character from Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel, who was marooned on an island near Venezuela for 28 years. He endured spiritual and practical tests of survival that he documented in his writings. Though once praised, the book does carry colonialist and racist tones.
In Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, a man is cast away on a tropical island and is forced to survive while documenting everything he does. Robinson Crusoe Day commemorates his life. Despite being praised in the past, Arndt believes Robinson Crusoe validates colonialism and enslavement of people of color. As a result of his slave labor in Brazil, Crusoe ends up rich after being rescued, not by his own labor.
Our attention should be focused on Robinson Crusoe today for how he overcame adversity. He was stranded on an island with limited resources, but he persevered and became one of the greatest English writers ever. In the face of challenges, we can learn about resilience and the importance of staying positive by reading his story.
There is always hope and strength no matter how difficult our circumstances seem, as Robinson Crusoe reminds us. Even if we’re alone on an unfamiliar island, we can survive anything. We can rely on our own intellect and resources to get us through any challenging situation. We can never give up on our dreams.
As we celebrate Robinson Crusoe Day, we are reminded that anything is possible if we put our minds to it. Let us remember his resilience, his positive attitude, and his determination to survive.
Overall, Robinson Crusoe Day represents an English literary classic but one that carries relics of the colonial past and its damaging implications. The novel has been celebrated for centuries and is relevant even today, however it should be read with a critical eye to identify this underlying theme rather than romanticizing colonization in any way. Both adults and children can use their knowledge about colonialism to explore materials like books, films or documentaries on this subject through more ethical lenses. Doing so will help build greater awareness of why such works as Robinson Crusoe remain controversial up to this day.
