land I think that Defoe is very clever in his use of his character. Friday is portrayed as an intelligent, deep thinker. He learns language quickly and in depth, so much so that he enters in to discussions involving subjects far removed from his situation. In his discussions with Crusoe he comes out with arguments that are thought provoking and intelligent. He calls in to question many things that Crusoe has taken for granted in terms of religion for example the relationship between the devil and God (p 220.). It is not only in intellect that he is seen to as good if not better than Crusoe; in battle and fighting Friday excels himself, much to Crusoes surprise. Friday took his aim so much better than I did This portrayal of a Negro, in the time that Defoe was writing, was unheard of as at this point in history coloured people were being used as slaves: slavery became of major economic importance after the 16th century (Speake 1999.) This means that what Defoe was writing, to the contemporary audience was extremely controversial. He therefor disguises Fridays triumphs by listing what Fridays actions were and not allowing Cruse to comment on his skills in a preferential way. Defoes writing style is factual and, within this novel certainly, does not contain a lot of emotion. In fact in the times that this was written even commenting on Fridays successes was controversial but by distancing the character of Crusoe from this controversy still allowed the contemporary audience to relate to the narrator.Defoes use of the cannibals can also be interpreted as a subtle and clever, but highly acute and sharp, comment on the society that he lived in. Cannibalism, the eating of another mans flesh for the nutritional gain of the individual, can be interpreted as a comment on the imperial civilization the Defoe was living in. He was often to write about the cost of imperial civilization feeding off other places. (Mckeon) An imperial civilization has a...
