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One day, somehow you are flung down into a completely strange island. Being shocked and confused, you slowly recover your consciousness and come to realize the situation. Pouring rain splashes the ground while lightning flashes across the sky. Thick clouds prevent the sun from shedding its beam. Roaring beasts lurk in the jungle and, with wind, its roar echo so far to pack a visceral punch. As hope of rescue sliding into oblivion, doom is looming up in this pathetic world. If there is any title that fits this scenario, that would be 2012.
This is the setting of Robin Crusoe, the ground breaking novel in the history of English literature. Published on April 25, 1719, it was written by British novelist Daniel Defoe and duly gained its well reception from the public. It’s said that Robinson Crusoe had spawned more than seven hundred alternative versions and was translated even in languages such as Inuit, Coptic, and Maltese. People even create a word “Robinsonade” to describe books that featuring the same genre of Robinson Crusoe. (Wikipedia, 2012)
The plot of the book is about the adventure of Robinson Crusoe. Against the backdrop of imperial colonialism and oceanic exploration, Robinson, just like many others in his time, defied his parents’ wish and set off to the sea to fulfill his dream of being an adventurer. Yet the course of his pursuit never did run smooth. Many a time he was either marooned or wrecked during his expedition before miraculously find rescue. In spite of continuous setbacks, the intoxicating excitement of adventure kept him so spellbound that he constantly summoned up his courage to sail out again and again. Pride will have a fall, and he is no exception. Robinson was finally penalized by a vicious storm. With his ship wrecked, his dream sunk into the ocean of oblivion alone with the wreckage and his companions’ bodies. Nevertheless the storm didn’t take away his life. Instead, it gave him a brand new one. As a lone survivor, Robinson drifted to a hitherto unknown island. The situation is just as dire as what had been described in the first paragraph. Yet it is exactly under this circumstance that gave rise to an outer heaven.
The island, or, more accurately, the new world, is the central stage of Robinson Crusoe. It distinguishes the novel from many others as it provides a different setting, one that has none of the traditional features of human society and requires new approaches to assess. Readers must abandon their take-for-granted cognitive system in this island and follow nature’s rules, which render it a fine subject for Reader-oriented studies. According to Reader-oriented theories (Selden, 2004), perceivers of a text should play an active role in processing and constructing the meaning. The text itself has no existential meaning until it is perceived through the codes applied by the readers. This activity is like a transaction. Readers receive input from the text, process it with their cognitive codes, and then produce their own understanding. It is through this interaction between readers and text that the existing world of the novel emerges. Yet different readers have different codes in their mind that could lead to various understandings. This is due to “the framework of concepts and assumptions” (Selden, 2004) in readers’ mind may vary through the passage of time, development of science and culture. In Hans Robert Jauss’ words (2004), this means the changing of “horizon of expectation”. Readers’ criteria of judging about a text are by no means unchangeable. Selden held similar opinion as he wrote “a literary work is not an object which stands by itself and which offers the same face to each reader in each period”. (2004) Moreover, “our consciousness both projects the things of the world and at the same time is subjected to the world by the very nature of existence in the world”. (Heidegger, 2004) Although the readers take the initiative by assessing the text through their own cognitive codes, their conception are still subject to the influence of the framework they have in mind. So, in order to assess the text from a more objective viewpoint, an integrated approach which combines the horizon of expectation form different periods should be adopted. That is to say, the interpretation of Robinson Crusoe should be conducted from both the past and the present framework of understanding. Standing upon such an inclusive point of departure, the interfering elements, which are imposed by the prevalent framework of understanding from different eras, can be reduced to a satisfactory range.
18th century is the prime time when the Great Britain develops at full throttle. With Spain and Netherland, the two naval giant who stood at its path to hegemony, soundly defeated, the Great Britain cements its control over the sea and stretch its hand to every potentially profitable corner on the world, nearly leaving no stone unturned. It is from the outset of such that the adventure of Robinson Crusoe begins. Inheriting those great navigators’ DNA, namely, Amerigo Vespucci, Ferdinand Magellan, Diogo Ribeiro, Robinson is enthralled by their thrilling experiences and inspired by their heroic spirits. It is only a matter of time for him to follow his Renaissance predecessors’ path and sail towards “terra incognita” (Ptolemy, 2006) – a typical demonstration of the young’s idiosyncrasy in his time. Driven by their daring and aggressive nature, taking pride in their supreme ethnic status in the world, this generation continuously set sail to the sea, hunting for treasure, uncharted territory, and traditional glory. At that time, these were usually hailed as heartening deeds. However, judging from modern time viewpoint, these people are transmogrified into vanguards that bring about calamity. Insidious trade that blemishes human history, regional conflicts that burns the ground of neighborhoods, poignant destitute that plagues people for centuries, all of these are more or less attributed to those great expeditions. Furthermore, the age of sail also shaped the adventurous spirit into the backbone of the British. The traditional glory derives both a sense of honor concerning expedition and pressure of its maintenance to their descendants. They admire the achievements of their fathers, and are eager to maintain these glorious legacies. Many British still engage in expedition, especially on sea today. To give several examples, in literature there are Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mine. In reality, sadly, there is Robert Falcon Scott. The Royal Navy officer’s ill-fated venture to South Pole ended up in disastrous fashion with his team being firstly thrashed by the Roald Amundsen-led Norwegian expedition, and then annihilated by the malicious weather on their way home. The disaster reveals another aspect of the British traditional spirit of adventure. They tend to halo those who give everything including life on their course. They usually put the expedition at first place and their lives come only second. In every adventure, it surely will be dangerous. Yet for the British to die on the road of some grand journey is nothing ignominious. Rather, they see it as a decent, or, even heroic and moving ending. The origin? Most likely derived from the era Robinson lived. In this sense, it may explain why Robinson is so addicted to his journey despite the menacing threats he constantly came across. In contrast, the Norwegian creed of adventure is simple – “you go and you come back whole”. (Alexander, 2011)
Following the discussion of our world is the discussion of the island. Virtually, this is another world. For one thing, here is a heaven for every explorer. For another, none of human society’s rules and regulations can exert its power here.
A look in the past will find sufficient evidence to support the claim that it is a heaven. Discovery of new land, sole occupation, fertile soil, obedient servant, together these things well represent the dream of the explorers at that time. Robinson came to realize it all on the island. He made himself the king of the island and built up the kingdom day by day. At first he was only concerned about his own safety, food supply, etc. Then he slowly found out that this place, rather than a living hell, was actually a land of wonder, a new frontier entirely intact from human exploitation. More importantly, he alone possessed it all. Under his reign, plantation vibrantly grew over the ground; flocks casually scattered across the land; defense firmly fortified with guns and powders in stock; even the barbaric Friday turned civilized to help him governed the island. This is why readers at that time didn’t bear much tragic feelings towards Robinson. Rather, when it’s time for Robinson to leave the island, they are prompt to run sentiment since they as well have to bid farewell to this place. For them, the island is exactly what the explorers and navigators have been looking for – an ultimate dream destination that suits the then prevalent ideal. It is safe to say that Robinson stands out as an icon that inspire and encourage many readers at his time and on to embark on their own voyage.
From a comparatively modern viewpoint, readers’ attention naturally shifts to the island’s unique, exclusive existence. This place is simply out of the grid – an outer world. If you are bored with your jobs, sick of your boss, tired of pretense, have enough with the hypocrites, frustrated by the reality, disappointed at the world, cannot stomach your assignments anymore such as a two-thousand-word thesis, I hereby extend my sincere congratulations to you on that you can find yourself a lovely shelter in Robinson Crusoe. On the island there is no trace of those suffocating rules and regulations from modern society; neither does it have any nuisance to spoil your mood. You can embrace freedom here like never before and this is thing that touches present readers most. Readers always seek resonance with their real life in literary works. As for the contemporary ones, the mounting pressure from different aspects of life forges a heart yearning for solace. It is not some beautiful words or stacks of money but a tranquil place that can calm people’s mind, that can make you sit down and enjoy nature’s beauty without the slightest bit of anxiety in human society. On Robinson’s island readers are entirely held in nature’s power. For them the reading process transforms into a pleasant journey in a hideout resort. A world they may linger on and on.
Through the above discussion, the combination of readers’ response in both past and present naturally sparks the term “Outer Heaven” (Kojima, 2010) off my mind. It perfectly presents the readers’ passion for adventure in the Robinson’s age as well as the modern opinion that regards the island as a runaway paradise. Still, all the discussion is subject to our contemporary “paradigm”. (Kuhn, 2004) To completely break away from the current cognitive framework seem impossible. So to integrate past and present opinions and give a comprehensive conclusion are the best one can do. Furthermore, maybe there is still another thing, to wait for the future trend of understandings.
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发表于 2013-10-29 08:03:49
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