Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe a Spiritual Biography Essay

Anna Katherine Kerlin English 254, Section 008 Mrs. Patty Ireland January 30, 2013 Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe: A Spiritual Biography In the seventeenth century, a form of writing emerged as the idea of religion began to change. Many writers used â€Å"spiritual autobiographies† when writing nonfiction pieces. Spiritual autobiographies and later, biographies, were particularly popular because of the emphasis on the Bible in the late 1600s. The concept of spiritual autobiographies and biographies continued well into the 1700s when Daniel Defoe was making his debut in fiction novels with Robinson Crusoe. Critics described Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe as a â€Å"spiritual journey.† J. Paul Hunter claimed that Defoe took a spiritual biography†¦show more content†¦He admitted, â€Å"all the while I had not the least serious religious thought, nothing but the common, Lord, ha[ve] mercy upon me, and when it was over, that went away too† (60). Although Crusoe turns to God during this time, he is not sincere with his praying and his faith abates with the earthquake. It is not until Crusoe be comes very ill that his faith and relationship with God take a turn for the better. Again, Crusoe admits that he does not know how to pray as he claims, â€Å"I was so ignorant, that I knew not what to say; only I lay and cried, Lord look upon me, Lord pity me, Lord have mercy upon me† (64). Crusoe is beginning to build a stronger relationship with God as he admits he may not know what to say, but he knows he must pray. Even though Crusoe’s relationship with God is not yet perfected, his new sense of religion leads him to live a more positive lifestyle while on the island. Crusoe’s journey and relationship with God changes dramatically when he finally realizes he is being punished and begins to ask for repentance. Defoe allows Crusoe to admit his flaws in his life and with this is able to continue his spiritual journey. Crusoe admits, â€Å"I have never had so much as one thought of it being the hand of God, or that it was just punishment for my sin, my rebelli ous behavior against my father (65). Crusoe has finally recognized and admitted that God is punishing him for his rebellion. Now that Crusoe has come to terms with this heShow MoreRelatedWe Must Keep Daniel Defoe in the Literary Cannon1235 Words   |  5 PagesDaniel Defoe born in or around 1660 experienced the most complex disastrous events in England before he was seven. In 1664 a Dutch fleet attacked London, in 1665 the plague took seventy thousand lives and in 1666 the great fire destroyed Defoe’s neighborhood expect for three houses, one being his. Born to a family of dissenters a class of people who refused to conform to the Church of England, Defoe was hindered with obstacles from the start. Receiving his education from a dissenter’s school and