Task:
- Choose any five words from the list.
- Predict/guess “Which of these words best match the themes in Robinson Crusoe?”
- Write 1–2 sentences predicting how the word might appear in Crusoe’s story.
- (e.g., Redemption → Crusoe’s moral and spiritual change after reading the Bible—Theme: Religion)
Glossary of Literary Terms in Robinson Crusoe:
Sallee Rover: A pirate ship operating from the port of Sallee (Salé) in Morocco. The narrator was captured by one and later escaped.
Ill-fated: Doomed to misfortune; unlucky. Used to describe the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion that Daniel Defoe participated in.
Castaway: A person who has been shipwrecked and abandoned on an island or coast. This is central to Robinson Crusoe's story.
Sensational: Causing great public interest and excitement. Used to describe the story of a castaway even today.
Subtle: Delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe. The meaning of Robinson Crusoe is described as deepening and becoming more subtle with re-reading.
Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. The novel is described as a "metaphor for human survival".
Mythical tales: Stories that are often traditional and sacred, explaining the world and humanity's place in it. Robinson Crusoe is called one of "our own mythical tales".
Biblical: Relating to or contained in the Bible. The novel's morality is described as "almost Biblical".
Sententious: Given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner. Crusoe's father is described as "sententious" in giving advice.
Anglicized: Made English in form or character. Herr Kreutznaer anglicized his name to Crusoe.
Plausible: Seeming reasonable or probable. The detail in the book makes it more plausible.
Prolific writer: A writer who produces many works. Daniel Defoe is described as a "prolific writer" with four hundred works bearing his name.
Hyperbole: Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. Crusoe's desert-island situation is described as initially viewed with "hyperbole".
Provincial: Of or concerning a province of a country or empire. Crusoe is described as a "young provincial" from Yorkshire, not a Londoner.
Incompetent: Not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully. Crusoe admits to being "incompetent" ("I had never handled a tool in my life").
Rudiments of civilization: The basic principles or elements of civilization. Crusoe has to learn these to prevail on the island.
Paradox: A seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when explained may prove to be well founded or true. Crusoe's island is a paradox, both a prison and a kingdom.
Despot: A ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way. Crusoe considers himself an "absolute ruler and even a despot, but a benevolent one."
Pugnacity: A tendency to fight or be aggressive. Alexander Selkirk, the inspiration for Crusoe, was notorious for his "pugnacity".
Privateer: A private person or ship authorized by a government to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Selkirk served on a privateer.
Maxim: A short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct. Richard Steele used Selkirk as an illustration of the maxim "that he is happiest who confines his wants to natural necessities."
Importunities: Persistent demands or entreaties. Crusoe's mother tries to prevent his father's "further importunities" regarding his future.
Capful of wind: A small amount of wind. Crusoe's companion downplays a "terrible storm" as just a "capful of wind".
Discomposure of mind: A state of being agitated or disturbed mentally. Crusoe's journal would have been full of "many dull things" due to his "discomposure of mind" at first.
Founder: (Of a ship) fill with water and sink. The seamen feared the ship would "founder".
Sprung a leak: (Of a ship) developed a hole that lets water in. A man cried out that they had "sprung a leak".
Swoon: Faint from extreme emotion. Crusoe fell into a "swoon" after hearing a signal gun.
Light colliers: Ships that carry coal, especially those traveling without a full load.
Procuration: The action of obtaining or procuring something; specifically, a formal authorization to act on another's behalf. Crusoe signs a document allowing his effects to be sent to Lisbon.
Ingenio: A large estate or plantation, especially for growing sugar cane and producing sugar. Used in Brazil, where Crusoe had a plantation.
Moidores: A former Portuguese gold coin.
Supercargo: An officer on a merchant ship who represents the ship's owner and oversees the cargo and trade. Crusoe was offered to go as a supercargo on a slaving expedition.
Calenture: A tropical fever. One man and a boy died of it on Crusoe's last voyage before shipwreck.
Raft: A flat buoyant structure of timber or other materials, used as a boat or floating platform. Crusoe built one to salvage items from the wrecked ship.
Hogshead: A large cask or barrel. Crusoe found a "great hogshead of bread" on the ship.
Runlets: Small casks or barrels. He also found "three large runlets of rum".
Husbanded: Used (resources) economically; conserved. Crusoe "husbanded" his pens, ink, and paper.
Despondency: A state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage. Crusoe says his "reason began now to master my despondency".
Mechanic art: A skilled trade; practical craftsmanship. Crusoe found he could master "every mechanic art" by reasoning and application.
Grindstone: A revolving stone wheel used for grinding, sharpening, or polishing. Crusoe contrived a way to turn his large grindstone with his foot.
Filial affection: Deep love and respect shown by a son or daughter to a parent. Friday shows this towards his father.
Bower: A pleasant, shady retreat or arbour. Crusoe's country seat or second dwelling.
Savanna: A large area of grassland in tropical or subtropical regions, with scattered trees and shrubs. Used to describe parts of the island.
Caribbees: An indigenous people of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, known for cannibalism. Friday's nation is identified as Caribs.
Sedate: Calm, dignified, and unhurried. Crusoe lived a "very sedate" life after a period of anxiousness.
Contrived: Created or arranged something by ingenuity or skill. Crusoe "contrived a wheel" for his grindstone.
Earthenware: Pottery made from clay that has been fired at a low temperature. Crusoe learned to make these vessels.
Shoulder-of-mutton sail: A type of triangular sail, typically used on small boats. Crusoe's longboat from Sallee had one, and he made one for his new canoe.
Piragua: A canoe or narrow boat, typically made from a single tree trunk. Crusoe attempts to make one.
Hew: Chop or cut (something, especially wood or coal) with an axe, pick, or other tool. Used in shaping logs for a boat.
Preposterous: Contrary to reason or common sense; utterly absurd or ridiculous. Crusoe admits his method of building a large boat without considering how to launch it was "most preposterous".
Equinox: The time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length. Crusoe noted the heats were greater "being nearer the equinox".
Victualled: Provided with food and drink. Crusoe "victualled his ship" for his voyage.
Leeward Islands: A group of islands in the West Indies. Crusoe thought about sailing to them.
Treachery: Betrayal of trust; deceptive action or nature. Crusoe feared the Spaniards' "treachery and ill usage".
Inquisition: A period of prolonged and intensive questioning or investigation. Crusoe would rather be eaten by savages than fall into the "merciless claws of the priests and be carried into the Inquisition."
Candour: The quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness. The Spaniard answered Crusoe with "a great deal of candour".
Mutiny: An open rebellion against the proper authorities, especially by soldiers or sailors against their officers. The crew of the ship Crusoe encounters had mutinied against their captain.
Pinioned: Having the arms or legs tied or held tightly. The prisoners are "pinioned" to prevent escape.
Hostages: Persons seized or held as security for the fulfilment of a condition. Crusoe keeps some mutineers as hostages.
Yardarm: Either end of a ship's yard. Mutineers were threatened with being hanged at the yardarm.
Critique: A detailed analysis and assessment of something, especially a literary or philosophical theory. Later adaptations of Robinson Crusoe offer a critique of its racial politics.
Postcolonial: The period after the end of colonial rule. This context makes the portrayal of "savages" problematic in modern adaptations.
Anthropologists: People who study humanity, particularly its origins, development, customs, and beliefs. In one film adaptation, the Warrior is taken captive by anthropologists.
Robinsonade: A literary genre inspired by Robinson Crusoe, typically featuring a solitary character isolated on a desert island or in a remote place.
Myth of modern individualism: A concept suggested by Ian Watt, describing how the Crusoe story embodies a key idea of identity in Western culture focused on the individual.
Western imperialism: The policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force, especially for economic or territorial gain, by Western nations. Crusoe's story is seen as embodying this.
Psychic toll: The mental or emotional cost or damage. The novel pays less attention to this aspect of loneliness than modern readers might expect.
Unprecedented: Never done or known before; unparalleled. Poe saw Robinson Crusoe as offering an "unprecedented look at 'the idea of a man in perfect isolation.'"
Note: This list is extracted with the help of Notebook LM—an AI-powered tool from Google.
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