As an 18th-century mariner on the high seas, Robinson Crusoe is very interested in commerce, trade, and the accumulation of wealth. After all, the whole reason that Crusoe is on the ocean in the first place is to take part in trade. He makes money in Africa and also in the sugar plantations he buys in Brazil. While a religious theme is present throughout the book, so too is the idea of Crusoe's economic individualism.
Questions About Wealth
- What does Crusoe's father say about money?
- Why does Crusoe buy slaves for his sugar plantation?
- Why does Crusoe save the money he finds on the sinking ship, even though he has no use for it at the time?
- Is wealth Crusoe's reward at the end of the novel?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Robinson Crusoe suggests that wealth is not as important as spiritual well-being.
In the novel, wealth is a reward for the virtuous.