"Foe" by J.M. Coetzee - Rereading "Robinson Crusoe"

We had an absolutely riveting discussion regarding Coetzee's "Foe." One reader thought it started out like a YA novel, but was soon dissuaded as soon as Susana Barton became more of a stalker. And then from here, we dove straight into the more metaphorical aspect of the novel. One reader wondered if this is a subtle commentary on Apartheid, as the author is from South Africa; he thought this might be a backdoor approach. Friday, the black native, has no tongue and cannot communicate. Others try to communicate for him. There are also instances of things being of substance, but not life (a stillborn, for example).

We then started talking about whether Barton's daughter was actually there, or if she is a figment of her imagination. And this naturally evolved into a conversation revolving around the "reality" of the novel. Does Susana Barton exist? Is her story something the character Foe made up? Or if she does exist, is she a crazed woman trying to insert herself into a classic novel.

The readers related Barton's existence to their own. She longs to be back in London when she is on the island. Then when she is in London, she longs to be back on the island. They wondered if they might find themselves in the same disposition with prison and the outside world. Related to this, one reader pointed out a passage that stuck with him throughout the week: "I ask you to remember, not every man who bears the mark of the castaway is a castaway at heart." He replaced the word castaway with prisoner, and said that even though bears the mark of a prisoner and is a prisoner, he is not one at heart; that he is in an important time in his life and is using it for a lot of self-reflection.

One reader (the librarian) suggested we read the final 5 pages aloud as a group. The final 5 pages are pretty disorienting and confusing, and we thought we could get more out of it by reading it again. And we really uncovered some things! One reader mentioned how he felt "marooned" at the end of the novel--completely separate from the rest of it. He felt like a castaway.

We also uncovered that the first paragraph of the novel is mirrored in the final page, with a change to the tense. This left us to wonder if the final pages actually took place first chronologically. Perhaps Daniel Defoe (in the novel) works through his subconscious in order to write this novel, and that's how it's illustrated in the last little bit. There's a lot to be said about the relationship between author and reader in this novel. There's the Susana-Foe relationship, Defoe-"Foe", Coetzee-Us.

Lastly, we wondered why Coetzee used Robinson Crusoe to tell this story. After all, this novel does take some liberties with details in the original story. But perhaps there is something universal about wanting our own stories to be told (one reader suggested Susana Barton is like a proto-Kardashian, wanting to exploit her story for fame). The librarian talked about how Crusoe was merely a device to explore certain themes for Coetzee, and it could have been any story. He is not making a commentary on Crusoe, but just using bits and pieces to formulate his own meta-narrative and explore the writing process. All in all, it was an absolutely fascinating discussion.

Next week, we venture into into the world of Homer's Illiad with Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles. So tune in next week!

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Coetzee, his work, and anything else related in the comments!

Here is a link to Coetzee's Wikipedia page. I also try to provide some supplemental reading materials in the form of papers, essays, and Q&As. Here is a link to an essay from 2012 by Marco Caracclio on the embodiment of meaning in Foe. You can also buy the book we read on Amazon and IndieBound.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot

Survival Fiction - Book 3: "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe

 I did not plan on our first three novels correlating the way they did, but we discovered that Heart of Darkness, The Drowned World and Robinson Crusoe all talk to each other in certain ways. The readers noted the treatment of the "savage" in Crusoe and how the island natives are viewed and treated as lesser, more like commodities. They also noted how Crusoe had a sense of mastery and ownership over the island, perhaps a similar (but less innocent) feeling Kurtz had over his territory. in Heart of Darkness. There are also some heavy imperialistic overtones in the novel that resonated with anyone familiar with Heart or similar words.

I usually let our conversation snowball naturally, but I had a question of which I was curious to hear their answer to."Why has this novel remained so popular over the last 300 years?" It is arguably the first novel, at least in the western world. It's inspired it's own genre of fiction (Robinsonade). One reader linked it to those "desert island" questions we hear. "What would your five movies/books/albums/etc. on a desert island?' Robinson Crusoe looks at what life might be like on a desert island. The notion of being stranded on an island is a questions people enjoy wrestling with. We all live to imagine ourselves as these inspired, crafty survivors. Another reader suggested this novel is the inspiration for the reality television show "Survivor." But above the desert island aspects of the novel, they were struck by the sense of adventure and ingenuity in the novel. What Crusoe experiences is something nobody else will experience. Being based in a realistic world allows for readers to be transported and imagine what it was like. One reader thought at length what he would do were he in Crusoe's shoes, especially in regards to building boats and caves and cultivating a farm. He would set his book down and think about what he might do.

In the last part of our discussion, the readers related the novel to their own situation of being in prison.Crusoe had to "scavenge" for social interaction. Crusoe could not be picky with Friday and quarrel over differences in lifestyle, worldviews, or opinions. They found common ground. The readers could relate to this. They are in a hyper-controlled/restricted environment and have to make the best of what's in front of them. They have very little they can control. The simplicity and minimalism of Crusoe's island boils things down to what's important and essential. Crusoe didn't have to worry about politics or social structures or things of that nature. Many of the religious dogmas and doctrines that bog the modern world don't matter. It's only his relationship to God, to Friday, and his self-reliance. We started to touch on the ideas of rebirth and repentance but alas, we ran out of time! 

Next week, we are reading a novel that falls in the Robinsonade tradition: The Martian. We're swapping out a desert island for the red hellscape of Mars.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Defoe, his work, and anything else related in the comments!

Here is a link to an info sheet provided to the readers. It has a brief biography of Daniel Defoe, as well as some information on Robinson Crusoe. I also try to provide some supplemental reading materials in the form of papers, essays, and Q&As. Here is an essay from 2012 by Geert Vandermeersche & Ronald Soetaert on landscape, culture, and education in Robinson Crusoe. You can also buy the book we read on Amazon, IndieBound, and Audible.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot