Robinson Crusoe is an imaginary story about a merchant-adventurer shipwrecked on a desert island off the northern coast of South America. Daniel Defoe wrote this novel in 1719. He based the story partly on the experiences of a Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk. But Defoe’s realistic account of Crusoe’s life is much more interesting, and has become one of the most popular books in English.
The book explains how Crusoe cleverly manages to make himself at home while he lives on the island. After living alone for 26 years, Crusoe rescues a man from cannibals. He calls the man Friday because he met him on that day. Friday becomes Crusoe’s trusted friend and servant. The term, “man Friday,” has come to mean any trusted servant. Two years later, Crusoe and Friday board a passing ship and are taken to England.
